MEP: EU must combat conviction journalists Egypt

Member of the European Parliament, Marietje Schaake, sees the conviction of journalists in Egypt as a new low point in human rights violations. Today, 20 Egyptian and foreign journalists, including the Australian Peter Greste and in absentia the Dutch Rena Netjes, were given between seven and ten year jail sentences. "This is an unfair judgement and again demonstrates the fact that there is no press freedom or freedom of expression in Egypt. The current regime is further restricting the rights of the Egyptian people, while those rights have been ensured in the new constitution. The regime does not allow any dissent and every form of criticism is met with brute force. The fact that the regime is now convicting journalists for being members of a terrorist cell shows that the country has a long way to go to becoming a mature democracy. Condemn the verdict Schaake wants EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and the European member states to strongly condemn this verdict. Schaake: "The EU must take a strong position against this affront to fundamental freedoms. It is good that a number of European ambassadors were present at the verdict, but we need more. Only if we act in unity can we have an impact on the ground. In the past, the EU has reacted too mildly or not at all in response to human rights violations in Egypt. The statements the EU makes are also sometimes contradictory. The message must be crystal clear if we want to retain our credibility." Conditions Yesterday, the United States promised to renew military aid to Egypt, worth 575 million dollars. Schaake wants the European union to make any form of support, either financial or political, conditional to respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Schaake: "It must be clear that human rights are at the top of the European agenda. We need to strive for more freedom and democracy for the Egyptian population. To do that, we need a thorough and decisive strategy. Ashton must take the lead to formulate such a strategy, together with the European member states." In the past, Schaake sent a letter to Ashton, asking her to do so.