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The 23rd Winter Meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE PA) continued today in Vienna.
In the framework of the session of the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, the Vice President of the PA, Mr. Mr. Kyriakos Hadjiyannis participated in a discussion on respect for the rights of dissidents and political prisoners.
In his intervention, Mr. Hadjiyannis expressed concern about the human rights situation in Russia and in particular about the restrictions on basic fundamental rights suffered by dissidents, with particular reference to the recent death of Alexei Navalny. In this context, he called for a full investigation into the causes of his death and for those responsible to be held accountable. Hatzigianni pointed out that according to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and other international organizations, there are disproportionate restrictions on freedom of expression and the right to a fair trial, while civil society organizations are also subject to significant restrictions. He called on the authorities to fully implement their international obligations and encouraged them to make use of the tools and mechanisms offered by the OSCE.
With regard to the situation of political prisoners in Turkey, Mr. Hatzigiannis condemned the fact that every year thousands of people face arrest and prosecution for simple social media posts considered by the Turkish authorities as slander, insulting the president or spreading terrorist propaganda, attracting disproportionate sentences. He pointed out that the OSCE and other international organizations should be able to objectively judge all states instead of focusing on individual states.
Moreover, Mr. Hadjigiannis, in his capacity as Vice-Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Migration, participated in a meeting of this Committee where, inter alia, the latest developments in relation to the New EU Asylum and Migration Pact were discussed.
(Text as sent by the House of Representatives)
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