Menu
Menu
Speakers welcomed the contribution of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action to the advancement of human rights. However, they pointed out that a collective response to the rapidly mutating COVID-19 virus fell short of the \u2018Vienna spirit\u2019, which called for enhanced multilateral cooperation to secure rights for everyone everywhere. The rising \u2018vaccine nationalism\u2019 was a cause of grave concern. Equal priority should be given to all rights, including the right to development, and as such vaccines against COVID-19 must be made available to all countries in order to protect the most marginalised and vulnerable persons. Speakers highlighted that women and girls were disproportionately affected by the pandemic, especially from the perspective of gender-based violence and the extra burdens they experienced due to gendered social constructs, the continued undervaluing of the care economy, and the pay gap. Men had yet to take a proportionate share of domestic chores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The international community should redouble its efforts to address longstanding international conflicts to genuinely implement the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. The exacerbation of inequalities in the context of COVID-19 was regrettable: more just societies must be created. Capacity building for legal systems, including education and information exchange, must be bolstered in light of the disruption caused by COVID-19. Objectivity, impartiality and non-selectivity must inform all actions of the Council, as all States must encourage genuine dialogue instead of the politicisation of human rights and interference in countries\u2019 internal affairs. Other speakers noted that States that committed human rights violations must be held to account - this universal notion was enshrined in the very foundation of the United Nations. The global human rights agenda would remain unfulfilled unless all occupied people were granted their inalienable right to self-determination. Timely achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals was crucial for the effective implementation of the Declaration.<\/p>\n","post_title":"High Commissioner for Human Rights Presents Three Reports on the Human Rights Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the Occupied Syrian Golan","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"high-commissioner-for-human-rights-presents-three-reports-on-the-human-rights-situation-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory-and-the-occupied-syrian-golan","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=4572","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2441,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_content":"On 6 May, 2015 the European Union (EU) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a 90-day visa waiver agreement<\/a> in Brussels. Representatives of the Latvian Presidency of the Council and the European Commission signed the agreement on behalf of the EU, whileAmbassador Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui, signed the agreement on behalf of UAE. Following singing the agreement, the EU became the first Arab country to sign such an agreement with the EU, allowing its citizens and that of the EU to stay in both territories for a period of 180 days within any a given period of 180 days.[1]<\/a>\r\n\r\nDespite the potential benefits of such an agreement for the nationals of both parties, the EU has failed to consider the situation of human rights, workers\u2019 rights, money laundry and tax evasion in the UAE, in addition to oppressing political opposition where dozens of activists have been thrown into jails due to expressing their opinions on ongoing events in the region, in addition to the UAE role in Yemen which resulted in various human rights violations, which contradicts the EU\u2019s commitments in relation to human rights and freedom of speech.[2]<\/a>\r\n\r\nAccording to a report published by Human Rights Watch on January 18, 2018 \u201cThe United Arab Emirates was involved in abuses at home and abroad in 2017, arresting one of the last outspoken rights critics in the country and playing a role in torture and disappearances in Yemen.\u201d[3]<\/a> One of the people detained at home was Ahmed Mansoor, a prominent award-winning UAE national who has been the voice of the UAE over the years defending their human rights and exposing human rights violations against them. Human rights violations in the UAE extend to foreign workers who face serious exploitation. This includes discrimination based on gender, identity and sexual orientation, Human Rights noted.\r\n\r\nThese violations are not limited to home, but rather they extend beyond the borders of the UAE, especially in Yemen where the UAE is a leading member of the Saudi-led coalition against Houthis, where the UAW has been in involved in dozens of human rights violations, some of which amount to war crimes and that resulted in the death of 1,000 civilians. This also included supporting abuse Yemeni forces that was heavily involved in human rights violations. This also involved the torture of detainees inside UAE-run prisons and facilities.[4]<\/a> \u201cWhenever the US and others praise the UAE for its critical counterterrorism support in places like Yemen, they paper over a much darker reality \u2013 of disappearances, torture, and detainee abuse, and their own potential complicity in these abuses,\u201d Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch said.\r\n\r\nThe UAE is heavily engaged in financial crimes in a violation of the commitments and principles of the EU. This includes drug trade, tax evasion and money laundering. This UAE behavior contradicts the principles of transparency of the EU which has been adopted over the years and put the credibility of the EU at stake. The EU has to take serious steps in this regard\u00a0 as the implications of these financial crimes might have regional and international implication such as funding terrorism, which puts the EU\u2019s security at stake.\r\n\r\nThese violations contradict the EU\u2019s regulations and principles in relation to promoting and protecting human rights, which requires a comprehensive review of the visa-waiver agreement signed between the two parties. These UAE violations contradict the provisions of the EU Convention on Human Rights, which calls for protecting human life, prohibits torture, prohibits forced labor, protects right to liberty and security, promotes freedom of expression, and prohibits discrimination.[5]<\/a> This report is divided into two sections, the following section will address EU commitment to human rights in light with cooperating with third parties and the second section will highlight the UAE\u2019s human rights abuses in light of its partnership with the EUhuman dignity a special place where it came first in its charter on human rights. Article 1 and 2 of the Charter reads \u201cHuman dignity is inviolable. It must be respected and protected,\u201d and \u201c1. Everyone has the right to life. 2. No one shall be condemned to the death penalty, or executed.\u201d[6]<\/a> Therefore, the right of human dignity and life has been on the forefront of the EU approach to promoting human rights, including signing agreements with other countries for the same purpose.\r\n\r\nIn the same context ofprohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Article 4 of the Charter states that \u201cno one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.\u201d[7]<\/a> The EU has engaged in human rights dialogues aimed at combating torture and ill-treatment of people such as the dialogue launched with Iran and China. The EU has always been critical of groups or states that have been involved in torture in different parts of the world and has always called for terminating torture and abuse. In fact, a special EU committee was formed to combat torture known as European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).[8]<\/a>\r\n\r\n[1]<\/a>Council of the European Union, \u201cEU signs visa waiver agreement with the United Arab Emirates,\u201d Press Release, 6 May 2015 accessed on 17 July 2018, link: http:\/\/www.consilium.europa.eu\/en\/press\/press-releases\/2015\/05\/06\/eu-signs-visa-waiver-agreement-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[2]<\/a>Amnesty International, \u201cUnited Arab Emirates,\u201d Country Profile, UAE, date unknown, accessed on 17 July 2018, link to the profile: https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/countries\/middle-east-and-north-africa\/united-arab-emirates\/report-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[3]<\/a>Human Rights Watch, \u201cUAE: Abuses at Home, Abroad: Prominent Critic Detained; Possible War Crimes in Yemen,\u201d Human Rights Watch, published on 18 January 2018, accessed on 16 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2018\/01\/18\/uae-abuses-home-abroad\r\n\r\n[4]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[5]<\/a>The European Union, \u201cEuropean Convention on Human Rights,\u201d Article 1 to Article 15, accessed on 18 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.echr.coe.int\/Documents\/Convention_ENG.pdf\r\n\r\n[6]<\/a>Charter of Fundamental Rights ofThe EuropeanUnion, Official Journal of the European Union, C 326\/391, 26 December 2012, accessed on 17 July 2018, link: https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/?uri=CELEX:12012P\/TXT<\/a>\r\n\r\n[7]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[8]<\/a>For more information about CPT, check their website https:\/\/www.coe.int\/en\/web\/cpt","post_title":"Report: UAE Human Rights Record Contradicts EU values","post_excerpt":"An Examination of UAE Human Rights Record \r\nand the requirements of EU Visa Waiver\r\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"report-uae-human-rights-record-contradicts-eu-values","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2441","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"206","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2429,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_content":"Moldova\u2019s ruling Democratic Party has proposed amending the country\u2019s citizenship law, which would grant citizenship to wealthy foreign investors and bypass standard procedures, which have so far included learning the language and studying the constitution.\r\n\r\nThe country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.\r\n\r\n\u201cVlad Plahotniuc, the chairman of the Democratic Party and head of the ruling coalition, is widely seen as a driving force of corruption in Moldova,\u201d writes Kaunain Rahman, a Transparency International consultant. \u201cApart from being the wealthiest businessman in the country, he is the top oligarch with real power, running the show from behind the scenes. The peculiarity of Moldovan state capture is that the country is essentially owned by a single person, creating room for monopolies and grand corruption in all spheres of governance.\u201d\r\n\r\nFollowing the submission of the draft, Roman Botan, chairman of the National Security Commission, resigned from his post saying he doesn\u2019t want to be associated with such a law.\r\n\r\nThe number of people who can apply for citizenship has expanded from 5000 to an undefined number, undermining the image of the country.\r\n\r\nFurthermore, the names of the country\u2019s new citizens will not be indicated on official documents, so they will remain anonymous.\r\n\r\n\u201cWho obtains citizenship: a file or a person? It\u2019s strange that it is a matter of classifying those who will gain citizenship by investing. These investments could come from fraud, which would create the premises for legalising illegal assets,\u201d Mr Botan added.\r\n\r\nMoldova launched its current\u00a0citizenship-through-investment\u00a0programme in September 2017. The scheme makes people who invest at least 250,000 euros in real estate, government bonds or the country\u2019s public investment fund eligible for citizenship.","post_title":"Moldovan Cash for Passports Programme Draws Criticism","post_excerpt":"The country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"moldovan-cash-for-passports-programme-draws-criticism","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2429","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"202","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2423,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_content":"FARNBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin\u2019s (LMT.N<\/a><\/span>) F-35 fighter jet is arriving in growing numbers in Europe, and is poised to play a much broader role in missile defense and other warfare plans than conventional fighters, according to U.S. and European officials.\r\n\r\nAfter years of technical challenges and program delays, the F-35, the world\u2019s most expensive arms program, is rapidly gaining a foothold in the United States and Europe.\r\n\r\nThe new warplane\u2019s high-end sensors will give it a bigger role across all domains of war than previous fighter planes, including in missile defense, said General Tod Wolters, the top commander of U.S. and NATO air forces in Europe.\r\n\r\nNorway, Britain and Italy will have received 40 F-35s in Europe by the end of the year, with the first Dutch jets to arrive next year, and the first U.S. jets in fiscal year 2021.\r\n Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Adrian Croft<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n General Debate on Follow-up to and Implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Speakers welcomed the contribution of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action to the advancement of human rights. However, they pointed out that a collective response to the rapidly mutating COVID-19 virus fell short of the \u2018Vienna spirit\u2019, which called for enhanced multilateral cooperation to secure rights for everyone everywhere. The rising \u2018vaccine nationalism\u2019 was a cause of grave concern. Equal priority should be given to all rights, including the right to development, and as such vaccines against COVID-19 must be made available to all countries in order to protect the most marginalised and vulnerable persons. Speakers highlighted that women and girls were disproportionately affected by the pandemic, especially from the perspective of gender-based violence and the extra burdens they experienced due to gendered social constructs, the continued undervaluing of the care economy, and the pay gap. Men had yet to take a proportionate share of domestic chores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The international community should redouble its efforts to address longstanding international conflicts to genuinely implement the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. The exacerbation of inequalities in the context of COVID-19 was regrettable: more just societies must be created. Capacity building for legal systems, including education and information exchange, must be bolstered in light of the disruption caused by COVID-19. Objectivity, impartiality and non-selectivity must inform all actions of the Council, as all States must encourage genuine dialogue instead of the politicisation of human rights and interference in countries\u2019 internal affairs. Other speakers noted that States that committed human rights violations must be held to account - this universal notion was enshrined in the very foundation of the United Nations. The global human rights agenda would remain unfulfilled unless all occupied people were granted their inalienable right to self-determination. Timely achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals was crucial for the effective implementation of the Declaration.<\/p>\n","post_title":"High Commissioner for Human Rights Presents Three Reports on the Human Rights Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the Occupied Syrian Golan","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"high-commissioner-for-human-rights-presents-three-reports-on-the-human-rights-situation-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory-and-the-occupied-syrian-golan","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=4572","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2441,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_content":"On 6 May, 2015 the European Union (EU) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a 90-day visa waiver agreement<\/a> in Brussels. Representatives of the Latvian Presidency of the Council and the European Commission signed the agreement on behalf of the EU, whileAmbassador Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui, signed the agreement on behalf of UAE. Following singing the agreement, the EU became the first Arab country to sign such an agreement with the EU, allowing its citizens and that of the EU to stay in both territories for a period of 180 days within any a given period of 180 days.[1]<\/a>\r\n\r\nDespite the potential benefits of such an agreement for the nationals of both parties, the EU has failed to consider the situation of human rights, workers\u2019 rights, money laundry and tax evasion in the UAE, in addition to oppressing political opposition where dozens of activists have been thrown into jails due to expressing their opinions on ongoing events in the region, in addition to the UAE role in Yemen which resulted in various human rights violations, which contradicts the EU\u2019s commitments in relation to human rights and freedom of speech.[2]<\/a>\r\n\r\nAccording to a report published by Human Rights Watch on January 18, 2018 \u201cThe United Arab Emirates was involved in abuses at home and abroad in 2017, arresting one of the last outspoken rights critics in the country and playing a role in torture and disappearances in Yemen.\u201d[3]<\/a> One of the people detained at home was Ahmed Mansoor, a prominent award-winning UAE national who has been the voice of the UAE over the years defending their human rights and exposing human rights violations against them. Human rights violations in the UAE extend to foreign workers who face serious exploitation. This includes discrimination based on gender, identity and sexual orientation, Human Rights noted.\r\n\r\nThese violations are not limited to home, but rather they extend beyond the borders of the UAE, especially in Yemen where the UAE is a leading member of the Saudi-led coalition against Houthis, where the UAW has been in involved in dozens of human rights violations, some of which amount to war crimes and that resulted in the death of 1,000 civilians. This also included supporting abuse Yemeni forces that was heavily involved in human rights violations. This also involved the torture of detainees inside UAE-run prisons and facilities.[4]<\/a> \u201cWhenever the US and others praise the UAE for its critical counterterrorism support in places like Yemen, they paper over a much darker reality \u2013 of disappearances, torture, and detainee abuse, and their own potential complicity in these abuses,\u201d Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch said.\r\n\r\nThe UAE is heavily engaged in financial crimes in a violation of the commitments and principles of the EU. This includes drug trade, tax evasion and money laundering. This UAE behavior contradicts the principles of transparency of the EU which has been adopted over the years and put the credibility of the EU at stake. The EU has to take serious steps in this regard\u00a0 as the implications of these financial crimes might have regional and international implication such as funding terrorism, which puts the EU\u2019s security at stake.\r\n\r\nThese violations contradict the EU\u2019s regulations and principles in relation to promoting and protecting human rights, which requires a comprehensive review of the visa-waiver agreement signed between the two parties. These UAE violations contradict the provisions of the EU Convention on Human Rights, which calls for protecting human life, prohibits torture, prohibits forced labor, protects right to liberty and security, promotes freedom of expression, and prohibits discrimination.[5]<\/a> This report is divided into two sections, the following section will address EU commitment to human rights in light with cooperating with third parties and the second section will highlight the UAE\u2019s human rights abuses in light of its partnership with the EUhuman dignity a special place where it came first in its charter on human rights. Article 1 and 2 of the Charter reads \u201cHuman dignity is inviolable. It must be respected and protected,\u201d and \u201c1. Everyone has the right to life. 2. No one shall be condemned to the death penalty, or executed.\u201d[6]<\/a> Therefore, the right of human dignity and life has been on the forefront of the EU approach to promoting human rights, including signing agreements with other countries for the same purpose.\r\n\r\nIn the same context ofprohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Article 4 of the Charter states that \u201cno one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.\u201d[7]<\/a> The EU has engaged in human rights dialogues aimed at combating torture and ill-treatment of people such as the dialogue launched with Iran and China. The EU has always been critical of groups or states that have been involved in torture in different parts of the world and has always called for terminating torture and abuse. In fact, a special EU committee was formed to combat torture known as European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).[8]<\/a>\r\n\r\n[1]<\/a>Council of the European Union, \u201cEU signs visa waiver agreement with the United Arab Emirates,\u201d Press Release, 6 May 2015 accessed on 17 July 2018, link: http:\/\/www.consilium.europa.eu\/en\/press\/press-releases\/2015\/05\/06\/eu-signs-visa-waiver-agreement-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[2]<\/a>Amnesty International, \u201cUnited Arab Emirates,\u201d Country Profile, UAE, date unknown, accessed on 17 July 2018, link to the profile: https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/countries\/middle-east-and-north-africa\/united-arab-emirates\/report-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[3]<\/a>Human Rights Watch, \u201cUAE: Abuses at Home, Abroad: Prominent Critic Detained; Possible War Crimes in Yemen,\u201d Human Rights Watch, published on 18 January 2018, accessed on 16 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2018\/01\/18\/uae-abuses-home-abroad\r\n\r\n[4]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[5]<\/a>The European Union, \u201cEuropean Convention on Human Rights,\u201d Article 1 to Article 15, accessed on 18 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.echr.coe.int\/Documents\/Convention_ENG.pdf\r\n\r\n[6]<\/a>Charter of Fundamental Rights ofThe EuropeanUnion, Official Journal of the European Union, C 326\/391, 26 December 2012, accessed on 17 July 2018, link: https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/?uri=CELEX:12012P\/TXT<\/a>\r\n\r\n[7]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[8]<\/a>For more information about CPT, check their website https:\/\/www.coe.int\/en\/web\/cpt","post_title":"Report: UAE Human Rights Record Contradicts EU values","post_excerpt":"An Examination of UAE Human Rights Record \r\nand the requirements of EU Visa Waiver\r\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"report-uae-human-rights-record-contradicts-eu-values","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2441","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"206","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2429,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_content":"Moldova\u2019s ruling Democratic Party has proposed amending the country\u2019s citizenship law, which would grant citizenship to wealthy foreign investors and bypass standard procedures, which have so far included learning the language and studying the constitution.\r\n\r\nThe country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.\r\n\r\n\u201cVlad Plahotniuc, the chairman of the Democratic Party and head of the ruling coalition, is widely seen as a driving force of corruption in Moldova,\u201d writes Kaunain Rahman, a Transparency International consultant. \u201cApart from being the wealthiest businessman in the country, he is the top oligarch with real power, running the show from behind the scenes. The peculiarity of Moldovan state capture is that the country is essentially owned by a single person, creating room for monopolies and grand corruption in all spheres of governance.\u201d\r\n\r\nFollowing the submission of the draft, Roman Botan, chairman of the National Security Commission, resigned from his post saying he doesn\u2019t want to be associated with such a law.\r\n\r\nThe number of people who can apply for citizenship has expanded from 5000 to an undefined number, undermining the image of the country.\r\n\r\nFurthermore, the names of the country\u2019s new citizens will not be indicated on official documents, so they will remain anonymous.\r\n\r\n\u201cWho obtains citizenship: a file or a person? It\u2019s strange that it is a matter of classifying those who will gain citizenship by investing. These investments could come from fraud, which would create the premises for legalising illegal assets,\u201d Mr Botan added.\r\n\r\nMoldova launched its current\u00a0citizenship-through-investment\u00a0programme in September 2017. The scheme makes people who invest at least 250,000 euros in real estate, government bonds or the country\u2019s public investment fund eligible for citizenship.","post_title":"Moldovan Cash for Passports Programme Draws Criticism","post_excerpt":"The country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"moldovan-cash-for-passports-programme-draws-criticism","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2429","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"202","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2423,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_content":"FARNBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin\u2019s (LMT.N<\/a><\/span>) F-35 fighter jet is arriving in growing numbers in Europe, and is poised to play a much broader role in missile defense and other warfare plans than conventional fighters, according to U.S. and European officials.\r\n\r\nAfter years of technical challenges and program delays, the F-35, the world\u2019s most expensive arms program, is rapidly gaining a foothold in the United States and Europe.\r\n\r\nThe new warplane\u2019s high-end sensors will give it a bigger role across all domains of war than previous fighter planes, including in missile defense, said General Tod Wolters, the top commander of U.S. and NATO air forces in Europe.\r\n\r\nNorway, Britain and Italy will have received 40 F-35s in Europe by the end of the year, with the first Dutch jets to arrive next year, and the first U.S. jets in fiscal year 2021.\r\n Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Adrian Croft<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n The Golan Heights were occupied territories, as per international law and United Nations resolutions. Israel\u2019s actions in the Golan Heights may amount to war crimes, which could possibly trigger individual criminal responsibility of those involved. Some speakers said the reports \u201cwhitewashed the crimes of the Palestinians.\u201d Israel, though not obliged to do so, had vaccinated hundreds of thousands of Arab Israelis and 90,000 Palestinians, some speakers pointed out. Others said this was a relatively low number, given that Israel had vaccinated more than half its population. Further, by only vaccinating Palestinians who were in contact with Israelis, Israel continued to uphold its racist policies. The Fourth Geneva Convention obliged Israel to ensure access to vaccines to Palestinians in the occupied territory. One speaker criticised the Council\u2019s bias against Israel, which explained why many countries refused to participate in the debate. Palestinians had launched attacks against Israel from populated areas; in keeping silent, the United Nations was complicit in this grave and dangerous breach of international law. Israel was committing the crime of apartheid. Speakers encouraged the Office to publicly provide the annual update of the database of businesses facilitating Israeli settlements in the coming months as mandated by the Council and transmit it to the Council for discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n General Debate on Follow-up to and Implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Speakers welcomed the contribution of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action to the advancement of human rights. However, they pointed out that a collective response to the rapidly mutating COVID-19 virus fell short of the \u2018Vienna spirit\u2019, which called for enhanced multilateral cooperation to secure rights for everyone everywhere. The rising \u2018vaccine nationalism\u2019 was a cause of grave concern. Equal priority should be given to all rights, including the right to development, and as such vaccines against COVID-19 must be made available to all countries in order to protect the most marginalised and vulnerable persons. Speakers highlighted that women and girls were disproportionately affected by the pandemic, especially from the perspective of gender-based violence and the extra burdens they experienced due to gendered social constructs, the continued undervaluing of the care economy, and the pay gap. Men had yet to take a proportionate share of domestic chores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The international community should redouble its efforts to address longstanding international conflicts to genuinely implement the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. The exacerbation of inequalities in the context of COVID-19 was regrettable: more just societies must be created. Capacity building for legal systems, including education and information exchange, must be bolstered in light of the disruption caused by COVID-19. Objectivity, impartiality and non-selectivity must inform all actions of the Council, as all States must encourage genuine dialogue instead of the politicisation of human rights and interference in countries\u2019 internal affairs. Other speakers noted that States that committed human rights violations must be held to account - this universal notion was enshrined in the very foundation of the United Nations. The global human rights agenda would remain unfulfilled unless all occupied people were granted their inalienable right to self-determination. Timely achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals was crucial for the effective implementation of the Declaration.<\/p>\n","post_title":"High Commissioner for Human Rights Presents Three Reports on the Human Rights Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the Occupied Syrian Golan","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"high-commissioner-for-human-rights-presents-three-reports-on-the-human-rights-situation-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory-and-the-occupied-syrian-golan","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=4572","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2441,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_content":"On 6 May, 2015 the European Union (EU) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a 90-day visa waiver agreement<\/a> in Brussels. Representatives of the Latvian Presidency of the Council and the European Commission signed the agreement on behalf of the EU, whileAmbassador Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui, signed the agreement on behalf of UAE. Following singing the agreement, the EU became the first Arab country to sign such an agreement with the EU, allowing its citizens and that of the EU to stay in both territories for a period of 180 days within any a given period of 180 days.[1]<\/a>\r\n\r\nDespite the potential benefits of such an agreement for the nationals of both parties, the EU has failed to consider the situation of human rights, workers\u2019 rights, money laundry and tax evasion in the UAE, in addition to oppressing political opposition where dozens of activists have been thrown into jails due to expressing their opinions on ongoing events in the region, in addition to the UAE role in Yemen which resulted in various human rights violations, which contradicts the EU\u2019s commitments in relation to human rights and freedom of speech.[2]<\/a>\r\n\r\nAccording to a report published by Human Rights Watch on January 18, 2018 \u201cThe United Arab Emirates was involved in abuses at home and abroad in 2017, arresting one of the last outspoken rights critics in the country and playing a role in torture and disappearances in Yemen.\u201d[3]<\/a> One of the people detained at home was Ahmed Mansoor, a prominent award-winning UAE national who has been the voice of the UAE over the years defending their human rights and exposing human rights violations against them. Human rights violations in the UAE extend to foreign workers who face serious exploitation. This includes discrimination based on gender, identity and sexual orientation, Human Rights noted.\r\n\r\nThese violations are not limited to home, but rather they extend beyond the borders of the UAE, especially in Yemen where the UAE is a leading member of the Saudi-led coalition against Houthis, where the UAW has been in involved in dozens of human rights violations, some of which amount to war crimes and that resulted in the death of 1,000 civilians. This also included supporting abuse Yemeni forces that was heavily involved in human rights violations. This also involved the torture of detainees inside UAE-run prisons and facilities.[4]<\/a> \u201cWhenever the US and others praise the UAE for its critical counterterrorism support in places like Yemen, they paper over a much darker reality \u2013 of disappearances, torture, and detainee abuse, and their own potential complicity in these abuses,\u201d Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch said.\r\n\r\nThe UAE is heavily engaged in financial crimes in a violation of the commitments and principles of the EU. This includes drug trade, tax evasion and money laundering. This UAE behavior contradicts the principles of transparency of the EU which has been adopted over the years and put the credibility of the EU at stake. The EU has to take serious steps in this regard\u00a0 as the implications of these financial crimes might have regional and international implication such as funding terrorism, which puts the EU\u2019s security at stake.\r\n\r\nThese violations contradict the EU\u2019s regulations and principles in relation to promoting and protecting human rights, which requires a comprehensive review of the visa-waiver agreement signed between the two parties. These UAE violations contradict the provisions of the EU Convention on Human Rights, which calls for protecting human life, prohibits torture, prohibits forced labor, protects right to liberty and security, promotes freedom of expression, and prohibits discrimination.[5]<\/a> This report is divided into two sections, the following section will address EU commitment to human rights in light with cooperating with third parties and the second section will highlight the UAE\u2019s human rights abuses in light of its partnership with the EUhuman dignity a special place where it came first in its charter on human rights. Article 1 and 2 of the Charter reads \u201cHuman dignity is inviolable. It must be respected and protected,\u201d and \u201c1. Everyone has the right to life. 2. No one shall be condemned to the death penalty, or executed.\u201d[6]<\/a> Therefore, the right of human dignity and life has been on the forefront of the EU approach to promoting human rights, including signing agreements with other countries for the same purpose.\r\n\r\nIn the same context ofprohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Article 4 of the Charter states that \u201cno one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.\u201d[7]<\/a> The EU has engaged in human rights dialogues aimed at combating torture and ill-treatment of people such as the dialogue launched with Iran and China. The EU has always been critical of groups or states that have been involved in torture in different parts of the world and has always called for terminating torture and abuse. In fact, a special EU committee was formed to combat torture known as European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).[8]<\/a>\r\n\r\n[1]<\/a>Council of the European Union, \u201cEU signs visa waiver agreement with the United Arab Emirates,\u201d Press Release, 6 May 2015 accessed on 17 July 2018, link: http:\/\/www.consilium.europa.eu\/en\/press\/press-releases\/2015\/05\/06\/eu-signs-visa-waiver-agreement-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[2]<\/a>Amnesty International, \u201cUnited Arab Emirates,\u201d Country Profile, UAE, date unknown, accessed on 17 July 2018, link to the profile: https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/countries\/middle-east-and-north-africa\/united-arab-emirates\/report-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[3]<\/a>Human Rights Watch, \u201cUAE: Abuses at Home, Abroad: Prominent Critic Detained; Possible War Crimes in Yemen,\u201d Human Rights Watch, published on 18 January 2018, accessed on 16 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2018\/01\/18\/uae-abuses-home-abroad\r\n\r\n[4]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[5]<\/a>The European Union, \u201cEuropean Convention on Human Rights,\u201d Article 1 to Article 15, accessed on 18 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.echr.coe.int\/Documents\/Convention_ENG.pdf\r\n\r\n[6]<\/a>Charter of Fundamental Rights ofThe EuropeanUnion, Official Journal of the European Union, C 326\/391, 26 December 2012, accessed on 17 July 2018, link: https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/?uri=CELEX:12012P\/TXT<\/a>\r\n\r\n[7]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[8]<\/a>For more information about CPT, check their website https:\/\/www.coe.int\/en\/web\/cpt","post_title":"Report: UAE Human Rights Record Contradicts EU values","post_excerpt":"An Examination of UAE Human Rights Record \r\nand the requirements of EU Visa Waiver\r\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"report-uae-human-rights-record-contradicts-eu-values","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2441","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"206","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2429,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_content":"Moldova\u2019s ruling Democratic Party has proposed amending the country\u2019s citizenship law, which would grant citizenship to wealthy foreign investors and bypass standard procedures, which have so far included learning the language and studying the constitution.\r\n\r\nThe country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.\r\n\r\n\u201cVlad Plahotniuc, the chairman of the Democratic Party and head of the ruling coalition, is widely seen as a driving force of corruption in Moldova,\u201d writes Kaunain Rahman, a Transparency International consultant. \u201cApart from being the wealthiest businessman in the country, he is the top oligarch with real power, running the show from behind the scenes. The peculiarity of Moldovan state capture is that the country is essentially owned by a single person, creating room for monopolies and grand corruption in all spheres of governance.\u201d\r\n\r\nFollowing the submission of the draft, Roman Botan, chairman of the National Security Commission, resigned from his post saying he doesn\u2019t want to be associated with such a law.\r\n\r\nThe number of people who can apply for citizenship has expanded from 5000 to an undefined number, undermining the image of the country.\r\n\r\nFurthermore, the names of the country\u2019s new citizens will not be indicated on official documents, so they will remain anonymous.\r\n\r\n\u201cWho obtains citizenship: a file or a person? It\u2019s strange that it is a matter of classifying those who will gain citizenship by investing. These investments could come from fraud, which would create the premises for legalising illegal assets,\u201d Mr Botan added.\r\n\r\nMoldova launched its current\u00a0citizenship-through-investment\u00a0programme in September 2017. The scheme makes people who invest at least 250,000 euros in real estate, government bonds or the country\u2019s public investment fund eligible for citizenship.","post_title":"Moldovan Cash for Passports Programme Draws Criticism","post_excerpt":"The country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"moldovan-cash-for-passports-programme-draws-criticism","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2429","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"202","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2423,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_content":"FARNBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin\u2019s (LMT.N<\/a><\/span>) F-35 fighter jet is arriving in growing numbers in Europe, and is poised to play a much broader role in missile defense and other warfare plans than conventional fighters, according to U.S. and European officials.\r\n\r\nAfter years of technical challenges and program delays, the F-35, the world\u2019s most expensive arms program, is rapidly gaining a foothold in the United States and Europe.\r\n\r\nThe new warplane\u2019s high-end sensors will give it a bigger role across all domains of war than previous fighter planes, including in missile defense, said General Tod Wolters, the top commander of U.S. and NATO air forces in Europe.\r\n\r\nNorway, Britain and Italy will have received 40 F-35s in Europe by the end of the year, with the first Dutch jets to arrive next year, and the first U.S. jets in fiscal year 2021.\r\n Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Adrian Croft<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n The discriminatory distribution of vaccines by the occupying power was of extreme concern to some speakers: it was beyond understanding why Israel distributed vaccines to illegal settlers but not to Palestinians who lived in the same territory. The Palestinian people deserved a free, sovereign and independent State, to finally achieve their inalienable right to self-determination. The absence of a sustained global political solution gave rise to despair in the entire region - States must not boycott the discussion of this agenda item at the Council. Some speakers, pledging to continue speaking out against all actions that violated international law, unreservedly condemned all attacks on civilians, including the launching of rockets and incendiary balloons from Gaza which endangered Israeli civilians, and persistent acts of settler violence against Palestinians. Item 7 reflected international interest in the Palestinian cause, speakers said, urging Israel to grant visas to the staff of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Golan Heights were occupied territories, as per international law and United Nations resolutions. Israel\u2019s actions in the Golan Heights may amount to war crimes, which could possibly trigger individual criminal responsibility of those involved. Some speakers said the reports \u201cwhitewashed the crimes of the Palestinians.\u201d Israel, though not obliged to do so, had vaccinated hundreds of thousands of Arab Israelis and 90,000 Palestinians, some speakers pointed out. Others said this was a relatively low number, given that Israel had vaccinated more than half its population. Further, by only vaccinating Palestinians who were in contact with Israelis, Israel continued to uphold its racist policies. The Fourth Geneva Convention obliged Israel to ensure access to vaccines to Palestinians in the occupied territory. One speaker criticised the Council\u2019s bias against Israel, which explained why many countries refused to participate in the debate. Palestinians had launched attacks against Israel from populated areas; in keeping silent, the United Nations was complicit in this grave and dangerous breach of international law. Israel was committing the crime of apartheid. Speakers encouraged the Office to publicly provide the annual update of the database of businesses facilitating Israeli settlements in the coming months as mandated by the Council and transmit it to the Council for discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n General Debate on Follow-up to and Implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Speakers welcomed the contribution of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action to the advancement of human rights. However, they pointed out that a collective response to the rapidly mutating COVID-19 virus fell short of the \u2018Vienna spirit\u2019, which called for enhanced multilateral cooperation to secure rights for everyone everywhere. The rising \u2018vaccine nationalism\u2019 was a cause of grave concern. Equal priority should be given to all rights, including the right to development, and as such vaccines against COVID-19 must be made available to all countries in order to protect the most marginalised and vulnerable persons. Speakers highlighted that women and girls were disproportionately affected by the pandemic, especially from the perspective of gender-based violence and the extra burdens they experienced due to gendered social constructs, the continued undervaluing of the care economy, and the pay gap. Men had yet to take a proportionate share of domestic chores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The international community should redouble its efforts to address longstanding international conflicts to genuinely implement the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. The exacerbation of inequalities in the context of COVID-19 was regrettable: more just societies must be created. Capacity building for legal systems, including education and information exchange, must be bolstered in light of the disruption caused by COVID-19. Objectivity, impartiality and non-selectivity must inform all actions of the Council, as all States must encourage genuine dialogue instead of the politicisation of human rights and interference in countries\u2019 internal affairs. Other speakers noted that States that committed human rights violations must be held to account - this universal notion was enshrined in the very foundation of the United Nations. The global human rights agenda would remain unfulfilled unless all occupied people were granted their inalienable right to self-determination. Timely achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals was crucial for the effective implementation of the Declaration.<\/p>\n","post_title":"High Commissioner for Human Rights Presents Three Reports on the Human Rights Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the Occupied Syrian Golan","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"high-commissioner-for-human-rights-presents-three-reports-on-the-human-rights-situation-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory-and-the-occupied-syrian-golan","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=4572","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2441,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_content":"On 6 May, 2015 the European Union (EU) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a 90-day visa waiver agreement<\/a> in Brussels. Representatives of the Latvian Presidency of the Council and the European Commission signed the agreement on behalf of the EU, whileAmbassador Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui, signed the agreement on behalf of UAE. Following singing the agreement, the EU became the first Arab country to sign such an agreement with the EU, allowing its citizens and that of the EU to stay in both territories for a period of 180 days within any a given period of 180 days.[1]<\/a>\r\n\r\nDespite the potential benefits of such an agreement for the nationals of both parties, the EU has failed to consider the situation of human rights, workers\u2019 rights, money laundry and tax evasion in the UAE, in addition to oppressing political opposition where dozens of activists have been thrown into jails due to expressing their opinions on ongoing events in the region, in addition to the UAE role in Yemen which resulted in various human rights violations, which contradicts the EU\u2019s commitments in relation to human rights and freedom of speech.[2]<\/a>\r\n\r\nAccording to a report published by Human Rights Watch on January 18, 2018 \u201cThe United Arab Emirates was involved in abuses at home and abroad in 2017, arresting one of the last outspoken rights critics in the country and playing a role in torture and disappearances in Yemen.\u201d[3]<\/a> One of the people detained at home was Ahmed Mansoor, a prominent award-winning UAE national who has been the voice of the UAE over the years defending their human rights and exposing human rights violations against them. Human rights violations in the UAE extend to foreign workers who face serious exploitation. This includes discrimination based on gender, identity and sexual orientation, Human Rights noted.\r\n\r\nThese violations are not limited to home, but rather they extend beyond the borders of the UAE, especially in Yemen where the UAE is a leading member of the Saudi-led coalition against Houthis, where the UAW has been in involved in dozens of human rights violations, some of which amount to war crimes and that resulted in the death of 1,000 civilians. This also included supporting abuse Yemeni forces that was heavily involved in human rights violations. This also involved the torture of detainees inside UAE-run prisons and facilities.[4]<\/a> \u201cWhenever the US and others praise the UAE for its critical counterterrorism support in places like Yemen, they paper over a much darker reality \u2013 of disappearances, torture, and detainee abuse, and their own potential complicity in these abuses,\u201d Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch said.\r\n\r\nThe UAE is heavily engaged in financial crimes in a violation of the commitments and principles of the EU. This includes drug trade, tax evasion and money laundering. This UAE behavior contradicts the principles of transparency of the EU which has been adopted over the years and put the credibility of the EU at stake. The EU has to take serious steps in this regard\u00a0 as the implications of these financial crimes might have regional and international implication such as funding terrorism, which puts the EU\u2019s security at stake.\r\n\r\nThese violations contradict the EU\u2019s regulations and principles in relation to promoting and protecting human rights, which requires a comprehensive review of the visa-waiver agreement signed between the two parties. These UAE violations contradict the provisions of the EU Convention on Human Rights, which calls for protecting human life, prohibits torture, prohibits forced labor, protects right to liberty and security, promotes freedom of expression, and prohibits discrimination.[5]<\/a> This report is divided into two sections, the following section will address EU commitment to human rights in light with cooperating with third parties and the second section will highlight the UAE\u2019s human rights abuses in light of its partnership with the EUhuman dignity a special place where it came first in its charter on human rights. Article 1 and 2 of the Charter reads \u201cHuman dignity is inviolable. It must be respected and protected,\u201d and \u201c1. Everyone has the right to life. 2. No one shall be condemned to the death penalty, or executed.\u201d[6]<\/a> Therefore, the right of human dignity and life has been on the forefront of the EU approach to promoting human rights, including signing agreements with other countries for the same purpose.\r\n\r\nIn the same context ofprohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Article 4 of the Charter states that \u201cno one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.\u201d[7]<\/a> The EU has engaged in human rights dialogues aimed at combating torture and ill-treatment of people such as the dialogue launched with Iran and China. The EU has always been critical of groups or states that have been involved in torture in different parts of the world and has always called for terminating torture and abuse. In fact, a special EU committee was formed to combat torture known as European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).[8]<\/a>\r\n\r\n[1]<\/a>Council of the European Union, \u201cEU signs visa waiver agreement with the United Arab Emirates,\u201d Press Release, 6 May 2015 accessed on 17 July 2018, link: http:\/\/www.consilium.europa.eu\/en\/press\/press-releases\/2015\/05\/06\/eu-signs-visa-waiver-agreement-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[2]<\/a>Amnesty International, \u201cUnited Arab Emirates,\u201d Country Profile, UAE, date unknown, accessed on 17 July 2018, link to the profile: https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/countries\/middle-east-and-north-africa\/united-arab-emirates\/report-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[3]<\/a>Human Rights Watch, \u201cUAE: Abuses at Home, Abroad: Prominent Critic Detained; Possible War Crimes in Yemen,\u201d Human Rights Watch, published on 18 January 2018, accessed on 16 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2018\/01\/18\/uae-abuses-home-abroad\r\n\r\n[4]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[5]<\/a>The European Union, \u201cEuropean Convention on Human Rights,\u201d Article 1 to Article 15, accessed on 18 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.echr.coe.int\/Documents\/Convention_ENG.pdf\r\n\r\n[6]<\/a>Charter of Fundamental Rights ofThe EuropeanUnion, Official Journal of the European Union, C 326\/391, 26 December 2012, accessed on 17 July 2018, link: https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/?uri=CELEX:12012P\/TXT<\/a>\r\n\r\n[7]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[8]<\/a>For more information about CPT, check their website https:\/\/www.coe.int\/en\/web\/cpt","post_title":"Report: UAE Human Rights Record Contradicts EU values","post_excerpt":"An Examination of UAE Human Rights Record \r\nand the requirements of EU Visa Waiver\r\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"report-uae-human-rights-record-contradicts-eu-values","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2441","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"206","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2429,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_content":"Moldova\u2019s ruling Democratic Party has proposed amending the country\u2019s citizenship law, which would grant citizenship to wealthy foreign investors and bypass standard procedures, which have so far included learning the language and studying the constitution.\r\n\r\nThe country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.\r\n\r\n\u201cVlad Plahotniuc, the chairman of the Democratic Party and head of the ruling coalition, is widely seen as a driving force of corruption in Moldova,\u201d writes Kaunain Rahman, a Transparency International consultant. \u201cApart from being the wealthiest businessman in the country, he is the top oligarch with real power, running the show from behind the scenes. The peculiarity of Moldovan state capture is that the country is essentially owned by a single person, creating room for monopolies and grand corruption in all spheres of governance.\u201d\r\n\r\nFollowing the submission of the draft, Roman Botan, chairman of the National Security Commission, resigned from his post saying he doesn\u2019t want to be associated with such a law.\r\n\r\nThe number of people who can apply for citizenship has expanded from 5000 to an undefined number, undermining the image of the country.\r\n\r\nFurthermore, the names of the country\u2019s new citizens will not be indicated on official documents, so they will remain anonymous.\r\n\r\n\u201cWho obtains citizenship: a file or a person? It\u2019s strange that it is a matter of classifying those who will gain citizenship by investing. These investments could come from fraud, which would create the premises for legalising illegal assets,\u201d Mr Botan added.\r\n\r\nMoldova launched its current\u00a0citizenship-through-investment\u00a0programme in September 2017. The scheme makes people who invest at least 250,000 euros in real estate, government bonds or the country\u2019s public investment fund eligible for citizenship.","post_title":"Moldovan Cash for Passports Programme Draws Criticism","post_excerpt":"The country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"moldovan-cash-for-passports-programme-draws-criticism","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2429","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"202","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2423,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_content":"FARNBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin\u2019s (LMT.N<\/a><\/span>) F-35 fighter jet is arriving in growing numbers in Europe, and is poised to play a much broader role in missile defense and other warfare plans than conventional fighters, according to U.S. and European officials.\r\n\r\nAfter years of technical challenges and program delays, the F-35, the world\u2019s most expensive arms program, is rapidly gaining a foothold in the United States and Europe.\r\n\r\nThe new warplane\u2019s high-end sensors will give it a bigger role across all domains of war than previous fighter planes, including in missile defense, said General Tod Wolters, the top commander of U.S. and NATO air forces in Europe.\r\n\r\nNorway, Britain and Italy will have received 40 F-35s in Europe by the end of the year, with the first Dutch jets to arrive next year, and the first U.S. jets in fiscal year 2021.\r\n Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Adrian Croft<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n Speakers stated that Israel was more interested in colonizing Palestinian land than ensuring peace and security. They opposed Israeli settlement activities and plans for annexing any part of the West Bank as actions that undermined the two-State solution. Political, economic and humanitarian support must continue to be provided to the Palestinian people. Speakers welcomed the work of various United Nations agencies in this regard. They condemned the violent arrests taking place in East Jerusalem. Measures taken by Israel to change the demographic situation, such as demolitions of homes in East Jerusalem, were null and void. Some speakers said it was important to ensure respect for the pre-June 1967 borders, and East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian State. The blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip must be lifted immediately. Speakers condemned Israel's lack of political will, which with impunity ignored the calls of the community of nations to stop the escalation of violence and the crimes it committed daily in the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as in the Syrian Golan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The discriminatory distribution of vaccines by the occupying power was of extreme concern to some speakers: it was beyond understanding why Israel distributed vaccines to illegal settlers but not to Palestinians who lived in the same territory. The Palestinian people deserved a free, sovereign and independent State, to finally achieve their inalienable right to self-determination. The absence of a sustained global political solution gave rise to despair in the entire region - States must not boycott the discussion of this agenda item at the Council. Some speakers, pledging to continue speaking out against all actions that violated international law, unreservedly condemned all attacks on civilians, including the launching of rockets and incendiary balloons from Gaza which endangered Israeli civilians, and persistent acts of settler violence against Palestinians. Item 7 reflected international interest in the Palestinian cause, speakers said, urging Israel to grant visas to the staff of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Golan Heights were occupied territories, as per international law and United Nations resolutions. Israel\u2019s actions in the Golan Heights may amount to war crimes, which could possibly trigger individual criminal responsibility of those involved. Some speakers said the reports \u201cwhitewashed the crimes of the Palestinians.\u201d Israel, though not obliged to do so, had vaccinated hundreds of thousands of Arab Israelis and 90,000 Palestinians, some speakers pointed out. Others said this was a relatively low number, given that Israel had vaccinated more than half its population. Further, by only vaccinating Palestinians who were in contact with Israelis, Israel continued to uphold its racist policies. The Fourth Geneva Convention obliged Israel to ensure access to vaccines to Palestinians in the occupied territory. One speaker criticised the Council\u2019s bias against Israel, which explained why many countries refused to participate in the debate. Palestinians had launched attacks against Israel from populated areas; in keeping silent, the United Nations was complicit in this grave and dangerous breach of international law. Israel was committing the crime of apartheid. Speakers encouraged the Office to publicly provide the annual update of the database of businesses facilitating Israeli settlements in the coming months as mandated by the Council and transmit it to the Council for discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n General Debate on Follow-up to and Implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Speakers welcomed the contribution of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action to the advancement of human rights. However, they pointed out that a collective response to the rapidly mutating COVID-19 virus fell short of the \u2018Vienna spirit\u2019, which called for enhanced multilateral cooperation to secure rights for everyone everywhere. The rising \u2018vaccine nationalism\u2019 was a cause of grave concern. Equal priority should be given to all rights, including the right to development, and as such vaccines against COVID-19 must be made available to all countries in order to protect the most marginalised and vulnerable persons. Speakers highlighted that women and girls were disproportionately affected by the pandemic, especially from the perspective of gender-based violence and the extra burdens they experienced due to gendered social constructs, the continued undervaluing of the care economy, and the pay gap. Men had yet to take a proportionate share of domestic chores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The international community should redouble its efforts to address longstanding international conflicts to genuinely implement the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. The exacerbation of inequalities in the context of COVID-19 was regrettable: more just societies must be created. Capacity building for legal systems, including education and information exchange, must be bolstered in light of the disruption caused by COVID-19. Objectivity, impartiality and non-selectivity must inform all actions of the Council, as all States must encourage genuine dialogue instead of the politicisation of human rights and interference in countries\u2019 internal affairs. Other speakers noted that States that committed human rights violations must be held to account - this universal notion was enshrined in the very foundation of the United Nations. The global human rights agenda would remain unfulfilled unless all occupied people were granted their inalienable right to self-determination. Timely achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals was crucial for the effective implementation of the Declaration.<\/p>\n","post_title":"High Commissioner for Human Rights Presents Three Reports on the Human Rights Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the Occupied Syrian Golan","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"high-commissioner-for-human-rights-presents-three-reports-on-the-human-rights-situation-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory-and-the-occupied-syrian-golan","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=4572","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2441,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_content":"On 6 May, 2015 the European Union (EU) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a 90-day visa waiver agreement<\/a> in Brussels. Representatives of the Latvian Presidency of the Council and the European Commission signed the agreement on behalf of the EU, whileAmbassador Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui, signed the agreement on behalf of UAE. Following singing the agreement, the EU became the first Arab country to sign such an agreement with the EU, allowing its citizens and that of the EU to stay in both territories for a period of 180 days within any a given period of 180 days.[1]<\/a>\r\n\r\nDespite the potential benefits of such an agreement for the nationals of both parties, the EU has failed to consider the situation of human rights, workers\u2019 rights, money laundry and tax evasion in the UAE, in addition to oppressing political opposition where dozens of activists have been thrown into jails due to expressing their opinions on ongoing events in the region, in addition to the UAE role in Yemen which resulted in various human rights violations, which contradicts the EU\u2019s commitments in relation to human rights and freedom of speech.[2]<\/a>\r\n\r\nAccording to a report published by Human Rights Watch on January 18, 2018 \u201cThe United Arab Emirates was involved in abuses at home and abroad in 2017, arresting one of the last outspoken rights critics in the country and playing a role in torture and disappearances in Yemen.\u201d[3]<\/a> One of the people detained at home was Ahmed Mansoor, a prominent award-winning UAE national who has been the voice of the UAE over the years defending their human rights and exposing human rights violations against them. Human rights violations in the UAE extend to foreign workers who face serious exploitation. This includes discrimination based on gender, identity and sexual orientation, Human Rights noted.\r\n\r\nThese violations are not limited to home, but rather they extend beyond the borders of the UAE, especially in Yemen where the UAE is a leading member of the Saudi-led coalition against Houthis, where the UAW has been in involved in dozens of human rights violations, some of which amount to war crimes and that resulted in the death of 1,000 civilians. This also included supporting abuse Yemeni forces that was heavily involved in human rights violations. This also involved the torture of detainees inside UAE-run prisons and facilities.[4]<\/a> \u201cWhenever the US and others praise the UAE for its critical counterterrorism support in places like Yemen, they paper over a much darker reality \u2013 of disappearances, torture, and detainee abuse, and their own potential complicity in these abuses,\u201d Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch said.\r\n\r\nThe UAE is heavily engaged in financial crimes in a violation of the commitments and principles of the EU. This includes drug trade, tax evasion and money laundering. This UAE behavior contradicts the principles of transparency of the EU which has been adopted over the years and put the credibility of the EU at stake. The EU has to take serious steps in this regard\u00a0 as the implications of these financial crimes might have regional and international implication such as funding terrorism, which puts the EU\u2019s security at stake.\r\n\r\nThese violations contradict the EU\u2019s regulations and principles in relation to promoting and protecting human rights, which requires a comprehensive review of the visa-waiver agreement signed between the two parties. These UAE violations contradict the provisions of the EU Convention on Human Rights, which calls for protecting human life, prohibits torture, prohibits forced labor, protects right to liberty and security, promotes freedom of expression, and prohibits discrimination.[5]<\/a> This report is divided into two sections, the following section will address EU commitment to human rights in light with cooperating with third parties and the second section will highlight the UAE\u2019s human rights abuses in light of its partnership with the EUhuman dignity a special place where it came first in its charter on human rights. Article 1 and 2 of the Charter reads \u201cHuman dignity is inviolable. It must be respected and protected,\u201d and \u201c1. Everyone has the right to life. 2. No one shall be condemned to the death penalty, or executed.\u201d[6]<\/a> Therefore, the right of human dignity and life has been on the forefront of the EU approach to promoting human rights, including signing agreements with other countries for the same purpose.\r\n\r\nIn the same context ofprohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Article 4 of the Charter states that \u201cno one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.\u201d[7]<\/a> The EU has engaged in human rights dialogues aimed at combating torture and ill-treatment of people such as the dialogue launched with Iran and China. The EU has always been critical of groups or states that have been involved in torture in different parts of the world and has always called for terminating torture and abuse. In fact, a special EU committee was formed to combat torture known as European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).[8]<\/a>\r\n\r\n[1]<\/a>Council of the European Union, \u201cEU signs visa waiver agreement with the United Arab Emirates,\u201d Press Release, 6 May 2015 accessed on 17 July 2018, link: http:\/\/www.consilium.europa.eu\/en\/press\/press-releases\/2015\/05\/06\/eu-signs-visa-waiver-agreement-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[2]<\/a>Amnesty International, \u201cUnited Arab Emirates,\u201d Country Profile, UAE, date unknown, accessed on 17 July 2018, link to the profile: https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/countries\/middle-east-and-north-africa\/united-arab-emirates\/report-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[3]<\/a>Human Rights Watch, \u201cUAE: Abuses at Home, Abroad: Prominent Critic Detained; Possible War Crimes in Yemen,\u201d Human Rights Watch, published on 18 January 2018, accessed on 16 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2018\/01\/18\/uae-abuses-home-abroad\r\n\r\n[4]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[5]<\/a>The European Union, \u201cEuropean Convention on Human Rights,\u201d Article 1 to Article 15, accessed on 18 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.echr.coe.int\/Documents\/Convention_ENG.pdf\r\n\r\n[6]<\/a>Charter of Fundamental Rights ofThe EuropeanUnion, Official Journal of the European Union, C 326\/391, 26 December 2012, accessed on 17 July 2018, link: https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/?uri=CELEX:12012P\/TXT<\/a>\r\n\r\n[7]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[8]<\/a>For more information about CPT, check their website https:\/\/www.coe.int\/en\/web\/cpt","post_title":"Report: UAE Human Rights Record Contradicts EU values","post_excerpt":"An Examination of UAE Human Rights Record \r\nand the requirements of EU Visa Waiver\r\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"report-uae-human-rights-record-contradicts-eu-values","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2441","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"206","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2429,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_content":"Moldova\u2019s ruling Democratic Party has proposed amending the country\u2019s citizenship law, which would grant citizenship to wealthy foreign investors and bypass standard procedures, which have so far included learning the language and studying the constitution.\r\n\r\nThe country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.\r\n\r\n\u201cVlad Plahotniuc, the chairman of the Democratic Party and head of the ruling coalition, is widely seen as a driving force of corruption in Moldova,\u201d writes Kaunain Rahman, a Transparency International consultant. \u201cApart from being the wealthiest businessman in the country, he is the top oligarch with real power, running the show from behind the scenes. The peculiarity of Moldovan state capture is that the country is essentially owned by a single person, creating room for monopolies and grand corruption in all spheres of governance.\u201d\r\n\r\nFollowing the submission of the draft, Roman Botan, chairman of the National Security Commission, resigned from his post saying he doesn\u2019t want to be associated with such a law.\r\n\r\nThe number of people who can apply for citizenship has expanded from 5000 to an undefined number, undermining the image of the country.\r\n\r\nFurthermore, the names of the country\u2019s new citizens will not be indicated on official documents, so they will remain anonymous.\r\n\r\n\u201cWho obtains citizenship: a file or a person? It\u2019s strange that it is a matter of classifying those who will gain citizenship by investing. These investments could come from fraud, which would create the premises for legalising illegal assets,\u201d Mr Botan added.\r\n\r\nMoldova launched its current\u00a0citizenship-through-investment\u00a0programme in September 2017. The scheme makes people who invest at least 250,000 euros in real estate, government bonds or the country\u2019s public investment fund eligible for citizenship.","post_title":"Moldovan Cash for Passports Programme Draws Criticism","post_excerpt":"The country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"moldovan-cash-for-passports-programme-draws-criticism","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2429","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"202","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2423,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_content":"FARNBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin\u2019s (LMT.N<\/a><\/span>) F-35 fighter jet is arriving in growing numbers in Europe, and is poised to play a much broader role in missile defense and other warfare plans than conventional fighters, according to U.S. and European officials.\r\n\r\nAfter years of technical challenges and program delays, the F-35, the world\u2019s most expensive arms program, is rapidly gaining a foothold in the United States and Europe.\r\n\r\nThe new warplane\u2019s high-end sensors will give it a bigger role across all domains of war than previous fighter planes, including in missile defense, said General Tod Wolters, the top commander of U.S. and NATO air forces in Europe.\r\n\r\nNorway, Britain and Italy will have received 40 F-35s in Europe by the end of the year, with the first Dutch jets to arrive next year, and the first U.S. jets in fiscal year 2021.\r\n Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Adrian Croft<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n General Debate<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Speakers stated that Israel was more interested in colonizing Palestinian land than ensuring peace and security. They opposed Israeli settlement activities and plans for annexing any part of the West Bank as actions that undermined the two-State solution. Political, economic and humanitarian support must continue to be provided to the Palestinian people. Speakers welcomed the work of various United Nations agencies in this regard. They condemned the violent arrests taking place in East Jerusalem. Measures taken by Israel to change the demographic situation, such as demolitions of homes in East Jerusalem, were null and void. Some speakers said it was important to ensure respect for the pre-June 1967 borders, and East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian State. The blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip must be lifted immediately. Speakers condemned Israel's lack of political will, which with impunity ignored the calls of the community of nations to stop the escalation of violence and the crimes it committed daily in the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as in the Syrian Golan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The discriminatory distribution of vaccines by the occupying power was of extreme concern to some speakers: it was beyond understanding why Israel distributed vaccines to illegal settlers but not to Palestinians who lived in the same territory. The Palestinian people deserved a free, sovereign and independent State, to finally achieve their inalienable right to self-determination. The absence of a sustained global political solution gave rise to despair in the entire region - States must not boycott the discussion of this agenda item at the Council. Some speakers, pledging to continue speaking out against all actions that violated international law, unreservedly condemned all attacks on civilians, including the launching of rockets and incendiary balloons from Gaza which endangered Israeli civilians, and persistent acts of settler violence against Palestinians. Item 7 reflected international interest in the Palestinian cause, speakers said, urging Israel to grant visas to the staff of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Golan Heights were occupied territories, as per international law and United Nations resolutions. Israel\u2019s actions in the Golan Heights may amount to war crimes, which could possibly trigger individual criminal responsibility of those involved. Some speakers said the reports \u201cwhitewashed the crimes of the Palestinians.\u201d Israel, though not obliged to do so, had vaccinated hundreds of thousands of Arab Israelis and 90,000 Palestinians, some speakers pointed out. Others said this was a relatively low number, given that Israel had vaccinated more than half its population. Further, by only vaccinating Palestinians who were in contact with Israelis, Israel continued to uphold its racist policies. The Fourth Geneva Convention obliged Israel to ensure access to vaccines to Palestinians in the occupied territory. One speaker criticised the Council\u2019s bias against Israel, which explained why many countries refused to participate in the debate. Palestinians had launched attacks against Israel from populated areas; in keeping silent, the United Nations was complicit in this grave and dangerous breach of international law. Israel was committing the crime of apartheid. Speakers encouraged the Office to publicly provide the annual update of the database of businesses facilitating Israeli settlements in the coming months as mandated by the Council and transmit it to the Council for discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n General Debate on Follow-up to and Implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Speakers welcomed the contribution of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action to the advancement of human rights. However, they pointed out that a collective response to the rapidly mutating COVID-19 virus fell short of the \u2018Vienna spirit\u2019, which called for enhanced multilateral cooperation to secure rights for everyone everywhere. The rising \u2018vaccine nationalism\u2019 was a cause of grave concern. Equal priority should be given to all rights, including the right to development, and as such vaccines against COVID-19 must be made available to all countries in order to protect the most marginalised and vulnerable persons. Speakers highlighted that women and girls were disproportionately affected by the pandemic, especially from the perspective of gender-based violence and the extra burdens they experienced due to gendered social constructs, the continued undervaluing of the care economy, and the pay gap. Men had yet to take a proportionate share of domestic chores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The international community should redouble its efforts to address longstanding international conflicts to genuinely implement the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. The exacerbation of inequalities in the context of COVID-19 was regrettable: more just societies must be created. Capacity building for legal systems, including education and information exchange, must be bolstered in light of the disruption caused by COVID-19. Objectivity, impartiality and non-selectivity must inform all actions of the Council, as all States must encourage genuine dialogue instead of the politicisation of human rights and interference in countries\u2019 internal affairs. Other speakers noted that States that committed human rights violations must be held to account - this universal notion was enshrined in the very foundation of the United Nations. The global human rights agenda would remain unfulfilled unless all occupied people were granted their inalienable right to self-determination. Timely achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals was crucial for the effective implementation of the Declaration.<\/p>\n","post_title":"High Commissioner for Human Rights Presents Three Reports on the Human Rights Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the Occupied Syrian Golan","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"high-commissioner-for-human-rights-presents-three-reports-on-the-human-rights-situation-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory-and-the-occupied-syrian-golan","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=4572","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2441,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_content":"On 6 May, 2015 the European Union (EU) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a 90-day visa waiver agreement<\/a> in Brussels. Representatives of the Latvian Presidency of the Council and the European Commission signed the agreement on behalf of the EU, whileAmbassador Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui, signed the agreement on behalf of UAE. Following singing the agreement, the EU became the first Arab country to sign such an agreement with the EU, allowing its citizens and that of the EU to stay in both territories for a period of 180 days within any a given period of 180 days.[1]<\/a>\r\n\r\nDespite the potential benefits of such an agreement for the nationals of both parties, the EU has failed to consider the situation of human rights, workers\u2019 rights, money laundry and tax evasion in the UAE, in addition to oppressing political opposition where dozens of activists have been thrown into jails due to expressing their opinions on ongoing events in the region, in addition to the UAE role in Yemen which resulted in various human rights violations, which contradicts the EU\u2019s commitments in relation to human rights and freedom of speech.[2]<\/a>\r\n\r\nAccording to a report published by Human Rights Watch on January 18, 2018 \u201cThe United Arab Emirates was involved in abuses at home and abroad in 2017, arresting one of the last outspoken rights critics in the country and playing a role in torture and disappearances in Yemen.\u201d[3]<\/a> One of the people detained at home was Ahmed Mansoor, a prominent award-winning UAE national who has been the voice of the UAE over the years defending their human rights and exposing human rights violations against them. Human rights violations in the UAE extend to foreign workers who face serious exploitation. This includes discrimination based on gender, identity and sexual orientation, Human Rights noted.\r\n\r\nThese violations are not limited to home, but rather they extend beyond the borders of the UAE, especially in Yemen where the UAE is a leading member of the Saudi-led coalition against Houthis, where the UAW has been in involved in dozens of human rights violations, some of which amount to war crimes and that resulted in the death of 1,000 civilians. This also included supporting abuse Yemeni forces that was heavily involved in human rights violations. This also involved the torture of detainees inside UAE-run prisons and facilities.[4]<\/a> \u201cWhenever the US and others praise the UAE for its critical counterterrorism support in places like Yemen, they paper over a much darker reality \u2013 of disappearances, torture, and detainee abuse, and their own potential complicity in these abuses,\u201d Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch said.\r\n\r\nThe UAE is heavily engaged in financial crimes in a violation of the commitments and principles of the EU. This includes drug trade, tax evasion and money laundering. This UAE behavior contradicts the principles of transparency of the EU which has been adopted over the years and put the credibility of the EU at stake. The EU has to take serious steps in this regard\u00a0 as the implications of these financial crimes might have regional and international implication such as funding terrorism, which puts the EU\u2019s security at stake.\r\n\r\nThese violations contradict the EU\u2019s regulations and principles in relation to promoting and protecting human rights, which requires a comprehensive review of the visa-waiver agreement signed between the two parties. These UAE violations contradict the provisions of the EU Convention on Human Rights, which calls for protecting human life, prohibits torture, prohibits forced labor, protects right to liberty and security, promotes freedom of expression, and prohibits discrimination.[5]<\/a> This report is divided into two sections, the following section will address EU commitment to human rights in light with cooperating with third parties and the second section will highlight the UAE\u2019s human rights abuses in light of its partnership with the EUhuman dignity a special place where it came first in its charter on human rights. Article 1 and 2 of the Charter reads \u201cHuman dignity is inviolable. It must be respected and protected,\u201d and \u201c1. Everyone has the right to life. 2. No one shall be condemned to the death penalty, or executed.\u201d[6]<\/a> Therefore, the right of human dignity and life has been on the forefront of the EU approach to promoting human rights, including signing agreements with other countries for the same purpose.\r\n\r\nIn the same context ofprohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Article 4 of the Charter states that \u201cno one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.\u201d[7]<\/a> The EU has engaged in human rights dialogues aimed at combating torture and ill-treatment of people such as the dialogue launched with Iran and China. The EU has always been critical of groups or states that have been involved in torture in different parts of the world and has always called for terminating torture and abuse. In fact, a special EU committee was formed to combat torture known as European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).[8]<\/a>\r\n\r\n[1]<\/a>Council of the European Union, \u201cEU signs visa waiver agreement with the United Arab Emirates,\u201d Press Release, 6 May 2015 accessed on 17 July 2018, link: http:\/\/www.consilium.europa.eu\/en\/press\/press-releases\/2015\/05\/06\/eu-signs-visa-waiver-agreement-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[2]<\/a>Amnesty International, \u201cUnited Arab Emirates,\u201d Country Profile, UAE, date unknown, accessed on 17 July 2018, link to the profile: https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/countries\/middle-east-and-north-africa\/united-arab-emirates\/report-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[3]<\/a>Human Rights Watch, \u201cUAE: Abuses at Home, Abroad: Prominent Critic Detained; Possible War Crimes in Yemen,\u201d Human Rights Watch, published on 18 January 2018, accessed on 16 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2018\/01\/18\/uae-abuses-home-abroad\r\n\r\n[4]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[5]<\/a>The European Union, \u201cEuropean Convention on Human Rights,\u201d Article 1 to Article 15, accessed on 18 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.echr.coe.int\/Documents\/Convention_ENG.pdf\r\n\r\n[6]<\/a>Charter of Fundamental Rights ofThe EuropeanUnion, Official Journal of the European Union, C 326\/391, 26 December 2012, accessed on 17 July 2018, link: https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/?uri=CELEX:12012P\/TXT<\/a>\r\n\r\n[7]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[8]<\/a>For more information about CPT, check their website https:\/\/www.coe.int\/en\/web\/cpt","post_title":"Report: UAE Human Rights Record Contradicts EU values","post_excerpt":"An Examination of UAE Human Rights Record \r\nand the requirements of EU Visa Waiver\r\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"report-uae-human-rights-record-contradicts-eu-values","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2441","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"206","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2429,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_content":"Moldova\u2019s ruling Democratic Party has proposed amending the country\u2019s citizenship law, which would grant citizenship to wealthy foreign investors and bypass standard procedures, which have so far included learning the language and studying the constitution.\r\n\r\nThe country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.\r\n\r\n\u201cVlad Plahotniuc, the chairman of the Democratic Party and head of the ruling coalition, is widely seen as a driving force of corruption in Moldova,\u201d writes Kaunain Rahman, a Transparency International consultant. \u201cApart from being the wealthiest businessman in the country, he is the top oligarch with real power, running the show from behind the scenes. The peculiarity of Moldovan state capture is that the country is essentially owned by a single person, creating room for monopolies and grand corruption in all spheres of governance.\u201d\r\n\r\nFollowing the submission of the draft, Roman Botan, chairman of the National Security Commission, resigned from his post saying he doesn\u2019t want to be associated with such a law.\r\n\r\nThe number of people who can apply for citizenship has expanded from 5000 to an undefined number, undermining the image of the country.\r\n\r\nFurthermore, the names of the country\u2019s new citizens will not be indicated on official documents, so they will remain anonymous.\r\n\r\n\u201cWho obtains citizenship: a file or a person? It\u2019s strange that it is a matter of classifying those who will gain citizenship by investing. These investments could come from fraud, which would create the premises for legalising illegal assets,\u201d Mr Botan added.\r\n\r\nMoldova launched its current\u00a0citizenship-through-investment\u00a0programme in September 2017. The scheme makes people who invest at least 250,000 euros in real estate, government bonds or the country\u2019s public investment fund eligible for citizenship.","post_title":"Moldovan Cash for Passports Programme Draws Criticism","post_excerpt":"The country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"moldovan-cash-for-passports-programme-draws-criticism","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2429","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"202","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2423,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_content":"FARNBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin\u2019s (LMT.N<\/a><\/span>) F-35 fighter jet is arriving in growing numbers in Europe, and is poised to play a much broader role in missile defense and other warfare plans than conventional fighters, according to U.S. and European officials.\r\n\r\nAfter years of technical challenges and program delays, the F-35, the world\u2019s most expensive arms program, is rapidly gaining a foothold in the United States and Europe.\r\n\r\nThe new warplane\u2019s high-end sensors will give it a bigger role across all domains of war than previous fighter planes, including in missile defense, said General Tod Wolters, the top commander of U.S. and NATO air forces in Europe.\r\n\r\nNorway, Britain and Italy will have received 40 F-35s in Europe by the end of the year, with the first Dutch jets to arrive next year, and the first U.S. jets in fiscal year 2021.\r\n Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Adrian Croft<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n Syria, speaking as a country concerned, said the Israeli occupation entity continued to commit acts of aggression against the countries of the region, threatening their territorial integrity, and practiced State terrorism against the Palestinian people and the people of the occupied Syrian Golan, taking advantage of absolute support from the United States and Western States, including through calls for the abolition of item 7 of the Human Rights Council's agenda and boycotting its deliberations. The Israeli settlements and associated measures included confiscating lands and properties, prohibiting construction and development in Syrian villages and preventing them from natural growth, stealing water and natural resources, and transferring settlers to the occupied Syrian Golan, a flagrant violation of international law and United Nations resolutions that affirmed the illegality of settlements and demanded that Israel stop changing the character, demographic composition, and legal status of the occupied Syrian Golan and end its occupation. Syria called on the High Commissioner to pressure the Israeli occupation forces to open the Quneitra crossing for Syrian people in the occupied Syrian Golan who wished to visit their homeland and their relatives in Syria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n General Debate<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Speakers stated that Israel was more interested in colonizing Palestinian land than ensuring peace and security. They opposed Israeli settlement activities and plans for annexing any part of the West Bank as actions that undermined the two-State solution. Political, economic and humanitarian support must continue to be provided to the Palestinian people. Speakers welcomed the work of various United Nations agencies in this regard. They condemned the violent arrests taking place in East Jerusalem. Measures taken by Israel to change the demographic situation, such as demolitions of homes in East Jerusalem, were null and void. Some speakers said it was important to ensure respect for the pre-June 1967 borders, and East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian State. The blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip must be lifted immediately. Speakers condemned Israel's lack of political will, which with impunity ignored the calls of the community of nations to stop the escalation of violence and the crimes it committed daily in the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as in the Syrian Golan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The discriminatory distribution of vaccines by the occupying power was of extreme concern to some speakers: it was beyond understanding why Israel distributed vaccines to illegal settlers but not to Palestinians who lived in the same territory. The Palestinian people deserved a free, sovereign and independent State, to finally achieve their inalienable right to self-determination. The absence of a sustained global political solution gave rise to despair in the entire region - States must not boycott the discussion of this agenda item at the Council. Some speakers, pledging to continue speaking out against all actions that violated international law, unreservedly condemned all attacks on civilians, including the launching of rockets and incendiary balloons from Gaza which endangered Israeli civilians, and persistent acts of settler violence against Palestinians. Item 7 reflected international interest in the Palestinian cause, speakers said, urging Israel to grant visas to the staff of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Golan Heights were occupied territories, as per international law and United Nations resolutions. Israel\u2019s actions in the Golan Heights may amount to war crimes, which could possibly trigger individual criminal responsibility of those involved. Some speakers said the reports \u201cwhitewashed the crimes of the Palestinians.\u201d Israel, though not obliged to do so, had vaccinated hundreds of thousands of Arab Israelis and 90,000 Palestinians, some speakers pointed out. Others said this was a relatively low number, given that Israel had vaccinated more than half its population. Further, by only vaccinating Palestinians who were in contact with Israelis, Israel continued to uphold its racist policies. The Fourth Geneva Convention obliged Israel to ensure access to vaccines to Palestinians in the occupied territory. One speaker criticised the Council\u2019s bias against Israel, which explained why many countries refused to participate in the debate. Palestinians had launched attacks against Israel from populated areas; in keeping silent, the United Nations was complicit in this grave and dangerous breach of international law. Israel was committing the crime of apartheid. Speakers encouraged the Office to publicly provide the annual update of the database of businesses facilitating Israeli settlements in the coming months as mandated by the Council and transmit it to the Council for discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n General Debate on Follow-up to and Implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Speakers welcomed the contribution of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action to the advancement of human rights. However, they pointed out that a collective response to the rapidly mutating COVID-19 virus fell short of the \u2018Vienna spirit\u2019, which called for enhanced multilateral cooperation to secure rights for everyone everywhere. The rising \u2018vaccine nationalism\u2019 was a cause of grave concern. Equal priority should be given to all rights, including the right to development, and as such vaccines against COVID-19 must be made available to all countries in order to protect the most marginalised and vulnerable persons. Speakers highlighted that women and girls were disproportionately affected by the pandemic, especially from the perspective of gender-based violence and the extra burdens they experienced due to gendered social constructs, the continued undervaluing of the care economy, and the pay gap. Men had yet to take a proportionate share of domestic chores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The international community should redouble its efforts to address longstanding international conflicts to genuinely implement the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. The exacerbation of inequalities in the context of COVID-19 was regrettable: more just societies must be created. Capacity building for legal systems, including education and information exchange, must be bolstered in light of the disruption caused by COVID-19. Objectivity, impartiality and non-selectivity must inform all actions of the Council, as all States must encourage genuine dialogue instead of the politicisation of human rights and interference in countries\u2019 internal affairs. Other speakers noted that States that committed human rights violations must be held to account - this universal notion was enshrined in the very foundation of the United Nations. The global human rights agenda would remain unfulfilled unless all occupied people were granted their inalienable right to self-determination. Timely achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals was crucial for the effective implementation of the Declaration.<\/p>\n","post_title":"High Commissioner for Human Rights Presents Three Reports on the Human Rights Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the Occupied Syrian Golan","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"high-commissioner-for-human-rights-presents-three-reports-on-the-human-rights-situation-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory-and-the-occupied-syrian-golan","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=4572","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2441,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_content":"On 6 May, 2015 the European Union (EU) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a 90-day visa waiver agreement<\/a> in Brussels. Representatives of the Latvian Presidency of the Council and the European Commission signed the agreement on behalf of the EU, whileAmbassador Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui, signed the agreement on behalf of UAE. Following singing the agreement, the EU became the first Arab country to sign such an agreement with the EU, allowing its citizens and that of the EU to stay in both territories for a period of 180 days within any a given period of 180 days.[1]<\/a>\r\n\r\nDespite the potential benefits of such an agreement for the nationals of both parties, the EU has failed to consider the situation of human rights, workers\u2019 rights, money laundry and tax evasion in the UAE, in addition to oppressing political opposition where dozens of activists have been thrown into jails due to expressing their opinions on ongoing events in the region, in addition to the UAE role in Yemen which resulted in various human rights violations, which contradicts the EU\u2019s commitments in relation to human rights and freedom of speech.[2]<\/a>\r\n\r\nAccording to a report published by Human Rights Watch on January 18, 2018 \u201cThe United Arab Emirates was involved in abuses at home and abroad in 2017, arresting one of the last outspoken rights critics in the country and playing a role in torture and disappearances in Yemen.\u201d[3]<\/a> One of the people detained at home was Ahmed Mansoor, a prominent award-winning UAE national who has been the voice of the UAE over the years defending their human rights and exposing human rights violations against them. Human rights violations in the UAE extend to foreign workers who face serious exploitation. This includes discrimination based on gender, identity and sexual orientation, Human Rights noted.\r\n\r\nThese violations are not limited to home, but rather they extend beyond the borders of the UAE, especially in Yemen where the UAE is a leading member of the Saudi-led coalition against Houthis, where the UAW has been in involved in dozens of human rights violations, some of which amount to war crimes and that resulted in the death of 1,000 civilians. This also included supporting abuse Yemeni forces that was heavily involved in human rights violations. This also involved the torture of detainees inside UAE-run prisons and facilities.[4]<\/a> \u201cWhenever the US and others praise the UAE for its critical counterterrorism support in places like Yemen, they paper over a much darker reality \u2013 of disappearances, torture, and detainee abuse, and their own potential complicity in these abuses,\u201d Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch said.\r\n\r\nThe UAE is heavily engaged in financial crimes in a violation of the commitments and principles of the EU. This includes drug trade, tax evasion and money laundering. This UAE behavior contradicts the principles of transparency of the EU which has been adopted over the years and put the credibility of the EU at stake. The EU has to take serious steps in this regard\u00a0 as the implications of these financial crimes might have regional and international implication such as funding terrorism, which puts the EU\u2019s security at stake.\r\n\r\nThese violations contradict the EU\u2019s regulations and principles in relation to promoting and protecting human rights, which requires a comprehensive review of the visa-waiver agreement signed between the two parties. These UAE violations contradict the provisions of the EU Convention on Human Rights, which calls for protecting human life, prohibits torture, prohibits forced labor, protects right to liberty and security, promotes freedom of expression, and prohibits discrimination.[5]<\/a> This report is divided into two sections, the following section will address EU commitment to human rights in light with cooperating with third parties and the second section will highlight the UAE\u2019s human rights abuses in light of its partnership with the EUhuman dignity a special place where it came first in its charter on human rights. Article 1 and 2 of the Charter reads \u201cHuman dignity is inviolable. It must be respected and protected,\u201d and \u201c1. Everyone has the right to life. 2. No one shall be condemned to the death penalty, or executed.\u201d[6]<\/a> Therefore, the right of human dignity and life has been on the forefront of the EU approach to promoting human rights, including signing agreements with other countries for the same purpose.\r\n\r\nIn the same context ofprohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Article 4 of the Charter states that \u201cno one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.\u201d[7]<\/a> The EU has engaged in human rights dialogues aimed at combating torture and ill-treatment of people such as the dialogue launched with Iran and China. The EU has always been critical of groups or states that have been involved in torture in different parts of the world and has always called for terminating torture and abuse. In fact, a special EU committee was formed to combat torture known as European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).[8]<\/a>\r\n\r\n[1]<\/a>Council of the European Union, \u201cEU signs visa waiver agreement with the United Arab Emirates,\u201d Press Release, 6 May 2015 accessed on 17 July 2018, link: http:\/\/www.consilium.europa.eu\/en\/press\/press-releases\/2015\/05\/06\/eu-signs-visa-waiver-agreement-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[2]<\/a>Amnesty International, \u201cUnited Arab Emirates,\u201d Country Profile, UAE, date unknown, accessed on 17 July 2018, link to the profile: https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/countries\/middle-east-and-north-africa\/united-arab-emirates\/report-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[3]<\/a>Human Rights Watch, \u201cUAE: Abuses at Home, Abroad: Prominent Critic Detained; Possible War Crimes in Yemen,\u201d Human Rights Watch, published on 18 January 2018, accessed on 16 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2018\/01\/18\/uae-abuses-home-abroad\r\n\r\n[4]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[5]<\/a>The European Union, \u201cEuropean Convention on Human Rights,\u201d Article 1 to Article 15, accessed on 18 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.echr.coe.int\/Documents\/Convention_ENG.pdf\r\n\r\n[6]<\/a>Charter of Fundamental Rights ofThe EuropeanUnion, Official Journal of the European Union, C 326\/391, 26 December 2012, accessed on 17 July 2018, link: https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/?uri=CELEX:12012P\/TXT<\/a>\r\n\r\n[7]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[8]<\/a>For more information about CPT, check their website https:\/\/www.coe.int\/en\/web\/cpt","post_title":"Report: UAE Human Rights Record Contradicts EU values","post_excerpt":"An Examination of UAE Human Rights Record \r\nand the requirements of EU Visa Waiver\r\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"report-uae-human-rights-record-contradicts-eu-values","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2441","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"206","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2429,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_content":"Moldova\u2019s ruling Democratic Party has proposed amending the country\u2019s citizenship law, which would grant citizenship to wealthy foreign investors and bypass standard procedures, which have so far included learning the language and studying the constitution.\r\n\r\nThe country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.\r\n\r\n\u201cVlad Plahotniuc, the chairman of the Democratic Party and head of the ruling coalition, is widely seen as a driving force of corruption in Moldova,\u201d writes Kaunain Rahman, a Transparency International consultant. \u201cApart from being the wealthiest businessman in the country, he is the top oligarch with real power, running the show from behind the scenes. The peculiarity of Moldovan state capture is that the country is essentially owned by a single person, creating room for monopolies and grand corruption in all spheres of governance.\u201d\r\n\r\nFollowing the submission of the draft, Roman Botan, chairman of the National Security Commission, resigned from his post saying he doesn\u2019t want to be associated with such a law.\r\n\r\nThe number of people who can apply for citizenship has expanded from 5000 to an undefined number, undermining the image of the country.\r\n\r\nFurthermore, the names of the country\u2019s new citizens will not be indicated on official documents, so they will remain anonymous.\r\n\r\n\u201cWho obtains citizenship: a file or a person? It\u2019s strange that it is a matter of classifying those who will gain citizenship by investing. These investments could come from fraud, which would create the premises for legalising illegal assets,\u201d Mr Botan added.\r\n\r\nMoldova launched its current\u00a0citizenship-through-investment\u00a0programme in September 2017. The scheme makes people who invest at least 250,000 euros in real estate, government bonds or the country\u2019s public investment fund eligible for citizenship.","post_title":"Moldovan Cash for Passports Programme Draws Criticism","post_excerpt":"The country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"moldovan-cash-for-passports-programme-draws-criticism","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2429","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"202","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2423,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_content":"FARNBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin\u2019s (LMT.N<\/a><\/span>) F-35 fighter jet is arriving in growing numbers in Europe, and is poised to play a much broader role in missile defense and other warfare plans than conventional fighters, according to U.S. and European officials.\r\n\r\nAfter years of technical challenges and program delays, the F-35, the world\u2019s most expensive arms program, is rapidly gaining a foothold in the United States and Europe.\r\n\r\nThe new warplane\u2019s high-end sensors will give it a bigger role across all domains of war than previous fighter planes, including in missile defense, said General Tod Wolters, the top commander of U.S. and NATO air forces in Europe.\r\n\r\nNorway, Britain and Italy will have received 40 F-35s in Europe by the end of the year, with the first Dutch jets to arrive next year, and the first U.S. jets in fiscal year 2021.\r\n Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Adrian Croft<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n State of Palestine, speaking as a country concerned, noted that Israel, the occupying power, refused to cooperate with all United Nations mechanisms, continuing their practices of building the wall and restricting movements of Palestinians, in addition to excavations under the Al-Aqsa Mosque and usurping natural Palestinian resources, including water. Israel targeted medical staff, journalists, human rights defenders and non-governmental organizations. The Palestinian economy had sustained great losses, amounting to $ 6 billion. In administrative occupation prisons, 230 prisoners had been exposed to many forms of torture. The Palestinians suffered major collective punishment and as a result fuel and other resources were prevented from entering the entire Gaza Strip. Unemployment had reached 46 per cent in the Gaza Strip. The occupying authority still refused all General Assembly and Security Council and other resolutions, as well as the advisory opinion of the international tribunal. Israel was also refusing to give any vaccines to the citizens of any country that had refused the movement of Israel\u2019s capital to Jerusalem. State of Palestine called for the updating of the database of companies working in the Israeli occupied territories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Syria, speaking as a country concerned, said the Israeli occupation entity continued to commit acts of aggression against the countries of the region, threatening their territorial integrity, and practiced State terrorism against the Palestinian people and the people of the occupied Syrian Golan, taking advantage of absolute support from the United States and Western States, including through calls for the abolition of item 7 of the Human Rights Council's agenda and boycotting its deliberations. The Israeli settlements and associated measures included confiscating lands and properties, prohibiting construction and development in Syrian villages and preventing them from natural growth, stealing water and natural resources, and transferring settlers to the occupied Syrian Golan, a flagrant violation of international law and United Nations resolutions that affirmed the illegality of settlements and demanded that Israel stop changing the character, demographic composition, and legal status of the occupied Syrian Golan and end its occupation. Syria called on the High Commissioner to pressure the Israeli occupation forces to open the Quneitra crossing for Syrian people in the occupied Syrian Golan who wished to visit their homeland and their relatives in Syria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n General Debate<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Speakers stated that Israel was more interested in colonizing Palestinian land than ensuring peace and security. They opposed Israeli settlement activities and plans for annexing any part of the West Bank as actions that undermined the two-State solution. Political, economic and humanitarian support must continue to be provided to the Palestinian people. Speakers welcomed the work of various United Nations agencies in this regard. They condemned the violent arrests taking place in East Jerusalem. Measures taken by Israel to change the demographic situation, such as demolitions of homes in East Jerusalem, were null and void. Some speakers said it was important to ensure respect for the pre-June 1967 borders, and East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian State. The blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip must be lifted immediately. Speakers condemned Israel's lack of political will, which with impunity ignored the calls of the community of nations to stop the escalation of violence and the crimes it committed daily in the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as in the Syrian Golan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The discriminatory distribution of vaccines by the occupying power was of extreme concern to some speakers: it was beyond understanding why Israel distributed vaccines to illegal settlers but not to Palestinians who lived in the same territory. The Palestinian people deserved a free, sovereign and independent State, to finally achieve their inalienable right to self-determination. The absence of a sustained global political solution gave rise to despair in the entire region - States must not boycott the discussion of this agenda item at the Council. Some speakers, pledging to continue speaking out against all actions that violated international law, unreservedly condemned all attacks on civilians, including the launching of rockets and incendiary balloons from Gaza which endangered Israeli civilians, and persistent acts of settler violence against Palestinians. Item 7 reflected international interest in the Palestinian cause, speakers said, urging Israel to grant visas to the staff of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Golan Heights were occupied territories, as per international law and United Nations resolutions. Israel\u2019s actions in the Golan Heights may amount to war crimes, which could possibly trigger individual criminal responsibility of those involved. Some speakers said the reports \u201cwhitewashed the crimes of the Palestinians.\u201d Israel, though not obliged to do so, had vaccinated hundreds of thousands of Arab Israelis and 90,000 Palestinians, some speakers pointed out. Others said this was a relatively low number, given that Israel had vaccinated more than half its population. Further, by only vaccinating Palestinians who were in contact with Israelis, Israel continued to uphold its racist policies. The Fourth Geneva Convention obliged Israel to ensure access to vaccines to Palestinians in the occupied territory. One speaker criticised the Council\u2019s bias against Israel, which explained why many countries refused to participate in the debate. Palestinians had launched attacks against Israel from populated areas; in keeping silent, the United Nations was complicit in this grave and dangerous breach of international law. Israel was committing the crime of apartheid. Speakers encouraged the Office to publicly provide the annual update of the database of businesses facilitating Israeli settlements in the coming months as mandated by the Council and transmit it to the Council for discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n General Debate on Follow-up to and Implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Speakers welcomed the contribution of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action to the advancement of human rights. However, they pointed out that a collective response to the rapidly mutating COVID-19 virus fell short of the \u2018Vienna spirit\u2019, which called for enhanced multilateral cooperation to secure rights for everyone everywhere. The rising \u2018vaccine nationalism\u2019 was a cause of grave concern. Equal priority should be given to all rights, including the right to development, and as such vaccines against COVID-19 must be made available to all countries in order to protect the most marginalised and vulnerable persons. Speakers highlighted that women and girls were disproportionately affected by the pandemic, especially from the perspective of gender-based violence and the extra burdens they experienced due to gendered social constructs, the continued undervaluing of the care economy, and the pay gap. Men had yet to take a proportionate share of domestic chores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The international community should redouble its efforts to address longstanding international conflicts to genuinely implement the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. The exacerbation of inequalities in the context of COVID-19 was regrettable: more just societies must be created. Capacity building for legal systems, including education and information exchange, must be bolstered in light of the disruption caused by COVID-19. Objectivity, impartiality and non-selectivity must inform all actions of the Council, as all States must encourage genuine dialogue instead of the politicisation of human rights and interference in countries\u2019 internal affairs. Other speakers noted that States that committed human rights violations must be held to account - this universal notion was enshrined in the very foundation of the United Nations. The global human rights agenda would remain unfulfilled unless all occupied people were granted their inalienable right to self-determination. Timely achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals was crucial for the effective implementation of the Declaration.<\/p>\n","post_title":"High Commissioner for Human Rights Presents Three Reports on the Human Rights Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the Occupied Syrian Golan","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"high-commissioner-for-human-rights-presents-three-reports-on-the-human-rights-situation-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory-and-the-occupied-syrian-golan","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=4572","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2441,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_content":"On 6 May, 2015 the European Union (EU) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a 90-day visa waiver agreement<\/a> in Brussels. Representatives of the Latvian Presidency of the Council and the European Commission signed the agreement on behalf of the EU, whileAmbassador Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui, signed the agreement on behalf of UAE. Following singing the agreement, the EU became the first Arab country to sign such an agreement with the EU, allowing its citizens and that of the EU to stay in both territories for a period of 180 days within any a given period of 180 days.[1]<\/a>\r\n\r\nDespite the potential benefits of such an agreement for the nationals of both parties, the EU has failed to consider the situation of human rights, workers\u2019 rights, money laundry and tax evasion in the UAE, in addition to oppressing political opposition where dozens of activists have been thrown into jails due to expressing their opinions on ongoing events in the region, in addition to the UAE role in Yemen which resulted in various human rights violations, which contradicts the EU\u2019s commitments in relation to human rights and freedom of speech.[2]<\/a>\r\n\r\nAccording to a report published by Human Rights Watch on January 18, 2018 \u201cThe United Arab Emirates was involved in abuses at home and abroad in 2017, arresting one of the last outspoken rights critics in the country and playing a role in torture and disappearances in Yemen.\u201d[3]<\/a> One of the people detained at home was Ahmed Mansoor, a prominent award-winning UAE national who has been the voice of the UAE over the years defending their human rights and exposing human rights violations against them. Human rights violations in the UAE extend to foreign workers who face serious exploitation. This includes discrimination based on gender, identity and sexual orientation, Human Rights noted.\r\n\r\nThese violations are not limited to home, but rather they extend beyond the borders of the UAE, especially in Yemen where the UAE is a leading member of the Saudi-led coalition against Houthis, where the UAW has been in involved in dozens of human rights violations, some of which amount to war crimes and that resulted in the death of 1,000 civilians. This also included supporting abuse Yemeni forces that was heavily involved in human rights violations. This also involved the torture of detainees inside UAE-run prisons and facilities.[4]<\/a> \u201cWhenever the US and others praise the UAE for its critical counterterrorism support in places like Yemen, they paper over a much darker reality \u2013 of disappearances, torture, and detainee abuse, and their own potential complicity in these abuses,\u201d Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch said.\r\n\r\nThe UAE is heavily engaged in financial crimes in a violation of the commitments and principles of the EU. This includes drug trade, tax evasion and money laundering. This UAE behavior contradicts the principles of transparency of the EU which has been adopted over the years and put the credibility of the EU at stake. The EU has to take serious steps in this regard\u00a0 as the implications of these financial crimes might have regional and international implication such as funding terrorism, which puts the EU\u2019s security at stake.\r\n\r\nThese violations contradict the EU\u2019s regulations and principles in relation to promoting and protecting human rights, which requires a comprehensive review of the visa-waiver agreement signed between the two parties. These UAE violations contradict the provisions of the EU Convention on Human Rights, which calls for protecting human life, prohibits torture, prohibits forced labor, protects right to liberty and security, promotes freedom of expression, and prohibits discrimination.[5]<\/a> This report is divided into two sections, the following section will address EU commitment to human rights in light with cooperating with third parties and the second section will highlight the UAE\u2019s human rights abuses in light of its partnership with the EUhuman dignity a special place where it came first in its charter on human rights. Article 1 and 2 of the Charter reads \u201cHuman dignity is inviolable. It must be respected and protected,\u201d and \u201c1. Everyone has the right to life. 2. No one shall be condemned to the death penalty, or executed.\u201d[6]<\/a> Therefore, the right of human dignity and life has been on the forefront of the EU approach to promoting human rights, including signing agreements with other countries for the same purpose.\r\n\r\nIn the same context ofprohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Article 4 of the Charter states that \u201cno one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.\u201d[7]<\/a> The EU has engaged in human rights dialogues aimed at combating torture and ill-treatment of people such as the dialogue launched with Iran and China. The EU has always been critical of groups or states that have been involved in torture in different parts of the world and has always called for terminating torture and abuse. In fact, a special EU committee was formed to combat torture known as European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).[8]<\/a>\r\n\r\n[1]<\/a>Council of the European Union, \u201cEU signs visa waiver agreement with the United Arab Emirates,\u201d Press Release, 6 May 2015 accessed on 17 July 2018, link: http:\/\/www.consilium.europa.eu\/en\/press\/press-releases\/2015\/05\/06\/eu-signs-visa-waiver-agreement-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[2]<\/a>Amnesty International, \u201cUnited Arab Emirates,\u201d Country Profile, UAE, date unknown, accessed on 17 July 2018, link to the profile: https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/countries\/middle-east-and-north-africa\/united-arab-emirates\/report-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[3]<\/a>Human Rights Watch, \u201cUAE: Abuses at Home, Abroad: Prominent Critic Detained; Possible War Crimes in Yemen,\u201d Human Rights Watch, published on 18 January 2018, accessed on 16 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2018\/01\/18\/uae-abuses-home-abroad\r\n\r\n[4]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[5]<\/a>The European Union, \u201cEuropean Convention on Human Rights,\u201d Article 1 to Article 15, accessed on 18 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.echr.coe.int\/Documents\/Convention_ENG.pdf\r\n\r\n[6]<\/a>Charter of Fundamental Rights ofThe EuropeanUnion, Official Journal of the European Union, C 326\/391, 26 December 2012, accessed on 17 July 2018, link: https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/?uri=CELEX:12012P\/TXT<\/a>\r\n\r\n[7]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[8]<\/a>For more information about CPT, check their website https:\/\/www.coe.int\/en\/web\/cpt","post_title":"Report: UAE Human Rights Record Contradicts EU values","post_excerpt":"An Examination of UAE Human Rights Record \r\nand the requirements of EU Visa Waiver\r\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"report-uae-human-rights-record-contradicts-eu-values","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2441","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"206","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2429,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_content":"Moldova\u2019s ruling Democratic Party has proposed amending the country\u2019s citizenship law, which would grant citizenship to wealthy foreign investors and bypass standard procedures, which have so far included learning the language and studying the constitution.\r\n\r\nThe country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.\r\n\r\n\u201cVlad Plahotniuc, the chairman of the Democratic Party and head of the ruling coalition, is widely seen as a driving force of corruption in Moldova,\u201d writes Kaunain Rahman, a Transparency International consultant. \u201cApart from being the wealthiest businessman in the country, he is the top oligarch with real power, running the show from behind the scenes. The peculiarity of Moldovan state capture is that the country is essentially owned by a single person, creating room for monopolies and grand corruption in all spheres of governance.\u201d\r\n\r\nFollowing the submission of the draft, Roman Botan, chairman of the National Security Commission, resigned from his post saying he doesn\u2019t want to be associated with such a law.\r\n\r\nThe number of people who can apply for citizenship has expanded from 5000 to an undefined number, undermining the image of the country.\r\n\r\nFurthermore, the names of the country\u2019s new citizens will not be indicated on official documents, so they will remain anonymous.\r\n\r\n\u201cWho obtains citizenship: a file or a person? It\u2019s strange that it is a matter of classifying those who will gain citizenship by investing. These investments could come from fraud, which would create the premises for legalising illegal assets,\u201d Mr Botan added.\r\n\r\nMoldova launched its current\u00a0citizenship-through-investment\u00a0programme in September 2017. The scheme makes people who invest at least 250,000 euros in real estate, government bonds or the country\u2019s public investment fund eligible for citizenship.","post_title":"Moldovan Cash for Passports Programme Draws Criticism","post_excerpt":"The country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"moldovan-cash-for-passports-programme-draws-criticism","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2429","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"202","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2423,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_content":"FARNBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin\u2019s (LMT.N<\/a><\/span>) F-35 fighter jet is arriving in growing numbers in Europe, and is poised to play a much broader role in missile defense and other warfare plans than conventional fighters, according to U.S. and European officials.\r\n\r\nAfter years of technical challenges and program delays, the F-35, the world\u2019s most expensive arms program, is rapidly gaining a foothold in the United States and Europe.\r\n\r\nThe new warplane\u2019s high-end sensors will give it a bigger role across all domains of war than previous fighter planes, including in missile defense, said General Tod Wolters, the top commander of U.S. and NATO air forces in Europe.\r\n\r\nNorway, Britain and Italy will have received 40 F-35s in Europe by the end of the year, with the first Dutch jets to arrive next year, and the first U.S. jets in fiscal year 2021.\r\n Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Adrian Croft<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n The delegation of Israel was absent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n State of Palestine, speaking as a country concerned, noted that Israel, the occupying power, refused to cooperate with all United Nations mechanisms, continuing their practices of building the wall and restricting movements of Palestinians, in addition to excavations under the Al-Aqsa Mosque and usurping natural Palestinian resources, including water. Israel targeted medical staff, journalists, human rights defenders and non-governmental organizations. The Palestinian economy had sustained great losses, amounting to $ 6 billion. In administrative occupation prisons, 230 prisoners had been exposed to many forms of torture. The Palestinians suffered major collective punishment and as a result fuel and other resources were prevented from entering the entire Gaza Strip. Unemployment had reached 46 per cent in the Gaza Strip. The occupying authority still refused all General Assembly and Security Council and other resolutions, as well as the advisory opinion of the international tribunal. Israel was also refusing to give any vaccines to the citizens of any country that had refused the movement of Israel\u2019s capital to Jerusalem. State of Palestine called for the updating of the database of companies working in the Israeli occupied territories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Syria, speaking as a country concerned, said the Israeli occupation entity continued to commit acts of aggression against the countries of the region, threatening their territorial integrity, and practiced State terrorism against the Palestinian people and the people of the occupied Syrian Golan, taking advantage of absolute support from the United States and Western States, including through calls for the abolition of item 7 of the Human Rights Council's agenda and boycotting its deliberations. The Israeli settlements and associated measures included confiscating lands and properties, prohibiting construction and development in Syrian villages and preventing them from natural growth, stealing water and natural resources, and transferring settlers to the occupied Syrian Golan, a flagrant violation of international law and United Nations resolutions that affirmed the illegality of settlements and demanded that Israel stop changing the character, demographic composition, and legal status of the occupied Syrian Golan and end its occupation. Syria called on the High Commissioner to pressure the Israeli occupation forces to open the Quneitra crossing for Syrian people in the occupied Syrian Golan who wished to visit their homeland and their relatives in Syria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n General Debate<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Speakers stated that Israel was more interested in colonizing Palestinian land than ensuring peace and security. They opposed Israeli settlement activities and plans for annexing any part of the West Bank as actions that undermined the two-State solution. Political, economic and humanitarian support must continue to be provided to the Palestinian people. Speakers welcomed the work of various United Nations agencies in this regard. They condemned the violent arrests taking place in East Jerusalem. Measures taken by Israel to change the demographic situation, such as demolitions of homes in East Jerusalem, were null and void. Some speakers said it was important to ensure respect for the pre-June 1967 borders, and East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian State. The blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip must be lifted immediately. Speakers condemned Israel's lack of political will, which with impunity ignored the calls of the community of nations to stop the escalation of violence and the crimes it committed daily in the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as in the Syrian Golan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The discriminatory distribution of vaccines by the occupying power was of extreme concern to some speakers: it was beyond understanding why Israel distributed vaccines to illegal settlers but not to Palestinians who lived in the same territory. The Palestinian people deserved a free, sovereign and independent State, to finally achieve their inalienable right to self-determination. The absence of a sustained global political solution gave rise to despair in the entire region - States must not boycott the discussion of this agenda item at the Council. Some speakers, pledging to continue speaking out against all actions that violated international law, unreservedly condemned all attacks on civilians, including the launching of rockets and incendiary balloons from Gaza which endangered Israeli civilians, and persistent acts of settler violence against Palestinians. Item 7 reflected international interest in the Palestinian cause, speakers said, urging Israel to grant visas to the staff of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Golan Heights were occupied territories, as per international law and United Nations resolutions. Israel\u2019s actions in the Golan Heights may amount to war crimes, which could possibly trigger individual criminal responsibility of those involved. Some speakers said the reports \u201cwhitewashed the crimes of the Palestinians.\u201d Israel, though not obliged to do so, had vaccinated hundreds of thousands of Arab Israelis and 90,000 Palestinians, some speakers pointed out. Others said this was a relatively low number, given that Israel had vaccinated more than half its population. Further, by only vaccinating Palestinians who were in contact with Israelis, Israel continued to uphold its racist policies. The Fourth Geneva Convention obliged Israel to ensure access to vaccines to Palestinians in the occupied territory. One speaker criticised the Council\u2019s bias against Israel, which explained why many countries refused to participate in the debate. Palestinians had launched attacks against Israel from populated areas; in keeping silent, the United Nations was complicit in this grave and dangerous breach of international law. Israel was committing the crime of apartheid. Speakers encouraged the Office to publicly provide the annual update of the database of businesses facilitating Israeli settlements in the coming months as mandated by the Council and transmit it to the Council for discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n General Debate on Follow-up to and Implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Speakers welcomed the contribution of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action to the advancement of human rights. However, they pointed out that a collective response to the rapidly mutating COVID-19 virus fell short of the \u2018Vienna spirit\u2019, which called for enhanced multilateral cooperation to secure rights for everyone everywhere. The rising \u2018vaccine nationalism\u2019 was a cause of grave concern. Equal priority should be given to all rights, including the right to development, and as such vaccines against COVID-19 must be made available to all countries in order to protect the most marginalised and vulnerable persons. Speakers highlighted that women and girls were disproportionately affected by the pandemic, especially from the perspective of gender-based violence and the extra burdens they experienced due to gendered social constructs, the continued undervaluing of the care economy, and the pay gap. Men had yet to take a proportionate share of domestic chores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The international community should redouble its efforts to address longstanding international conflicts to genuinely implement the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. The exacerbation of inequalities in the context of COVID-19 was regrettable: more just societies must be created. Capacity building for legal systems, including education and information exchange, must be bolstered in light of the disruption caused by COVID-19. Objectivity, impartiality and non-selectivity must inform all actions of the Council, as all States must encourage genuine dialogue instead of the politicisation of human rights and interference in countries\u2019 internal affairs. Other speakers noted that States that committed human rights violations must be held to account - this universal notion was enshrined in the very foundation of the United Nations. The global human rights agenda would remain unfulfilled unless all occupied people were granted their inalienable right to self-determination. Timely achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals was crucial for the effective implementation of the Declaration.<\/p>\n","post_title":"High Commissioner for Human Rights Presents Three Reports on the Human Rights Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the Occupied Syrian Golan","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"high-commissioner-for-human-rights-presents-three-reports-on-the-human-rights-situation-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory-and-the-occupied-syrian-golan","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=4572","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2441,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_content":"On 6 May, 2015 the European Union (EU) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a 90-day visa waiver agreement<\/a> in Brussels. Representatives of the Latvian Presidency of the Council and the European Commission signed the agreement on behalf of the EU, whileAmbassador Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui, signed the agreement on behalf of UAE. Following singing the agreement, the EU became the first Arab country to sign such an agreement with the EU, allowing its citizens and that of the EU to stay in both territories for a period of 180 days within any a given period of 180 days.[1]<\/a>\r\n\r\nDespite the potential benefits of such an agreement for the nationals of both parties, the EU has failed to consider the situation of human rights, workers\u2019 rights, money laundry and tax evasion in the UAE, in addition to oppressing political opposition where dozens of activists have been thrown into jails due to expressing their opinions on ongoing events in the region, in addition to the UAE role in Yemen which resulted in various human rights violations, which contradicts the EU\u2019s commitments in relation to human rights and freedom of speech.[2]<\/a>\r\n\r\nAccording to a report published by Human Rights Watch on January 18, 2018 \u201cThe United Arab Emirates was involved in abuses at home and abroad in 2017, arresting one of the last outspoken rights critics in the country and playing a role in torture and disappearances in Yemen.\u201d[3]<\/a> One of the people detained at home was Ahmed Mansoor, a prominent award-winning UAE national who has been the voice of the UAE over the years defending their human rights and exposing human rights violations against them. Human rights violations in the UAE extend to foreign workers who face serious exploitation. This includes discrimination based on gender, identity and sexual orientation, Human Rights noted.\r\n\r\nThese violations are not limited to home, but rather they extend beyond the borders of the UAE, especially in Yemen where the UAE is a leading member of the Saudi-led coalition against Houthis, where the UAW has been in involved in dozens of human rights violations, some of which amount to war crimes and that resulted in the death of 1,000 civilians. This also included supporting abuse Yemeni forces that was heavily involved in human rights violations. This also involved the torture of detainees inside UAE-run prisons and facilities.[4]<\/a> \u201cWhenever the US and others praise the UAE for its critical counterterrorism support in places like Yemen, they paper over a much darker reality \u2013 of disappearances, torture, and detainee abuse, and their own potential complicity in these abuses,\u201d Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch said.\r\n\r\nThe UAE is heavily engaged in financial crimes in a violation of the commitments and principles of the EU. This includes drug trade, tax evasion and money laundering. This UAE behavior contradicts the principles of transparency of the EU which has been adopted over the years and put the credibility of the EU at stake. The EU has to take serious steps in this regard\u00a0 as the implications of these financial crimes might have regional and international implication such as funding terrorism, which puts the EU\u2019s security at stake.\r\n\r\nThese violations contradict the EU\u2019s regulations and principles in relation to promoting and protecting human rights, which requires a comprehensive review of the visa-waiver agreement signed between the two parties. These UAE violations contradict the provisions of the EU Convention on Human Rights, which calls for protecting human life, prohibits torture, prohibits forced labor, protects right to liberty and security, promotes freedom of expression, and prohibits discrimination.[5]<\/a> This report is divided into two sections, the following section will address EU commitment to human rights in light with cooperating with third parties and the second section will highlight the UAE\u2019s human rights abuses in light of its partnership with the EUhuman dignity a special place where it came first in its charter on human rights. Article 1 and 2 of the Charter reads \u201cHuman dignity is inviolable. It must be respected and protected,\u201d and \u201c1. Everyone has the right to life. 2. No one shall be condemned to the death penalty, or executed.\u201d[6]<\/a> Therefore, the right of human dignity and life has been on the forefront of the EU approach to promoting human rights, including signing agreements with other countries for the same purpose.\r\n\r\nIn the same context ofprohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Article 4 of the Charter states that \u201cno one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.\u201d[7]<\/a> The EU has engaged in human rights dialogues aimed at combating torture and ill-treatment of people such as the dialogue launched with Iran and China. The EU has always been critical of groups or states that have been involved in torture in different parts of the world and has always called for terminating torture and abuse. In fact, a special EU committee was formed to combat torture known as European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).[8]<\/a>\r\n\r\n[1]<\/a>Council of the European Union, \u201cEU signs visa waiver agreement with the United Arab Emirates,\u201d Press Release, 6 May 2015 accessed on 17 July 2018, link: http:\/\/www.consilium.europa.eu\/en\/press\/press-releases\/2015\/05\/06\/eu-signs-visa-waiver-agreement-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[2]<\/a>Amnesty International, \u201cUnited Arab Emirates,\u201d Country Profile, UAE, date unknown, accessed on 17 July 2018, link to the profile: https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/countries\/middle-east-and-north-africa\/united-arab-emirates\/report-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[3]<\/a>Human Rights Watch, \u201cUAE: Abuses at Home, Abroad: Prominent Critic Detained; Possible War Crimes in Yemen,\u201d Human Rights Watch, published on 18 January 2018, accessed on 16 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2018\/01\/18\/uae-abuses-home-abroad\r\n\r\n[4]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[5]<\/a>The European Union, \u201cEuropean Convention on Human Rights,\u201d Article 1 to Article 15, accessed on 18 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.echr.coe.int\/Documents\/Convention_ENG.pdf\r\n\r\n[6]<\/a>Charter of Fundamental Rights ofThe EuropeanUnion, Official Journal of the European Union, C 326\/391, 26 December 2012, accessed on 17 July 2018, link: https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/?uri=CELEX:12012P\/TXT<\/a>\r\n\r\n[7]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[8]<\/a>For more information about CPT, check their website https:\/\/www.coe.int\/en\/web\/cpt","post_title":"Report: UAE Human Rights Record Contradicts EU values","post_excerpt":"An Examination of UAE Human Rights Record \r\nand the requirements of EU Visa Waiver\r\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"report-uae-human-rights-record-contradicts-eu-values","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2441","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"206","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2429,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_content":"Moldova\u2019s ruling Democratic Party has proposed amending the country\u2019s citizenship law, which would grant citizenship to wealthy foreign investors and bypass standard procedures, which have so far included learning the language and studying the constitution.\r\n\r\nThe country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.\r\n\r\n\u201cVlad Plahotniuc, the chairman of the Democratic Party and head of the ruling coalition, is widely seen as a driving force of corruption in Moldova,\u201d writes Kaunain Rahman, a Transparency International consultant. \u201cApart from being the wealthiest businessman in the country, he is the top oligarch with real power, running the show from behind the scenes. The peculiarity of Moldovan state capture is that the country is essentially owned by a single person, creating room for monopolies and grand corruption in all spheres of governance.\u201d\r\n\r\nFollowing the submission of the draft, Roman Botan, chairman of the National Security Commission, resigned from his post saying he doesn\u2019t want to be associated with such a law.\r\n\r\nThe number of people who can apply for citizenship has expanded from 5000 to an undefined number, undermining the image of the country.\r\n\r\nFurthermore, the names of the country\u2019s new citizens will not be indicated on official documents, so they will remain anonymous.\r\n\r\n\u201cWho obtains citizenship: a file or a person? It\u2019s strange that it is a matter of classifying those who will gain citizenship by investing. These investments could come from fraud, which would create the premises for legalising illegal assets,\u201d Mr Botan added.\r\n\r\nMoldova launched its current\u00a0citizenship-through-investment\u00a0programme in September 2017. The scheme makes people who invest at least 250,000 euros in real estate, government bonds or the country\u2019s public investment fund eligible for citizenship.","post_title":"Moldovan Cash for Passports Programme Draws Criticism","post_excerpt":"The country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"moldovan-cash-for-passports-programme-draws-criticism","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2429","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"202","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2423,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_content":"FARNBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin\u2019s (LMT.N<\/a><\/span>) F-35 fighter jet is arriving in growing numbers in Europe, and is poised to play a much broader role in missile defense and other warfare plans than conventional fighters, according to U.S. and European officials.\r\n\r\nAfter years of technical challenges and program delays, the F-35, the world\u2019s most expensive arms program, is rapidly gaining a foothold in the United States and Europe.\r\n\r\nThe new warplane\u2019s high-end sensors will give it a bigger role across all domains of war than previous fighter planes, including in missile defense, said General Tod Wolters, the top commander of U.S. and NATO air forces in Europe.\r\n\r\nNorway, Britain and Italy will have received 40 F-35s in Europe by the end of the year, with the first Dutch jets to arrive next year, and the first U.S. jets in fiscal year 2021.\r\n Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Adrian Croft<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n Statements by Countries Concerned<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The delegation of Israel was absent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n State of Palestine, speaking as a country concerned, noted that Israel, the occupying power, refused to cooperate with all United Nations mechanisms, continuing their practices of building the wall and restricting movements of Palestinians, in addition to excavations under the Al-Aqsa Mosque and usurping natural Palestinian resources, including water. Israel targeted medical staff, journalists, human rights defenders and non-governmental organizations. The Palestinian economy had sustained great losses, amounting to $ 6 billion. In administrative occupation prisons, 230 prisoners had been exposed to many forms of torture. The Palestinians suffered major collective punishment and as a result fuel and other resources were prevented from entering the entire Gaza Strip. Unemployment had reached 46 per cent in the Gaza Strip. The occupying authority still refused all General Assembly and Security Council and other resolutions, as well as the advisory opinion of the international tribunal. Israel was also refusing to give any vaccines to the citizens of any country that had refused the movement of Israel\u2019s capital to Jerusalem. State of Palestine called for the updating of the database of companies working in the Israeli occupied territories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Syria, speaking as a country concerned, said the Israeli occupation entity continued to commit acts of aggression against the countries of the region, threatening their territorial integrity, and practiced State terrorism against the Palestinian people and the people of the occupied Syrian Golan, taking advantage of absolute support from the United States and Western States, including through calls for the abolition of item 7 of the Human Rights Council's agenda and boycotting its deliberations. The Israeli settlements and associated measures included confiscating lands and properties, prohibiting construction and development in Syrian villages and preventing them from natural growth, stealing water and natural resources, and transferring settlers to the occupied Syrian Golan, a flagrant violation of international law and United Nations resolutions that affirmed the illegality of settlements and demanded that Israel stop changing the character, demographic composition, and legal status of the occupied Syrian Golan and end its occupation. Syria called on the High Commissioner to pressure the Israeli occupation forces to open the Quneitra crossing for Syrian people in the occupied Syrian Golan who wished to visit their homeland and their relatives in Syria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n General Debate<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Speakers stated that Israel was more interested in colonizing Palestinian land than ensuring peace and security. They opposed Israeli settlement activities and plans for annexing any part of the West Bank as actions that undermined the two-State solution. Political, economic and humanitarian support must continue to be provided to the Palestinian people. Speakers welcomed the work of various United Nations agencies in this regard. They condemned the violent arrests taking place in East Jerusalem. Measures taken by Israel to change the demographic situation, such as demolitions of homes in East Jerusalem, were null and void. Some speakers said it was important to ensure respect for the pre-June 1967 borders, and East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian State. The blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip must be lifted immediately. Speakers condemned Israel's lack of political will, which with impunity ignored the calls of the community of nations to stop the escalation of violence and the crimes it committed daily in the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as in the Syrian Golan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The discriminatory distribution of vaccines by the occupying power was of extreme concern to some speakers: it was beyond understanding why Israel distributed vaccines to illegal settlers but not to Palestinians who lived in the same territory. The Palestinian people deserved a free, sovereign and independent State, to finally achieve their inalienable right to self-determination. The absence of a sustained global political solution gave rise to despair in the entire region - States must not boycott the discussion of this agenda item at the Council. Some speakers, pledging to continue speaking out against all actions that violated international law, unreservedly condemned all attacks on civilians, including the launching of rockets and incendiary balloons from Gaza which endangered Israeli civilians, and persistent acts of settler violence against Palestinians. Item 7 reflected international interest in the Palestinian cause, speakers said, urging Israel to grant visas to the staff of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Golan Heights were occupied territories, as per international law and United Nations resolutions. Israel\u2019s actions in the Golan Heights may amount to war crimes, which could possibly trigger individual criminal responsibility of those involved. Some speakers said the reports \u201cwhitewashed the crimes of the Palestinians.\u201d Israel, though not obliged to do so, had vaccinated hundreds of thousands of Arab Israelis and 90,000 Palestinians, some speakers pointed out. Others said this was a relatively low number, given that Israel had vaccinated more than half its population. Further, by only vaccinating Palestinians who were in contact with Israelis, Israel continued to uphold its racist policies. The Fourth Geneva Convention obliged Israel to ensure access to vaccines to Palestinians in the occupied territory. One speaker criticised the Council\u2019s bias against Israel, which explained why many countries refused to participate in the debate. Palestinians had launched attacks against Israel from populated areas; in keeping silent, the United Nations was complicit in this grave and dangerous breach of international law. Israel was committing the crime of apartheid. Speakers encouraged the Office to publicly provide the annual update of the database of businesses facilitating Israeli settlements in the coming months as mandated by the Council and transmit it to the Council for discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n General Debate on Follow-up to and Implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Speakers welcomed the contribution of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action to the advancement of human rights. However, they pointed out that a collective response to the rapidly mutating COVID-19 virus fell short of the \u2018Vienna spirit\u2019, which called for enhanced multilateral cooperation to secure rights for everyone everywhere. The rising \u2018vaccine nationalism\u2019 was a cause of grave concern. Equal priority should be given to all rights, including the right to development, and as such vaccines against COVID-19 must be made available to all countries in order to protect the most marginalised and vulnerable persons. Speakers highlighted that women and girls were disproportionately affected by the pandemic, especially from the perspective of gender-based violence and the extra burdens they experienced due to gendered social constructs, the continued undervaluing of the care economy, and the pay gap. Men had yet to take a proportionate share of domestic chores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The international community should redouble its efforts to address longstanding international conflicts to genuinely implement the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. The exacerbation of inequalities in the context of COVID-19 was regrettable: more just societies must be created. Capacity building for legal systems, including education and information exchange, must be bolstered in light of the disruption caused by COVID-19. Objectivity, impartiality and non-selectivity must inform all actions of the Council, as all States must encourage genuine dialogue instead of the politicisation of human rights and interference in countries\u2019 internal affairs. Other speakers noted that States that committed human rights violations must be held to account - this universal notion was enshrined in the very foundation of the United Nations. The global human rights agenda would remain unfulfilled unless all occupied people were granted their inalienable right to self-determination. Timely achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals was crucial for the effective implementation of the Declaration.<\/p>\n","post_title":"High Commissioner for Human Rights Presents Three Reports on the Human Rights Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the Occupied Syrian Golan","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"high-commissioner-for-human-rights-presents-three-reports-on-the-human-rights-situation-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory-and-the-occupied-syrian-golan","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=4572","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2441,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_content":"On 6 May, 2015 the European Union (EU) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a 90-day visa waiver agreement<\/a> in Brussels. Representatives of the Latvian Presidency of the Council and the European Commission signed the agreement on behalf of the EU, whileAmbassador Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui, signed the agreement on behalf of UAE. Following singing the agreement, the EU became the first Arab country to sign such an agreement with the EU, allowing its citizens and that of the EU to stay in both territories for a period of 180 days within any a given period of 180 days.[1]<\/a>\r\n\r\nDespite the potential benefits of such an agreement for the nationals of both parties, the EU has failed to consider the situation of human rights, workers\u2019 rights, money laundry and tax evasion in the UAE, in addition to oppressing political opposition where dozens of activists have been thrown into jails due to expressing their opinions on ongoing events in the region, in addition to the UAE role in Yemen which resulted in various human rights violations, which contradicts the EU\u2019s commitments in relation to human rights and freedom of speech.[2]<\/a>\r\n\r\nAccording to a report published by Human Rights Watch on January 18, 2018 \u201cThe United Arab Emirates was involved in abuses at home and abroad in 2017, arresting one of the last outspoken rights critics in the country and playing a role in torture and disappearances in Yemen.\u201d[3]<\/a> One of the people detained at home was Ahmed Mansoor, a prominent award-winning UAE national who has been the voice of the UAE over the years defending their human rights and exposing human rights violations against them. Human rights violations in the UAE extend to foreign workers who face serious exploitation. This includes discrimination based on gender, identity and sexual orientation, Human Rights noted.\r\n\r\nThese violations are not limited to home, but rather they extend beyond the borders of the UAE, especially in Yemen where the UAE is a leading member of the Saudi-led coalition against Houthis, where the UAW has been in involved in dozens of human rights violations, some of which amount to war crimes and that resulted in the death of 1,000 civilians. This also included supporting abuse Yemeni forces that was heavily involved in human rights violations. This also involved the torture of detainees inside UAE-run prisons and facilities.[4]<\/a> \u201cWhenever the US and others praise the UAE for its critical counterterrorism support in places like Yemen, they paper over a much darker reality \u2013 of disappearances, torture, and detainee abuse, and their own potential complicity in these abuses,\u201d Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch said.\r\n\r\nThe UAE is heavily engaged in financial crimes in a violation of the commitments and principles of the EU. This includes drug trade, tax evasion and money laundering. This UAE behavior contradicts the principles of transparency of the EU which has been adopted over the years and put the credibility of the EU at stake. The EU has to take serious steps in this regard\u00a0 as the implications of these financial crimes might have regional and international implication such as funding terrorism, which puts the EU\u2019s security at stake.\r\n\r\nThese violations contradict the EU\u2019s regulations and principles in relation to promoting and protecting human rights, which requires a comprehensive review of the visa-waiver agreement signed between the two parties. These UAE violations contradict the provisions of the EU Convention on Human Rights, which calls for protecting human life, prohibits torture, prohibits forced labor, protects right to liberty and security, promotes freedom of expression, and prohibits discrimination.[5]<\/a> This report is divided into two sections, the following section will address EU commitment to human rights in light with cooperating with third parties and the second section will highlight the UAE\u2019s human rights abuses in light of its partnership with the EUhuman dignity a special place where it came first in its charter on human rights. Article 1 and 2 of the Charter reads \u201cHuman dignity is inviolable. It must be respected and protected,\u201d and \u201c1. Everyone has the right to life. 2. No one shall be condemned to the death penalty, or executed.\u201d[6]<\/a> Therefore, the right of human dignity and life has been on the forefront of the EU approach to promoting human rights, including signing agreements with other countries for the same purpose.\r\n\r\nIn the same context ofprohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Article 4 of the Charter states that \u201cno one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.\u201d[7]<\/a> The EU has engaged in human rights dialogues aimed at combating torture and ill-treatment of people such as the dialogue launched with Iran and China. The EU has always been critical of groups or states that have been involved in torture in different parts of the world and has always called for terminating torture and abuse. In fact, a special EU committee was formed to combat torture known as European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).[8]<\/a>\r\n\r\n[1]<\/a>Council of the European Union, \u201cEU signs visa waiver agreement with the United Arab Emirates,\u201d Press Release, 6 May 2015 accessed on 17 July 2018, link: http:\/\/www.consilium.europa.eu\/en\/press\/press-releases\/2015\/05\/06\/eu-signs-visa-waiver-agreement-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[2]<\/a>Amnesty International, \u201cUnited Arab Emirates,\u201d Country Profile, UAE, date unknown, accessed on 17 July 2018, link to the profile: https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/countries\/middle-east-and-north-africa\/united-arab-emirates\/report-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[3]<\/a>Human Rights Watch, \u201cUAE: Abuses at Home, Abroad: Prominent Critic Detained; Possible War Crimes in Yemen,\u201d Human Rights Watch, published on 18 January 2018, accessed on 16 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2018\/01\/18\/uae-abuses-home-abroad\r\n\r\n[4]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[5]<\/a>The European Union, \u201cEuropean Convention on Human Rights,\u201d Article 1 to Article 15, accessed on 18 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.echr.coe.int\/Documents\/Convention_ENG.pdf\r\n\r\n[6]<\/a>Charter of Fundamental Rights ofThe EuropeanUnion, Official Journal of the European Union, C 326\/391, 26 December 2012, accessed on 17 July 2018, link: https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/?uri=CELEX:12012P\/TXT<\/a>\r\n\r\n[7]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[8]<\/a>For more information about CPT, check their website https:\/\/www.coe.int\/en\/web\/cpt","post_title":"Report: UAE Human Rights Record Contradicts EU values","post_excerpt":"An Examination of UAE Human Rights Record \r\nand the requirements of EU Visa Waiver\r\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"report-uae-human-rights-record-contradicts-eu-values","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2441","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"206","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2429,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_content":"Moldova\u2019s ruling Democratic Party has proposed amending the country\u2019s citizenship law, which would grant citizenship to wealthy foreign investors and bypass standard procedures, which have so far included learning the language and studying the constitution.\r\n\r\nThe country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.\r\n\r\n\u201cVlad Plahotniuc, the chairman of the Democratic Party and head of the ruling coalition, is widely seen as a driving force of corruption in Moldova,\u201d writes Kaunain Rahman, a Transparency International consultant. \u201cApart from being the wealthiest businessman in the country, he is the top oligarch with real power, running the show from behind the scenes. The peculiarity of Moldovan state capture is that the country is essentially owned by a single person, creating room for monopolies and grand corruption in all spheres of governance.\u201d\r\n\r\nFollowing the submission of the draft, Roman Botan, chairman of the National Security Commission, resigned from his post saying he doesn\u2019t want to be associated with such a law.\r\n\r\nThe number of people who can apply for citizenship has expanded from 5000 to an undefined number, undermining the image of the country.\r\n\r\nFurthermore, the names of the country\u2019s new citizens will not be indicated on official documents, so they will remain anonymous.\r\n\r\n\u201cWho obtains citizenship: a file or a person? It\u2019s strange that it is a matter of classifying those who will gain citizenship by investing. These investments could come from fraud, which would create the premises for legalising illegal assets,\u201d Mr Botan added.\r\n\r\nMoldova launched its current\u00a0citizenship-through-investment\u00a0programme in September 2017. The scheme makes people who invest at least 250,000 euros in real estate, government bonds or the country\u2019s public investment fund eligible for citizenship.","post_title":"Moldovan Cash for Passports Programme Draws Criticism","post_excerpt":"The country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"moldovan-cash-for-passports-programme-draws-criticism","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2429","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"202","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2423,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_content":"FARNBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin\u2019s (LMT.N<\/a><\/span>) F-35 fighter jet is arriving in growing numbers in Europe, and is poised to play a much broader role in missile defense and other warfare plans than conventional fighters, according to U.S. and European officials.\r\n\r\nAfter years of technical challenges and program delays, the F-35, the world\u2019s most expensive arms program, is rapidly gaining a foothold in the United States and Europe.\r\n\r\nThe new warplane\u2019s high-end sensors will give it a bigger role across all domains of war than previous fighter planes, including in missile defense, said General Tod Wolters, the top commander of U.S. and NATO air forces in Europe.\r\n\r\nNorway, Britain and Italy will have received 40 F-35s in Europe by the end of the year, with the first Dutch jets to arrive next year, and the first U.S. jets in fiscal year 2021.\r\n Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Adrian Croft<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n Concluding, Ms. Bachelet said these reports described the persistence of human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territory and in the occupied Syrian Golan, with a concerning lack of accountability. The Office of the High Commissioner urged all duty-bearers to address these and other critical human rights concerns outlined in the reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Statements by Countries Concerned<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The delegation of Israel was absent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n State of Palestine, speaking as a country concerned, noted that Israel, the occupying power, refused to cooperate with all United Nations mechanisms, continuing their practices of building the wall and restricting movements of Palestinians, in addition to excavations under the Al-Aqsa Mosque and usurping natural Palestinian resources, including water. Israel targeted medical staff, journalists, human rights defenders and non-governmental organizations. The Palestinian economy had sustained great losses, amounting to $ 6 billion. In administrative occupation prisons, 230 prisoners had been exposed to many forms of torture. The Palestinians suffered major collective punishment and as a result fuel and other resources were prevented from entering the entire Gaza Strip. Unemployment had reached 46 per cent in the Gaza Strip. The occupying authority still refused all General Assembly and Security Council and other resolutions, as well as the advisory opinion of the international tribunal. Israel was also refusing to give any vaccines to the citizens of any country that had refused the movement of Israel\u2019s capital to Jerusalem. State of Palestine called for the updating of the database of companies working in the Israeli occupied territories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Syria, speaking as a country concerned, said the Israeli occupation entity continued to commit acts of aggression against the countries of the region, threatening their territorial integrity, and practiced State terrorism against the Palestinian people and the people of the occupied Syrian Golan, taking advantage of absolute support from the United States and Western States, including through calls for the abolition of item 7 of the Human Rights Council's agenda and boycotting its deliberations. The Israeli settlements and associated measures included confiscating lands and properties, prohibiting construction and development in Syrian villages and preventing them from natural growth, stealing water and natural resources, and transferring settlers to the occupied Syrian Golan, a flagrant violation of international law and United Nations resolutions that affirmed the illegality of settlements and demanded that Israel stop changing the character, demographic composition, and legal status of the occupied Syrian Golan and end its occupation. Syria called on the High Commissioner to pressure the Israeli occupation forces to open the Quneitra crossing for Syrian people in the occupied Syrian Golan who wished to visit their homeland and their relatives in Syria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n General Debate<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Speakers stated that Israel was more interested in colonizing Palestinian land than ensuring peace and security. They opposed Israeli settlement activities and plans for annexing any part of the West Bank as actions that undermined the two-State solution. Political, economic and humanitarian support must continue to be provided to the Palestinian people. Speakers welcomed the work of various United Nations agencies in this regard. They condemned the violent arrests taking place in East Jerusalem. Measures taken by Israel to change the demographic situation, such as demolitions of homes in East Jerusalem, were null and void. Some speakers said it was important to ensure respect for the pre-June 1967 borders, and East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian State. The blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip must be lifted immediately. Speakers condemned Israel's lack of political will, which with impunity ignored the calls of the community of nations to stop the escalation of violence and the crimes it committed daily in the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as in the Syrian Golan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The discriminatory distribution of vaccines by the occupying power was of extreme concern to some speakers: it was beyond understanding why Israel distributed vaccines to illegal settlers but not to Palestinians who lived in the same territory. The Palestinian people deserved a free, sovereign and independent State, to finally achieve their inalienable right to self-determination. The absence of a sustained global political solution gave rise to despair in the entire region - States must not boycott the discussion of this agenda item at the Council. Some speakers, pledging to continue speaking out against all actions that violated international law, unreservedly condemned all attacks on civilians, including the launching of rockets and incendiary balloons from Gaza which endangered Israeli civilians, and persistent acts of settler violence against Palestinians. Item 7 reflected international interest in the Palestinian cause, speakers said, urging Israel to grant visas to the staff of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Golan Heights were occupied territories, as per international law and United Nations resolutions. Israel\u2019s actions in the Golan Heights may amount to war crimes, which could possibly trigger individual criminal responsibility of those involved. Some speakers said the reports \u201cwhitewashed the crimes of the Palestinians.\u201d Israel, though not obliged to do so, had vaccinated hundreds of thousands of Arab Israelis and 90,000 Palestinians, some speakers pointed out. Others said this was a relatively low number, given that Israel had vaccinated more than half its population. Further, by only vaccinating Palestinians who were in contact with Israelis, Israel continued to uphold its racist policies. The Fourth Geneva Convention obliged Israel to ensure access to vaccines to Palestinians in the occupied territory. One speaker criticised the Council\u2019s bias against Israel, which explained why many countries refused to participate in the debate. Palestinians had launched attacks against Israel from populated areas; in keeping silent, the United Nations was complicit in this grave and dangerous breach of international law. Israel was committing the crime of apartheid. Speakers encouraged the Office to publicly provide the annual update of the database of businesses facilitating Israeli settlements in the coming months as mandated by the Council and transmit it to the Council for discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n General Debate on Follow-up to and Implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Speakers welcomed the contribution of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action to the advancement of human rights. However, they pointed out that a collective response to the rapidly mutating COVID-19 virus fell short of the \u2018Vienna spirit\u2019, which called for enhanced multilateral cooperation to secure rights for everyone everywhere. The rising \u2018vaccine nationalism\u2019 was a cause of grave concern. Equal priority should be given to all rights, including the right to development, and as such vaccines against COVID-19 must be made available to all countries in order to protect the most marginalised and vulnerable persons. Speakers highlighted that women and girls were disproportionately affected by the pandemic, especially from the perspective of gender-based violence and the extra burdens they experienced due to gendered social constructs, the continued undervaluing of the care economy, and the pay gap. Men had yet to take a proportionate share of domestic chores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The international community should redouble its efforts to address longstanding international conflicts to genuinely implement the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. The exacerbation of inequalities in the context of COVID-19 was regrettable: more just societies must be created. Capacity building for legal systems, including education and information exchange, must be bolstered in light of the disruption caused by COVID-19. Objectivity, impartiality and non-selectivity must inform all actions of the Council, as all States must encourage genuine dialogue instead of the politicisation of human rights and interference in countries\u2019 internal affairs. Other speakers noted that States that committed human rights violations must be held to account - this universal notion was enshrined in the very foundation of the United Nations. The global human rights agenda would remain unfulfilled unless all occupied people were granted their inalienable right to self-determination. Timely achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals was crucial for the effective implementation of the Declaration.<\/p>\n","post_title":"High Commissioner for Human Rights Presents Three Reports on the Human Rights Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the Occupied Syrian Golan","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"high-commissioner-for-human-rights-presents-three-reports-on-the-human-rights-situation-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory-and-the-occupied-syrian-golan","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=4572","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2441,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_content":"On 6 May, 2015 the European Union (EU) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a 90-day visa waiver agreement<\/a> in Brussels. Representatives of the Latvian Presidency of the Council and the European Commission signed the agreement on behalf of the EU, whileAmbassador Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui, signed the agreement on behalf of UAE. Following singing the agreement, the EU became the first Arab country to sign such an agreement with the EU, allowing its citizens and that of the EU to stay in both territories for a period of 180 days within any a given period of 180 days.[1]<\/a>\r\n\r\nDespite the potential benefits of such an agreement for the nationals of both parties, the EU has failed to consider the situation of human rights, workers\u2019 rights, money laundry and tax evasion in the UAE, in addition to oppressing political opposition where dozens of activists have been thrown into jails due to expressing their opinions on ongoing events in the region, in addition to the UAE role in Yemen which resulted in various human rights violations, which contradicts the EU\u2019s commitments in relation to human rights and freedom of speech.[2]<\/a>\r\n\r\nAccording to a report published by Human Rights Watch on January 18, 2018 \u201cThe United Arab Emirates was involved in abuses at home and abroad in 2017, arresting one of the last outspoken rights critics in the country and playing a role in torture and disappearances in Yemen.\u201d[3]<\/a> One of the people detained at home was Ahmed Mansoor, a prominent award-winning UAE national who has been the voice of the UAE over the years defending their human rights and exposing human rights violations against them. Human rights violations in the UAE extend to foreign workers who face serious exploitation. This includes discrimination based on gender, identity and sexual orientation, Human Rights noted.\r\n\r\nThese violations are not limited to home, but rather they extend beyond the borders of the UAE, especially in Yemen where the UAE is a leading member of the Saudi-led coalition against Houthis, where the UAW has been in involved in dozens of human rights violations, some of which amount to war crimes and that resulted in the death of 1,000 civilians. This also included supporting abuse Yemeni forces that was heavily involved in human rights violations. This also involved the torture of detainees inside UAE-run prisons and facilities.[4]<\/a> \u201cWhenever the US and others praise the UAE for its critical counterterrorism support in places like Yemen, they paper over a much darker reality \u2013 of disappearances, torture, and detainee abuse, and their own potential complicity in these abuses,\u201d Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch said.\r\n\r\nThe UAE is heavily engaged in financial crimes in a violation of the commitments and principles of the EU. This includes drug trade, tax evasion and money laundering. This UAE behavior contradicts the principles of transparency of the EU which has been adopted over the years and put the credibility of the EU at stake. The EU has to take serious steps in this regard\u00a0 as the implications of these financial crimes might have regional and international implication such as funding terrorism, which puts the EU\u2019s security at stake.\r\n\r\nThese violations contradict the EU\u2019s regulations and principles in relation to promoting and protecting human rights, which requires a comprehensive review of the visa-waiver agreement signed between the two parties. These UAE violations contradict the provisions of the EU Convention on Human Rights, which calls for protecting human life, prohibits torture, prohibits forced labor, protects right to liberty and security, promotes freedom of expression, and prohibits discrimination.[5]<\/a> This report is divided into two sections, the following section will address EU commitment to human rights in light with cooperating with third parties and the second section will highlight the UAE\u2019s human rights abuses in light of its partnership with the EUhuman dignity a special place where it came first in its charter on human rights. Article 1 and 2 of the Charter reads \u201cHuman dignity is inviolable. It must be respected and protected,\u201d and \u201c1. Everyone has the right to life. 2. No one shall be condemned to the death penalty, or executed.\u201d[6]<\/a> Therefore, the right of human dignity and life has been on the forefront of the EU approach to promoting human rights, including signing agreements with other countries for the same purpose.\r\n\r\nIn the same context ofprohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Article 4 of the Charter states that \u201cno one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.\u201d[7]<\/a> The EU has engaged in human rights dialogues aimed at combating torture and ill-treatment of people such as the dialogue launched with Iran and China. The EU has always been critical of groups or states that have been involved in torture in different parts of the world and has always called for terminating torture and abuse. In fact, a special EU committee was formed to combat torture known as European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).[8]<\/a>\r\n\r\n[1]<\/a>Council of the European Union, \u201cEU signs visa waiver agreement with the United Arab Emirates,\u201d Press Release, 6 May 2015 accessed on 17 July 2018, link: http:\/\/www.consilium.europa.eu\/en\/press\/press-releases\/2015\/05\/06\/eu-signs-visa-waiver-agreement-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[2]<\/a>Amnesty International, \u201cUnited Arab Emirates,\u201d Country Profile, UAE, date unknown, accessed on 17 July 2018, link to the profile: https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/countries\/middle-east-and-north-africa\/united-arab-emirates\/report-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[3]<\/a>Human Rights Watch, \u201cUAE: Abuses at Home, Abroad: Prominent Critic Detained; Possible War Crimes in Yemen,\u201d Human Rights Watch, published on 18 January 2018, accessed on 16 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2018\/01\/18\/uae-abuses-home-abroad\r\n\r\n[4]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[5]<\/a>The European Union, \u201cEuropean Convention on Human Rights,\u201d Article 1 to Article 15, accessed on 18 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.echr.coe.int\/Documents\/Convention_ENG.pdf\r\n\r\n[6]<\/a>Charter of Fundamental Rights ofThe EuropeanUnion, Official Journal of the European Union, C 326\/391, 26 December 2012, accessed on 17 July 2018, link: https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/?uri=CELEX:12012P\/TXT<\/a>\r\n\r\n[7]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[8]<\/a>For more information about CPT, check their website https:\/\/www.coe.int\/en\/web\/cpt","post_title":"Report: UAE Human Rights Record Contradicts EU values","post_excerpt":"An Examination of UAE Human Rights Record \r\nand the requirements of EU Visa Waiver\r\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"report-uae-human-rights-record-contradicts-eu-values","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2441","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"206","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2429,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_content":"Moldova\u2019s ruling Democratic Party has proposed amending the country\u2019s citizenship law, which would grant citizenship to wealthy foreign investors and bypass standard procedures, which have so far included learning the language and studying the constitution.\r\n\r\nThe country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.\r\n\r\n\u201cVlad Plahotniuc, the chairman of the Democratic Party and head of the ruling coalition, is widely seen as a driving force of corruption in Moldova,\u201d writes Kaunain Rahman, a Transparency International consultant. \u201cApart from being the wealthiest businessman in the country, he is the top oligarch with real power, running the show from behind the scenes. The peculiarity of Moldovan state capture is that the country is essentially owned by a single person, creating room for monopolies and grand corruption in all spheres of governance.\u201d\r\n\r\nFollowing the submission of the draft, Roman Botan, chairman of the National Security Commission, resigned from his post saying he doesn\u2019t want to be associated with such a law.\r\n\r\nThe number of people who can apply for citizenship has expanded from 5000 to an undefined number, undermining the image of the country.\r\n\r\nFurthermore, the names of the country\u2019s new citizens will not be indicated on official documents, so they will remain anonymous.\r\n\r\n\u201cWho obtains citizenship: a file or a person? It\u2019s strange that it is a matter of classifying those who will gain citizenship by investing. These investments could come from fraud, which would create the premises for legalising illegal assets,\u201d Mr Botan added.\r\n\r\nMoldova launched its current\u00a0citizenship-through-investment\u00a0programme in September 2017. The scheme makes people who invest at least 250,000 euros in real estate, government bonds or the country\u2019s public investment fund eligible for citizenship.","post_title":"Moldovan Cash for Passports Programme Draws Criticism","post_excerpt":"The country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"moldovan-cash-for-passports-programme-draws-criticism","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2429","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"202","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2423,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_content":"FARNBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin\u2019s (LMT.N<\/a><\/span>) F-35 fighter jet is arriving in growing numbers in Europe, and is poised to play a much broader role in missile defense and other warfare plans than conventional fighters, according to U.S. and European officials.\r\n\r\nAfter years of technical challenges and program delays, the F-35, the world\u2019s most expensive arms program, is rapidly gaining a foothold in the United States and Europe.\r\n\r\nThe new warplane\u2019s high-end sensors will give it a bigger role across all domains of war than previous fighter planes, including in missile defense, said General Tod Wolters, the top commander of U.S. and NATO air forces in Europe.\r\n\r\nNorway, Britain and Italy will have received 40 F-35s in Europe by the end of the year, with the first Dutch jets to arrive next year, and the first U.S. jets in fiscal year 2021.\r\n Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Adrian Croft<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n The third report was on human rights in the occupied Syrian Golan, and, as per usual practice, this report was based on information received from Member States. For the present report, the Permanent Missions of the Syrian Arab Republic, the People\u2019s Democratic Republic of Algeria, the Republic of Cuba, the Democratic People\u2019s Republic of Korea, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of Iraq, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the State of Kuwait, and the Russian Federation had responded to the request to provide information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Concluding, Ms. Bachelet said these reports described the persistence of human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territory and in the occupied Syrian Golan, with a concerning lack of accountability. The Office of the High Commissioner urged all duty-bearers to address these and other critical human rights concerns outlined in the reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Statements by Countries Concerned<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The delegation of Israel was absent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n State of Palestine, speaking as a country concerned, noted that Israel, the occupying power, refused to cooperate with all United Nations mechanisms, continuing their practices of building the wall and restricting movements of Palestinians, in addition to excavations under the Al-Aqsa Mosque and usurping natural Palestinian resources, including water. Israel targeted medical staff, journalists, human rights defenders and non-governmental organizations. The Palestinian economy had sustained great losses, amounting to $ 6 billion. In administrative occupation prisons, 230 prisoners had been exposed to many forms of torture. The Palestinians suffered major collective punishment and as a result fuel and other resources were prevented from entering the entire Gaza Strip. Unemployment had reached 46 per cent in the Gaza Strip. The occupying authority still refused all General Assembly and Security Council and other resolutions, as well as the advisory opinion of the international tribunal. Israel was also refusing to give any vaccines to the citizens of any country that had refused the movement of Israel\u2019s capital to Jerusalem. State of Palestine called for the updating of the database of companies working in the Israeli occupied territories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Syria, speaking as a country concerned, said the Israeli occupation entity continued to commit acts of aggression against the countries of the region, threatening their territorial integrity, and practiced State terrorism against the Palestinian people and the people of the occupied Syrian Golan, taking advantage of absolute support from the United States and Western States, including through calls for the abolition of item 7 of the Human Rights Council's agenda and boycotting its deliberations. The Israeli settlements and associated measures included confiscating lands and properties, prohibiting construction and development in Syrian villages and preventing them from natural growth, stealing water and natural resources, and transferring settlers to the occupied Syrian Golan, a flagrant violation of international law and United Nations resolutions that affirmed the illegality of settlements and demanded that Israel stop changing the character, demographic composition, and legal status of the occupied Syrian Golan and end its occupation. Syria called on the High Commissioner to pressure the Israeli occupation forces to open the Quneitra crossing for Syrian people in the occupied Syrian Golan who wished to visit their homeland and their relatives in Syria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n General Debate<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Speakers stated that Israel was more interested in colonizing Palestinian land than ensuring peace and security. They opposed Israeli settlement activities and plans for annexing any part of the West Bank as actions that undermined the two-State solution. Political, economic and humanitarian support must continue to be provided to the Palestinian people. Speakers welcomed the work of various United Nations agencies in this regard. They condemned the violent arrests taking place in East Jerusalem. Measures taken by Israel to change the demographic situation, such as demolitions of homes in East Jerusalem, were null and void. Some speakers said it was important to ensure respect for the pre-June 1967 borders, and East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian State. The blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip must be lifted immediately. Speakers condemned Israel's lack of political will, which with impunity ignored the calls of the community of nations to stop the escalation of violence and the crimes it committed daily in the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as in the Syrian Golan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The discriminatory distribution of vaccines by the occupying power was of extreme concern to some speakers: it was beyond understanding why Israel distributed vaccines to illegal settlers but not to Palestinians who lived in the same territory. The Palestinian people deserved a free, sovereign and independent State, to finally achieve their inalienable right to self-determination. The absence of a sustained global political solution gave rise to despair in the entire region - States must not boycott the discussion of this agenda item at the Council. Some speakers, pledging to continue speaking out against all actions that violated international law, unreservedly condemned all attacks on civilians, including the launching of rockets and incendiary balloons from Gaza which endangered Israeli civilians, and persistent acts of settler violence against Palestinians. Item 7 reflected international interest in the Palestinian cause, speakers said, urging Israel to grant visas to the staff of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Golan Heights were occupied territories, as per international law and United Nations resolutions. Israel\u2019s actions in the Golan Heights may amount to war crimes, which could possibly trigger individual criminal responsibility of those involved. Some speakers said the reports \u201cwhitewashed the crimes of the Palestinians.\u201d Israel, though not obliged to do so, had vaccinated hundreds of thousands of Arab Israelis and 90,000 Palestinians, some speakers pointed out. Others said this was a relatively low number, given that Israel had vaccinated more than half its population. Further, by only vaccinating Palestinians who were in contact with Israelis, Israel continued to uphold its racist policies. The Fourth Geneva Convention obliged Israel to ensure access to vaccines to Palestinians in the occupied territory. One speaker criticised the Council\u2019s bias against Israel, which explained why many countries refused to participate in the debate. Palestinians had launched attacks against Israel from populated areas; in keeping silent, the United Nations was complicit in this grave and dangerous breach of international law. Israel was committing the crime of apartheid. Speakers encouraged the Office to publicly provide the annual update of the database of businesses facilitating Israeli settlements in the coming months as mandated by the Council and transmit it to the Council for discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n General Debate on Follow-up to and Implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Speakers welcomed the contribution of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action to the advancement of human rights. However, they pointed out that a collective response to the rapidly mutating COVID-19 virus fell short of the \u2018Vienna spirit\u2019, which called for enhanced multilateral cooperation to secure rights for everyone everywhere. The rising \u2018vaccine nationalism\u2019 was a cause of grave concern. Equal priority should be given to all rights, including the right to development, and as such vaccines against COVID-19 must be made available to all countries in order to protect the most marginalised and vulnerable persons. Speakers highlighted that women and girls were disproportionately affected by the pandemic, especially from the perspective of gender-based violence and the extra burdens they experienced due to gendered social constructs, the continued undervaluing of the care economy, and the pay gap. Men had yet to take a proportionate share of domestic chores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The international community should redouble its efforts to address longstanding international conflicts to genuinely implement the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. The exacerbation of inequalities in the context of COVID-19 was regrettable: more just societies must be created. Capacity building for legal systems, including education and information exchange, must be bolstered in light of the disruption caused by COVID-19. Objectivity, impartiality and non-selectivity must inform all actions of the Council, as all States must encourage genuine dialogue instead of the politicisation of human rights and interference in countries\u2019 internal affairs. Other speakers noted that States that committed human rights violations must be held to account - this universal notion was enshrined in the very foundation of the United Nations. The global human rights agenda would remain unfulfilled unless all occupied people were granted their inalienable right to self-determination. Timely achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals was crucial for the effective implementation of the Declaration.<\/p>\n","post_title":"High Commissioner for Human Rights Presents Three Reports on the Human Rights Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the Occupied Syrian Golan","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"high-commissioner-for-human-rights-presents-three-reports-on-the-human-rights-situation-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory-and-the-occupied-syrian-golan","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:36:36","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=4572","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2441,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-24 22:55:25","post_content":"On 6 May, 2015 the European Union (EU) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a 90-day visa waiver agreement<\/a> in Brussels. Representatives of the Latvian Presidency of the Council and the European Commission signed the agreement on behalf of the EU, whileAmbassador Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui, signed the agreement on behalf of UAE. Following singing the agreement, the EU became the first Arab country to sign such an agreement with the EU, allowing its citizens and that of the EU to stay in both territories for a period of 180 days within any a given period of 180 days.[1]<\/a>\r\n\r\nDespite the potential benefits of such an agreement for the nationals of both parties, the EU has failed to consider the situation of human rights, workers\u2019 rights, money laundry and tax evasion in the UAE, in addition to oppressing political opposition where dozens of activists have been thrown into jails due to expressing their opinions on ongoing events in the region, in addition to the UAE role in Yemen which resulted in various human rights violations, which contradicts the EU\u2019s commitments in relation to human rights and freedom of speech.[2]<\/a>\r\n\r\nAccording to a report published by Human Rights Watch on January 18, 2018 \u201cThe United Arab Emirates was involved in abuses at home and abroad in 2017, arresting one of the last outspoken rights critics in the country and playing a role in torture and disappearances in Yemen.\u201d[3]<\/a> One of the people detained at home was Ahmed Mansoor, a prominent award-winning UAE national who has been the voice of the UAE over the years defending their human rights and exposing human rights violations against them. Human rights violations in the UAE extend to foreign workers who face serious exploitation. This includes discrimination based on gender, identity and sexual orientation, Human Rights noted.\r\n\r\nThese violations are not limited to home, but rather they extend beyond the borders of the UAE, especially in Yemen where the UAE is a leading member of the Saudi-led coalition against Houthis, where the UAW has been in involved in dozens of human rights violations, some of which amount to war crimes and that resulted in the death of 1,000 civilians. This also included supporting abuse Yemeni forces that was heavily involved in human rights violations. This also involved the torture of detainees inside UAE-run prisons and facilities.[4]<\/a> \u201cWhenever the US and others praise the UAE for its critical counterterrorism support in places like Yemen, they paper over a much darker reality \u2013 of disappearances, torture, and detainee abuse, and their own potential complicity in these abuses,\u201d Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch said.\r\n\r\nThe UAE is heavily engaged in financial crimes in a violation of the commitments and principles of the EU. This includes drug trade, tax evasion and money laundering. This UAE behavior contradicts the principles of transparency of the EU which has been adopted over the years and put the credibility of the EU at stake. The EU has to take serious steps in this regard\u00a0 as the implications of these financial crimes might have regional and international implication such as funding terrorism, which puts the EU\u2019s security at stake.\r\n\r\nThese violations contradict the EU\u2019s regulations and principles in relation to promoting and protecting human rights, which requires a comprehensive review of the visa-waiver agreement signed between the two parties. These UAE violations contradict the provisions of the EU Convention on Human Rights, which calls for protecting human life, prohibits torture, prohibits forced labor, protects right to liberty and security, promotes freedom of expression, and prohibits discrimination.[5]<\/a> This report is divided into two sections, the following section will address EU commitment to human rights in light with cooperating with third parties and the second section will highlight the UAE\u2019s human rights abuses in light of its partnership with the EUhuman dignity a special place where it came first in its charter on human rights. Article 1 and 2 of the Charter reads \u201cHuman dignity is inviolable. It must be respected and protected,\u201d and \u201c1. Everyone has the right to life. 2. No one shall be condemned to the death penalty, or executed.\u201d[6]<\/a> Therefore, the right of human dignity and life has been on the forefront of the EU approach to promoting human rights, including signing agreements with other countries for the same purpose.\r\n\r\nIn the same context ofprohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Article 4 of the Charter states that \u201cno one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.\u201d[7]<\/a> The EU has engaged in human rights dialogues aimed at combating torture and ill-treatment of people such as the dialogue launched with Iran and China. The EU has always been critical of groups or states that have been involved in torture in different parts of the world and has always called for terminating torture and abuse. In fact, a special EU committee was formed to combat torture known as European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).[8]<\/a>\r\n\r\n[1]<\/a>Council of the European Union, \u201cEU signs visa waiver agreement with the United Arab Emirates,\u201d Press Release, 6 May 2015 accessed on 17 July 2018, link: http:\/\/www.consilium.europa.eu\/en\/press\/press-releases\/2015\/05\/06\/eu-signs-visa-waiver-agreement-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[2]<\/a>Amnesty International, \u201cUnited Arab Emirates,\u201d Country Profile, UAE, date unknown, accessed on 17 July 2018, link to the profile: https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/countries\/middle-east-and-north-africa\/united-arab-emirates\/report-united-arab-emirates\/\r\n\r\n[3]<\/a>Human Rights Watch, \u201cUAE: Abuses at Home, Abroad: Prominent Critic Detained; Possible War Crimes in Yemen,\u201d Human Rights Watch, published on 18 January 2018, accessed on 16 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2018\/01\/18\/uae-abuses-home-abroad\r\n\r\n[4]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[5]<\/a>The European Union, \u201cEuropean Convention on Human Rights,\u201d Article 1 to Article 15, accessed on 18 July 2018, link: https:\/\/www.echr.coe.int\/Documents\/Convention_ENG.pdf\r\n\r\n[6]<\/a>Charter of Fundamental Rights ofThe EuropeanUnion, Official Journal of the European Union, C 326\/391, 26 December 2012, accessed on 17 July 2018, link: https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/?uri=CELEX:12012P\/TXT<\/a>\r\n\r\n[7]<\/a>Ibid.\r\n\r\n[8]<\/a>For more information about CPT, check their website https:\/\/www.coe.int\/en\/web\/cpt","post_title":"Report: UAE Human Rights Record Contradicts EU values","post_excerpt":"An Examination of UAE Human Rights Record \r\nand the requirements of EU Visa Waiver\r\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"report-uae-human-rights-record-contradicts-eu-values","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:40","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2441","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"206","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2429,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:24:46","post_content":"Moldova\u2019s ruling Democratic Party has proposed amending the country\u2019s citizenship law, which would grant citizenship to wealthy foreign investors and bypass standard procedures, which have so far included learning the language and studying the constitution.\r\n\r\nThe country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.\r\n\r\n\u201cVlad Plahotniuc, the chairman of the Democratic Party and head of the ruling coalition, is widely seen as a driving force of corruption in Moldova,\u201d writes Kaunain Rahman, a Transparency International consultant. \u201cApart from being the wealthiest businessman in the country, he is the top oligarch with real power, running the show from behind the scenes. The peculiarity of Moldovan state capture is that the country is essentially owned by a single person, creating room for monopolies and grand corruption in all spheres of governance.\u201d\r\n\r\nFollowing the submission of the draft, Roman Botan, chairman of the National Security Commission, resigned from his post saying he doesn\u2019t want to be associated with such a law.\r\n\r\nThe number of people who can apply for citizenship has expanded from 5000 to an undefined number, undermining the image of the country.\r\n\r\nFurthermore, the names of the country\u2019s new citizens will not be indicated on official documents, so they will remain anonymous.\r\n\r\n\u201cWho obtains citizenship: a file or a person? It\u2019s strange that it is a matter of classifying those who will gain citizenship by investing. These investments could come from fraud, which would create the premises for legalising illegal assets,\u201d Mr Botan added.\r\n\r\nMoldova launched its current\u00a0citizenship-through-investment\u00a0programme in September 2017. The scheme makes people who invest at least 250,000 euros in real estate, government bonds or the country\u2019s public investment fund eligible for citizenship.","post_title":"Moldovan Cash for Passports Programme Draws Criticism","post_excerpt":"The country\u2019s parliament however is divided on the issue, as some MPs feel that it will only worsen Moldova\u2019s reputation for corruption. In the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Moldova ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"moldovan-cash-for-passports-programme-draws-criticism","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:39:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=2429","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"202","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2423,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_date_gmt":"2018-07-21 09:18:38","post_content":"FARNBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin\u2019s (LMT.N<\/a><\/span>) F-35 fighter jet is arriving in growing numbers in Europe, and is poised to play a much broader role in missile defense and other warfare plans than conventional fighters, according to U.S. and European officials.\r\n\r\nAfter years of technical challenges and program delays, the F-35, the world\u2019s most expensive arms program, is rapidly gaining a foothold in the United States and Europe.\r\n\r\nThe new warplane\u2019s high-end sensors will give it a bigger role across all domains of war than previous fighter planes, including in missile defense, said General Tod Wolters, the top commander of U.S. and NATO air forces in Europe.\r\n\r\nNorway, Britain and Italy will have received 40 F-35s in Europe by the end of the year, with the first Dutch jets to arrive next year, and the first U.S. jets in fiscal year 2021.\r\n Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Adrian Croft<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIsrael in May became the first country to use the stealth fighter in combat.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s a game-changing system,\u201d Wolters told Reuters in an interview before the Farnborough Airshow. \u201cWe\u2019re in the process of integrating the F-35 into the complete environment, not just the airspace.\u201d\r\n\r\nHe said buyer countries were working \u201cfeverishly\u201d to ensure the jets could communicate with other aircraft and the military commands in charge of operations on land, at sea and in space, to take full advantage of its capabilities.\r\n\r\nTo aid that process, the U.S. Air Force has set up a new division at its European headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, and senior officials from European user nations will also hold their annual meeting early September, U.S. Air Force officials said.\r\n\r\nPresident Donald Trump and other U.S. officials have criticized the F-35 program for delays and cost overruns, but the price per jet has steadily declined as production increased.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA preliminary new U.S. deal to buy 141 planes lowers the price of the F-35A, the most common version of the jet, to about $89 million, down around 6 percent from the last deal struck in February 2017, sources familiar with the talks said.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nLast December, the British parliament\u2019s Defence Committee raised questions about the procurement of the F-35 fighter jets that will eventually operate from two new aircraft carriers, criticizing the Ministry of Defence for an \u201cunacceptable lack of transparency\u201d about the program.\r\nMORE THAN A FIGHTER<\/h3>\r\nWolters told an air power conference in London last week that one of the \u201cbigger mistakes\u201d had been to label the jet with an \u201cF\u201d for fighter since it offered far broader capabilities.\r\n\r\nThe jet, whose development was funded in part by Britain, will improve warnings of enemy actions and command and control functions, while beefing up air and missile defenses, UK officials said at a high-level conference in London last week.\r\n\r\nLand-based tests in 2016 showed the Aegis Combat System could kill a target using a Standard-Missile 6 with data provided solely by an F-35, with at-sea tests to follow.\r\n\r\nMajor General Tonje Skinnarland, chief of staff of the Norwegian Air Force, said she was pleased with the performance of the six F-35s received in Europe thus far, and the seven jets Norway operates for training in the United States.\r\n\r\nShe said the jets\u2019 combination of stealth, sensors and weapons would give Norway the ability to strike from a distance, if needed, existing Russian air defense capabilities that could limit Norway\u2019s ability to maneuver in its own airspace.\r\n\r\n\u201cOur potential adversaries have the potential to deny our operations, but the F-35 changes the game because it is able to operate in a contested environment,\u201d she said. \u201cIt can find out what\u2019s happening and do something about it, if necessary.\u201d\r\n\r\nNorway is on track to declare an initial squadron of 15 F-35s operational by October 2019, Skinnarland said, adding that integration training with the other services was well underway.\r\n
<\/div>\r\n\u201cAll the European operators of the F-35 are committed to learn from each other and to move as fast as we can,\u201d she said.\r\n\r\n\r\n
\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\nIsrael in May became the first country to use the stealth fighter in combat.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s a game-changing system,\u201d Wolters told Reuters in an interview before the Farnborough Airshow. \u201cWe\u2019re in the process of integrating the F-35 into the complete environment, not just the airspace.\u201d\r\n\r\nHe said buyer countries were working \u201cfeverishly\u201d to ensure the jets could communicate with other aircraft and the military commands in charge of operations on land, at sea and in space, to take full advantage of its capabilities.\r\n\r\nTo aid that process, the U.S. Air Force has set up a new division at its European headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, and senior officials from European user nations will also hold their annual meeting early September, U.S. Air Force officials said.\r\n\r\nPresident Donald Trump and other U.S. officials have criticized the F-35 program for delays and cost overruns, but the price per jet has steadily declined as production increased.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA preliminary new U.S. deal to buy 141 planes lowers the price of the F-35A, the most common version of the jet, to about $89 million, down around 6 percent from the last deal struck in February 2017, sources familiar with the talks said.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nLast December, the British parliament\u2019s Defence Committee raised questions about the procurement of the F-35 fighter jets that will eventually operate from two new aircraft carriers, criticizing the Ministry of Defence for an \u201cunacceptable lack of transparency\u201d about the program.\r\nMORE THAN A FIGHTER<\/h3>\r\nWolters told an air power conference in London last week that one of the \u201cbigger mistakes\u201d had been to label the jet with an \u201cF\u201d for fighter since it offered far broader capabilities.\r\n\r\nThe jet, whose development was funded in part by Britain, will improve warnings of enemy actions and command and control functions, while beefing up air and missile defenses, UK officials said at a high-level conference in London last week.\r\n\r\nLand-based tests in 2016 showed the Aegis Combat System could kill a target using a Standard-Missile 6 with data provided solely by an F-35, with at-sea tests to follow.\r\n\r\nMajor General Tonje Skinnarland, chief of staff of the Norwegian Air Force, said she was pleased with the performance of the six F-35s received in Europe thus far, and the seven jets Norway operates for training in the United States.\r\n\r\nShe said the jets\u2019 combination of stealth, sensors and weapons would give Norway the ability to strike from a distance, if needed, existing Russian air defense capabilities that could limit Norway\u2019s ability to maneuver in its own airspace.\r\n\r\n\u201cOur potential adversaries have the potential to deny our operations, but the F-35 changes the game because it is able to operate in a contested environment,\u201d she said. \u201cIt can find out what\u2019s happening and do something about it, if necessary.\u201d\r\n\r\nNorway is on track to declare an initial squadron of 15 F-35s operational by October 2019, Skinnarland said, adding that integration training with the other services was well underway.\r\n
<\/div>\r\n\u201cAll the European operators of the F-35 are committed to learn from each other and to move as fast as we can,\u201d she said.\r\n\r\n\r\n
\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\nIsrael in May became the first country to use the stealth fighter in combat.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s a game-changing system,\u201d Wolters told Reuters in an interview before the Farnborough Airshow. \u201cWe\u2019re in the process of integrating the F-35 into the complete environment, not just the airspace.\u201d\r\n\r\nHe said buyer countries were working \u201cfeverishly\u201d to ensure the jets could communicate with other aircraft and the military commands in charge of operations on land, at sea and in space, to take full advantage of its capabilities.\r\n\r\nTo aid that process, the U.S. Air Force has set up a new division at its European headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, and senior officials from European user nations will also hold their annual meeting early September, U.S. Air Force officials said.\r\n\r\nPresident Donald Trump and other U.S. officials have criticized the F-35 program for delays and cost overruns, but the price per jet has steadily declined as production increased.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA preliminary new U.S. deal to buy 141 planes lowers the price of the F-35A, the most common version of the jet, to about $89 million, down around 6 percent from the last deal struck in February 2017, sources familiar with the talks said.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nLast December, the British parliament\u2019s Defence Committee raised questions about the procurement of the F-35 fighter jets that will eventually operate from two new aircraft carriers, criticizing the Ministry of Defence for an \u201cunacceptable lack of transparency\u201d about the program.\r\nMORE THAN A FIGHTER<\/h3>\r\nWolters told an air power conference in London last week that one of the \u201cbigger mistakes\u201d had been to label the jet with an \u201cF\u201d for fighter since it offered far broader capabilities.\r\n\r\nThe jet, whose development was funded in part by Britain, will improve warnings of enemy actions and command and control functions, while beefing up air and missile defenses, UK officials said at a high-level conference in London last week.\r\n\r\nLand-based tests in 2016 showed the Aegis Combat System could kill a target using a Standard-Missile 6 with data provided solely by an F-35, with at-sea tests to follow.\r\n\r\nMajor General Tonje Skinnarland, chief of staff of the Norwegian Air Force, said she was pleased with the performance of the six F-35s received in Europe thus far, and the seven jets Norway operates for training in the United States.\r\n\r\nShe said the jets\u2019 combination of stealth, sensors and weapons would give Norway the ability to strike from a distance, if needed, existing Russian air defense capabilities that could limit Norway\u2019s ability to maneuver in its own airspace.\r\n\r\n\u201cOur potential adversaries have the potential to deny our operations, but the F-35 changes the game because it is able to operate in a contested environment,\u201d she said. \u201cIt can find out what\u2019s happening and do something about it, if necessary.\u201d\r\n\r\nNorway is on track to declare an initial squadron of 15 F-35s operational by October 2019, Skinnarland said, adding that integration training with the other services was well underway.\r\n
<\/div>\r\n\u201cAll the European operators of the F-35 are committed to learn from each other and to move as fast as we can,\u201d she said.\r\n\r\n\r\n
\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\nIsrael in May became the first country to use the stealth fighter in combat.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s a game-changing system,\u201d Wolters told Reuters in an interview before the Farnborough Airshow. \u201cWe\u2019re in the process of integrating the F-35 into the complete environment, not just the airspace.\u201d\r\n\r\nHe said buyer countries were working \u201cfeverishly\u201d to ensure the jets could communicate with other aircraft and the military commands in charge of operations on land, at sea and in space, to take full advantage of its capabilities.\r\n\r\nTo aid that process, the U.S. Air Force has set up a new division at its European headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, and senior officials from European user nations will also hold their annual meeting early September, U.S. Air Force officials said.\r\n\r\nPresident Donald Trump and other U.S. officials have criticized the F-35 program for delays and cost overruns, but the price per jet has steadily declined as production increased.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA preliminary new U.S. deal to buy 141 planes lowers the price of the F-35A, the most common version of the jet, to about $89 million, down around 6 percent from the last deal struck in February 2017, sources familiar with the talks said.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nLast December, the British parliament\u2019s Defence Committee raised questions about the procurement of the F-35 fighter jets that will eventually operate from two new aircraft carriers, criticizing the Ministry of Defence for an \u201cunacceptable lack of transparency\u201d about the program.\r\nMORE THAN A FIGHTER<\/h3>\r\nWolters told an air power conference in London last week that one of the \u201cbigger mistakes\u201d had been to label the jet with an \u201cF\u201d for fighter since it offered far broader capabilities.\r\n\r\nThe jet, whose development was funded in part by Britain, will improve warnings of enemy actions and command and control functions, while beefing up air and missile defenses, UK officials said at a high-level conference in London last week.\r\n\r\nLand-based tests in 2016 showed the Aegis Combat System could kill a target using a Standard-Missile 6 with data provided solely by an F-35, with at-sea tests to follow.\r\n\r\nMajor General Tonje Skinnarland, chief of staff of the Norwegian Air Force, said she was pleased with the performance of the six F-35s received in Europe thus far, and the seven jets Norway operates for training in the United States.\r\n\r\nShe said the jets\u2019 combination of stealth, sensors and weapons would give Norway the ability to strike from a distance, if needed, existing Russian air defense capabilities that could limit Norway\u2019s ability to maneuver in its own airspace.\r\n\r\n\u201cOur potential adversaries have the potential to deny our operations, but the F-35 changes the game because it is able to operate in a contested environment,\u201d she said. \u201cIt can find out what\u2019s happening and do something about it, if necessary.\u201d\r\n\r\nNorway is on track to declare an initial squadron of 15 F-35s operational by October 2019, Skinnarland said, adding that integration training with the other services was well underway.\r\n
<\/div>\r\n\u201cAll the European operators of the F-35 are committed to learn from each other and to move as fast as we can,\u201d she said.\r\n\r\n\r\n
\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\nIsrael in May became the first country to use the stealth fighter in combat.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s a game-changing system,\u201d Wolters told Reuters in an interview before the Farnborough Airshow. \u201cWe\u2019re in the process of integrating the F-35 into the complete environment, not just the airspace.\u201d\r\n\r\nHe said buyer countries were working \u201cfeverishly\u201d to ensure the jets could communicate with other aircraft and the military commands in charge of operations on land, at sea and in space, to take full advantage of its capabilities.\r\n\r\nTo aid that process, the U.S. Air Force has set up a new division at its European headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, and senior officials from European user nations will also hold their annual meeting early September, U.S. Air Force officials said.\r\n\r\nPresident Donald Trump and other U.S. officials have criticized the F-35 program for delays and cost overruns, but the price per jet has steadily declined as production increased.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA preliminary new U.S. deal to buy 141 planes lowers the price of the F-35A, the most common version of the jet, to about $89 million, down around 6 percent from the last deal struck in February 2017, sources familiar with the talks said.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nLast December, the British parliament\u2019s Defence Committee raised questions about the procurement of the F-35 fighter jets that will eventually operate from two new aircraft carriers, criticizing the Ministry of Defence for an \u201cunacceptable lack of transparency\u201d about the program.\r\nMORE THAN A FIGHTER<\/h3>\r\nWolters told an air power conference in London last week that one of the \u201cbigger mistakes\u201d had been to label the jet with an \u201cF\u201d for fighter since it offered far broader capabilities.\r\n\r\nThe jet, whose development was funded in part by Britain, will improve warnings of enemy actions and command and control functions, while beefing up air and missile defenses, UK officials said at a high-level conference in London last week.\r\n\r\nLand-based tests in 2016 showed the Aegis Combat System could kill a target using a Standard-Missile 6 with data provided solely by an F-35, with at-sea tests to follow.\r\n\r\nMajor General Tonje Skinnarland, chief of staff of the Norwegian Air Force, said she was pleased with the performance of the six F-35s received in Europe thus far, and the seven jets Norway operates for training in the United States.\r\n\r\nShe said the jets\u2019 combination of stealth, sensors and weapons would give Norway the ability to strike from a distance, if needed, existing Russian air defense capabilities that could limit Norway\u2019s ability to maneuver in its own airspace.\r\n\r\n\u201cOur potential adversaries have the potential to deny our operations, but the F-35 changes the game because it is able to operate in a contested environment,\u201d she said. \u201cIt can find out what\u2019s happening and do something about it, if necessary.\u201d\r\n\r\nNorway is on track to declare an initial squadron of 15 F-35s operational by October 2019, Skinnarland said, adding that integration training with the other services was well underway.\r\n
<\/div>\r\n\u201cAll the European operators of the F-35 are committed to learn from each other and to move as fast as we can,\u201d she said.\r\n\r\n\r\n
\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\nIsrael in May became the first country to use the stealth fighter in combat.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s a game-changing system,\u201d Wolters told Reuters in an interview before the Farnborough Airshow. \u201cWe\u2019re in the process of integrating the F-35 into the complete environment, not just the airspace.\u201d\r\n\r\nHe said buyer countries were working \u201cfeverishly\u201d to ensure the jets could communicate with other aircraft and the military commands in charge of operations on land, at sea and in space, to take full advantage of its capabilities.\r\n\r\nTo aid that process, the U.S. Air Force has set up a new division at its European headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, and senior officials from European user nations will also hold their annual meeting early September, U.S. Air Force officials said.\r\n\r\nPresident Donald Trump and other U.S. officials have criticized the F-35 program for delays and cost overruns, but the price per jet has steadily declined as production increased.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA preliminary new U.S. deal to buy 141 planes lowers the price of the F-35A, the most common version of the jet, to about $89 million, down around 6 percent from the last deal struck in February 2017, sources familiar with the talks said.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nLast December, the British parliament\u2019s Defence Committee raised questions about the procurement of the F-35 fighter jets that will eventually operate from two new aircraft carriers, criticizing the Ministry of Defence for an \u201cunacceptable lack of transparency\u201d about the program.\r\nMORE THAN A FIGHTER<\/h3>\r\nWolters told an air power conference in London last week that one of the \u201cbigger mistakes\u201d had been to label the jet with an \u201cF\u201d for fighter since it offered far broader capabilities.\r\n\r\nThe jet, whose development was funded in part by Britain, will improve warnings of enemy actions and command and control functions, while beefing up air and missile defenses, UK officials said at a high-level conference in London last week.\r\n\r\nLand-based tests in 2016 showed the Aegis Combat System could kill a target using a Standard-Missile 6 with data provided solely by an F-35, with at-sea tests to follow.\r\n\r\nMajor General Tonje Skinnarland, chief of staff of the Norwegian Air Force, said she was pleased with the performance of the six F-35s received in Europe thus far, and the seven jets Norway operates for training in the United States.\r\n\r\nShe said the jets\u2019 combination of stealth, sensors and weapons would give Norway the ability to strike from a distance, if needed, existing Russian air defense capabilities that could limit Norway\u2019s ability to maneuver in its own airspace.\r\n\r\n\u201cOur potential adversaries have the potential to deny our operations, but the F-35 changes the game because it is able to operate in a contested environment,\u201d she said. \u201cIt can find out what\u2019s happening and do something about it, if necessary.\u201d\r\n\r\nNorway is on track to declare an initial squadron of 15 F-35s operational by October 2019, Skinnarland said, adding that integration training with the other services was well underway.\r\n
<\/div>\r\n\u201cAll the European operators of the F-35 are committed to learn from each other and to move as fast as we can,\u201d she said.\r\n\r\n\r\n
\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\nIsrael in May became the first country to use the stealth fighter in combat.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s a game-changing system,\u201d Wolters told Reuters in an interview before the Farnborough Airshow. \u201cWe\u2019re in the process of integrating the F-35 into the complete environment, not just the airspace.\u201d\r\n\r\nHe said buyer countries were working \u201cfeverishly\u201d to ensure the jets could communicate with other aircraft and the military commands in charge of operations on land, at sea and in space, to take full advantage of its capabilities.\r\n\r\nTo aid that process, the U.S. Air Force has set up a new division at its European headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, and senior officials from European user nations will also hold their annual meeting early September, U.S. Air Force officials said.\r\n\r\nPresident Donald Trump and other U.S. officials have criticized the F-35 program for delays and cost overruns, but the price per jet has steadily declined as production increased.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA preliminary new U.S. deal to buy 141 planes lowers the price of the F-35A, the most common version of the jet, to about $89 million, down around 6 percent from the last deal struck in February 2017, sources familiar with the talks said.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nLast December, the British parliament\u2019s Defence Committee raised questions about the procurement of the F-35 fighter jets that will eventually operate from two new aircraft carriers, criticizing the Ministry of Defence for an \u201cunacceptable lack of transparency\u201d about the program.\r\nMORE THAN A FIGHTER<\/h3>\r\nWolters told an air power conference in London last week that one of the \u201cbigger mistakes\u201d had been to label the jet with an \u201cF\u201d for fighter since it offered far broader capabilities.\r\n\r\nThe jet, whose development was funded in part by Britain, will improve warnings of enemy actions and command and control functions, while beefing up air and missile defenses, UK officials said at a high-level conference in London last week.\r\n\r\nLand-based tests in 2016 showed the Aegis Combat System could kill a target using a Standard-Missile 6 with data provided solely by an F-35, with at-sea tests to follow.\r\n\r\nMajor General Tonje Skinnarland, chief of staff of the Norwegian Air Force, said she was pleased with the performance of the six F-35s received in Europe thus far, and the seven jets Norway operates for training in the United States.\r\n\r\nShe said the jets\u2019 combination of stealth, sensors and weapons would give Norway the ability to strike from a distance, if needed, existing Russian air defense capabilities that could limit Norway\u2019s ability to maneuver in its own airspace.\r\n\r\n\u201cOur potential adversaries have the potential to deny our operations, but the F-35 changes the game because it is able to operate in a contested environment,\u201d she said. \u201cIt can find out what\u2019s happening and do something about it, if necessary.\u201d\r\n\r\nNorway is on track to declare an initial squadron of 15 F-35s operational by October 2019, Skinnarland said, adding that integration training with the other services was well underway.\r\n
<\/div>\r\n\u201cAll the European operators of the F-35 are committed to learn from each other and to move as fast as we can,\u201d she said.\r\n\r\n\r\n
\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\nIsrael in May became the first country to use the stealth fighter in combat.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s a game-changing system,\u201d Wolters told Reuters in an interview before the Farnborough Airshow. \u201cWe\u2019re in the process of integrating the F-35 into the complete environment, not just the airspace.\u201d\r\n\r\nHe said buyer countries were working \u201cfeverishly\u201d to ensure the jets could communicate with other aircraft and the military commands in charge of operations on land, at sea and in space, to take full advantage of its capabilities.\r\n\r\nTo aid that process, the U.S. Air Force has set up a new division at its European headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, and senior officials from European user nations will also hold their annual meeting early September, U.S. Air Force officials said.\r\n\r\nPresident Donald Trump and other U.S. officials have criticized the F-35 program for delays and cost overruns, but the price per jet has steadily declined as production increased.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA preliminary new U.S. deal to buy 141 planes lowers the price of the F-35A, the most common version of the jet, to about $89 million, down around 6 percent from the last deal struck in February 2017, sources familiar with the talks said.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nLast December, the British parliament\u2019s Defence Committee raised questions about the procurement of the F-35 fighter jets that will eventually operate from two new aircraft carriers, criticizing the Ministry of Defence for an \u201cunacceptable lack of transparency\u201d about the program.\r\nMORE THAN A FIGHTER<\/h3>\r\nWolters told an air power conference in London last week that one of the \u201cbigger mistakes\u201d had been to label the jet with an \u201cF\u201d for fighter since it offered far broader capabilities.\r\n\r\nThe jet, whose development was funded in part by Britain, will improve warnings of enemy actions and command and control functions, while beefing up air and missile defenses, UK officials said at a high-level conference in London last week.\r\n\r\nLand-based tests in 2016 showed the Aegis Combat System could kill a target using a Standard-Missile 6 with data provided solely by an F-35, with at-sea tests to follow.\r\n\r\nMajor General Tonje Skinnarland, chief of staff of the Norwegian Air Force, said she was pleased with the performance of the six F-35s received in Europe thus far, and the seven jets Norway operates for training in the United States.\r\n\r\nShe said the jets\u2019 combination of stealth, sensors and weapons would give Norway the ability to strike from a distance, if needed, existing Russian air defense capabilities that could limit Norway\u2019s ability to maneuver in its own airspace.\r\n\r\n\u201cOur potential adversaries have the potential to deny our operations, but the F-35 changes the game because it is able to operate in a contested environment,\u201d she said. \u201cIt can find out what\u2019s happening and do something about it, if necessary.\u201d\r\n\r\nNorway is on track to declare an initial squadron of 15 F-35s operational by October 2019, Skinnarland said, adding that integration training with the other services was well underway.\r\n
<\/div>\r\n\u201cAll the European operators of the F-35 are committed to learn from each other and to move as fast as we can,\u201d she said.\r\n\r\n\r\n
\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\nIsrael in May became the first country to use the stealth fighter in combat.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s a game-changing system,\u201d Wolters told Reuters in an interview before the Farnborough Airshow. \u201cWe\u2019re in the process of integrating the F-35 into the complete environment, not just the airspace.\u201d\r\n\r\nHe said buyer countries were working \u201cfeverishly\u201d to ensure the jets could communicate with other aircraft and the military commands in charge of operations on land, at sea and in space, to take full advantage of its capabilities.\r\n\r\nTo aid that process, the U.S. Air Force has set up a new division at its European headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, and senior officials from European user nations will also hold their annual meeting early September, U.S. Air Force officials said.\r\n\r\nPresident Donald Trump and other U.S. officials have criticized the F-35 program for delays and cost overruns, but the price per jet has steadily declined as production increased.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA preliminary new U.S. deal to buy 141 planes lowers the price of the F-35A, the most common version of the jet, to about $89 million, down around 6 percent from the last deal struck in February 2017, sources familiar with the talks said.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nLast December, the British parliament\u2019s Defence Committee raised questions about the procurement of the F-35 fighter jets that will eventually operate from two new aircraft carriers, criticizing the Ministry of Defence for an \u201cunacceptable lack of transparency\u201d about the program.\r\nMORE THAN A FIGHTER<\/h3>\r\nWolters told an air power conference in London last week that one of the \u201cbigger mistakes\u201d had been to label the jet with an \u201cF\u201d for fighter since it offered far broader capabilities.\r\n\r\nThe jet, whose development was funded in part by Britain, will improve warnings of enemy actions and command and control functions, while beefing up air and missile defenses, UK officials said at a high-level conference in London last week.\r\n\r\nLand-based tests in 2016 showed the Aegis Combat System could kill a target using a Standard-Missile 6 with data provided solely by an F-35, with at-sea tests to follow.\r\n\r\nMajor General Tonje Skinnarland, chief of staff of the Norwegian Air Force, said she was pleased with the performance of the six F-35s received in Europe thus far, and the seven jets Norway operates for training in the United States.\r\n\r\nShe said the jets\u2019 combination of stealth, sensors and weapons would give Norway the ability to strike from a distance, if needed, existing Russian air defense capabilities that could limit Norway\u2019s ability to maneuver in its own airspace.\r\n\r\n\u201cOur potential adversaries have the potential to deny our operations, but the F-35 changes the game because it is able to operate in a contested environment,\u201d she said. \u201cIt can find out what\u2019s happening and do something about it, if necessary.\u201d\r\n\r\nNorway is on track to declare an initial squadron of 15 F-35s operational by October 2019, Skinnarland said, adding that integration training with the other services was well underway.\r\n
<\/div>\r\n\u201cAll the European operators of the F-35 are committed to learn from each other and to move as fast as we can,\u201d she said.\r\n\r\n\r\n
\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\nIsrael in May became the first country to use the stealth fighter in combat.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s a game-changing system,\u201d Wolters told Reuters in an interview before the Farnborough Airshow. \u201cWe\u2019re in the process of integrating the F-35 into the complete environment, not just the airspace.\u201d\r\n\r\nHe said buyer countries were working \u201cfeverishly\u201d to ensure the jets could communicate with other aircraft and the military commands in charge of operations on land, at sea and in space, to take full advantage of its capabilities.\r\n\r\nTo aid that process, the U.S. Air Force has set up a new division at its European headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, and senior officials from European user nations will also hold their annual meeting early September, U.S. Air Force officials said.\r\n\r\nPresident Donald Trump and other U.S. officials have criticized the F-35 program for delays and cost overruns, but the price per jet has steadily declined as production increased.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA preliminary new U.S. deal to buy 141 planes lowers the price of the F-35A, the most common version of the jet, to about $89 million, down around 6 percent from the last deal struck in February 2017, sources familiar with the talks said.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nLast December, the British parliament\u2019s Defence Committee raised questions about the procurement of the F-35 fighter jets that will eventually operate from two new aircraft carriers, criticizing the Ministry of Defence for an \u201cunacceptable lack of transparency\u201d about the program.\r\nMORE THAN A FIGHTER<\/h3>\r\nWolters told an air power conference in London last week that one of the \u201cbigger mistakes\u201d had been to label the jet with an \u201cF\u201d for fighter since it offered far broader capabilities.\r\n\r\nThe jet, whose development was funded in part by Britain, will improve warnings of enemy actions and command and control functions, while beefing up air and missile defenses, UK officials said at a high-level conference in London last week.\r\n\r\nLand-based tests in 2016 showed the Aegis Combat System could kill a target using a Standard-Missile 6 with data provided solely by an F-35, with at-sea tests to follow.\r\n\r\nMajor General Tonje Skinnarland, chief of staff of the Norwegian Air Force, said she was pleased with the performance of the six F-35s received in Europe thus far, and the seven jets Norway operates for training in the United States.\r\n\r\nShe said the jets\u2019 combination of stealth, sensors and weapons would give Norway the ability to strike from a distance, if needed, existing Russian air defense capabilities that could limit Norway\u2019s ability to maneuver in its own airspace.\r\n\r\n\u201cOur potential adversaries have the potential to deny our operations, but the F-35 changes the game because it is able to operate in a contested environment,\u201d she said. \u201cIt can find out what\u2019s happening and do something about it, if necessary.\u201d\r\n\r\nNorway is on track to declare an initial squadron of 15 F-35s operational by October 2019, Skinnarland said, adding that integration training with the other services was well underway.\r\n
<\/div>\r\n\u201cAll the European operators of the F-35 are committed to learn from each other and to move as fast as we can,\u201d she said.\r\n\r\n\r\n
\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\nIsrael in May became the first country to use the stealth fighter in combat.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s a game-changing system,\u201d Wolters told Reuters in an interview before the Farnborough Airshow. \u201cWe\u2019re in the process of integrating the F-35 into the complete environment, not just the airspace.\u201d\r\n\r\nHe said buyer countries were working \u201cfeverishly\u201d to ensure the jets could communicate with other aircraft and the military commands in charge of operations on land, at sea and in space, to take full advantage of its capabilities.\r\n\r\nTo aid that process, the U.S. Air Force has set up a new division at its European headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, and senior officials from European user nations will also hold their annual meeting early September, U.S. Air Force officials said.\r\n\r\nPresident Donald Trump and other U.S. officials have criticized the F-35 program for delays and cost overruns, but the price per jet has steadily declined as production increased.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA preliminary new U.S. deal to buy 141 planes lowers the price of the F-35A, the most common version of the jet, to about $89 million, down around 6 percent from the last deal struck in February 2017, sources familiar with the talks said.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nLast December, the British parliament\u2019s Defence Committee raised questions about the procurement of the F-35 fighter jets that will eventually operate from two new aircraft carriers, criticizing the Ministry of Defence for an \u201cunacceptable lack of transparency\u201d about the program.\r\nMORE THAN A FIGHTER<\/h3>\r\nWolters told an air power conference in London last week that one of the \u201cbigger mistakes\u201d had been to label the jet with an \u201cF\u201d for fighter since it offered far broader capabilities.\r\n\r\nThe jet, whose development was funded in part by Britain, will improve warnings of enemy actions and command and control functions, while beefing up air and missile defenses, UK officials said at a high-level conference in London last week.\r\n\r\nLand-based tests in 2016 showed the Aegis Combat System could kill a target using a Standard-Missile 6 with data provided solely by an F-35, with at-sea tests to follow.\r\n\r\nMajor General Tonje Skinnarland, chief of staff of the Norwegian Air Force, said she was pleased with the performance of the six F-35s received in Europe thus far, and the seven jets Norway operates for training in the United States.\r\n\r\nShe said the jets\u2019 combination of stealth, sensors and weapons would give Norway the ability to strike from a distance, if needed, existing Russian air defense capabilities that could limit Norway\u2019s ability to maneuver in its own airspace.\r\n\r\n\u201cOur potential adversaries have the potential to deny our operations, but the F-35 changes the game because it is able to operate in a contested environment,\u201d she said. \u201cIt can find out what\u2019s happening and do something about it, if necessary.\u201d\r\n\r\nNorway is on track to declare an initial squadron of 15 F-35s operational by October 2019, Skinnarland said, adding that integration training with the other services was well underway.\r\n
<\/div>\r\n\u201cAll the European operators of the F-35 are committed to learn from each other and to move as fast as we can,\u201d she said.\r\n\r\n\r\n
\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\nIsrael in May became the first country to use the stealth fighter in combat.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s a game-changing system,\u201d Wolters told Reuters in an interview before the Farnborough Airshow. \u201cWe\u2019re in the process of integrating the F-35 into the complete environment, not just the airspace.\u201d\r\n\r\nHe said buyer countries were working \u201cfeverishly\u201d to ensure the jets could communicate with other aircraft and the military commands in charge of operations on land, at sea and in space, to take full advantage of its capabilities.\r\n\r\nTo aid that process, the U.S. Air Force has set up a new division at its European headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, and senior officials from European user nations will also hold their annual meeting early September, U.S. Air Force officials said.\r\n\r\nPresident Donald Trump and other U.S. officials have criticized the F-35 program for delays and cost overruns, but the price per jet has steadily declined as production increased.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA preliminary new U.S. deal to buy 141 planes lowers the price of the F-35A, the most common version of the jet, to about $89 million, down around 6 percent from the last deal struck in February 2017, sources familiar with the talks said.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nLast December, the British parliament\u2019s Defence Committee raised questions about the procurement of the F-35 fighter jets that will eventually operate from two new aircraft carriers, criticizing the Ministry of Defence for an \u201cunacceptable lack of transparency\u201d about the program.\r\nMORE THAN A FIGHTER<\/h3>\r\nWolters told an air power conference in London last week that one of the \u201cbigger mistakes\u201d had been to label the jet with an \u201cF\u201d for fighter since it offered far broader capabilities.\r\n\r\nThe jet, whose development was funded in part by Britain, will improve warnings of enemy actions and command and control functions, while beefing up air and missile defenses, UK officials said at a high-level conference in London last week.\r\n\r\nLand-based tests in 2016 showed the Aegis Combat System could kill a target using a Standard-Missile 6 with data provided solely by an F-35, with at-sea tests to follow.\r\n\r\nMajor General Tonje Skinnarland, chief of staff of the Norwegian Air Force, said she was pleased with the performance of the six F-35s received in Europe thus far, and the seven jets Norway operates for training in the United States.\r\n\r\nShe said the jets\u2019 combination of stealth, sensors and weapons would give Norway the ability to strike from a distance, if needed, existing Russian air defense capabilities that could limit Norway\u2019s ability to maneuver in its own airspace.\r\n\r\n\u201cOur potential adversaries have the potential to deny our operations, but the F-35 changes the game because it is able to operate in a contested environment,\u201d she said. \u201cIt can find out what\u2019s happening and do something about it, if necessary.\u201d\r\n\r\nNorway is on track to declare an initial squadron of 15 F-35s operational by October 2019, Skinnarland said, adding that integration training with the other services was well underway.\r\n
<\/div>\r\n\u201cAll the European operators of the F-35 are committed to learn from each other and to move as fast as we can,\u201d she said.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n