On Human Rights Day 2010, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) recalls that several MPs who defend fundamental human rights and freedom of expression are in prison or are subjected to the same fate as certain human rights advocates.
For the IPU, respect for human rights must be a priority on the parliamentary agenda. The world organization of parliaments helps legislators represent their constituents freely and effectively. In 1976, it set up the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, which has since examined cases in over 100 countries and often worked to help secure protection or reparation for MPs under threat. Such was the case of Mr. Alpha Condé some years ago, to cite but one example. Mr. Condé is currently the President of Guinea.
Resorting to legal or judicial measures to silence outspoken MPs is by no means rare. MPs and sometimes all opposition members are prevented from carrying out their mandate. Their removal from office or arbitrary suspension, assassination, disappearance, expulsion or prosecution are just some of the methods used.
To this day, the IPU Committee continues to examine allegations of basic human rights violations relating to 122 legislators in the following 21 countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Burundi, Cambodia, Colombia, Ecuador, Eritrea, Iraq, Israel/Palestine, Lebanon, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Zimbabwe.
Other press releases