Wie die EU den Human Rights Day begeht

Seth J. Frantzman über den Human Rights Day der EU:

The EU’s External Action Service (EEAS), which is the EU’s Foreign and Security Policy Service led by Federica Mogherini, put together a nice video for “Human rights day.” It talks about “fundamental rights and freedom” and the “universal declaration of human rights.” it talks about how human rights are universal and how they are essential for democracy and peace. “We’ll continue to protect human rights and those fighting to defend them,” it says. The video even shows Mogherini claiming “you are not alone, the EU will always continue to be with you.”

They even have hashtags: 

#EU4HumanRights #HumanRightsDay #StandUp4HumanRights

Despite all the talk about human rights, the EU delegations around the world did not actually do anything to speak up about human rights in dictatorships. Instead they hosted events that neatly catered to the societies they are based in. In more democratic societies they spoke a bit about human rights, whereas they were uncritical of the more thuggish and totalitarian states. In the world’s leading jailor of journalists, for instance, the EU hosted a film gathering. Nothing about human rights abuses, bulldozing towns, extrajudicial killings.

Only in Israel did the EU delegation host an event with critical voices. “Wrapping up a busy day around Israel looking at different human rights issues, with a reception with EU Ambassadors @Btselem exhibition showing the lives of #Palestinians in the occupied territories,” tweeted the EU in Israelaccount.