Front Line Executive Director Mary Lawlor

Speaking at a public hearing on human rights defenders of the Human Rights Sub Committee of the European Parliament, Front Line Executive Director Mary Lawlor highlighted the need for "support to human rights defenders, as the silver thread of EU human rights policy". During her speech she highlighted the cases of imprisoned HRDs, Nasrin Soutoudeh in Iran and Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam in Sudan.

Further Information

Ms Lawlor highlighted the cases of Nasrin Soutoudeh and Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam as recent examples of human rights defenders who had been subjected to extreme penalties because of their legitimate human rights work. Nasrin Soutoudeh from Iran was recently sentenced to 11 years in prison and Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam from Sudan was sentenced to a one year prison term and a fine of 3,000 Sudanese pounds just before Christmas.

Highlighting the need for the protection of human rights defenders to be a central plank of the EU's foreign policy Ms Lawlor said "At a time when the EU is reviewing its Human Rights Strategy, when observers and insiders point out the increasing difficulty of the EU to get support for its human rights agenda in bilateral relations and at the UN, when its general approach on human rights issues is often seen as preachy and paternalistic, we believe that the EU human rights policy will be effective and innovative, only if support to human rights defenders at risk ,is perceived as the silver thread of any EU human right strategy.

This targeted approach would help resist attempts to dilute universal standards which constitute the basis of our action. Universal human rights are indeed universal – As article 1 of the UDHR says 'All human beings are free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.' Across the globe, human rights defenders are striving for the fundamental rights of their communities, putting their lives and health at risk. Their fight is our fight. Protecting them effectively has nothing to do with a so-called western-based human rights agenda. It is our duty and the duty of the EU to respond to their needs".

Among the recommendations made by Front Line to the sub-committee the key recommendation was that "The EU should put the protection of human rights defenders at the core of the future EU Human Rights Strategy. Then and only then would it become 'a gold standard of our foreign policy', as the High Representative said at the European Parliament, last December".

The full text of Ms Lawlor's speech to the sub-committee is attached in PDF format.