Tag Archives: human rights

Clare TD Michael McNamara has called on the European Parliament to increase its work to uphold human rights in Europe. Deputy McNamara, author of a report on “European institutions and human rights in Europe” for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, told the European Parliament’s LIBE Committee in Brussels this week, “Any EU initiative concerning the promotion and protection of human rights should take into account the Council’s role as a benchmark for human rights, the rule of law and democracy in Europe.” The two organisations shared the same core values, he pointed out. In particular, the EU should continue to scrutinise its draft legislation to ensure its compatibility with the Charter for Fundamental Rights. Referring to the recent negative opinion of the EU Court of Justice on EU accession to the European Convention on Human Rights, he called on EU decision-makers to “find a way out from this difficult situation”. Mr McNamara also reiterated PACE’s concern at …

By Owen Ryan CLARE TD Michael McNamara chaired a hearing of the Legal Affairs and Human Rights Assembly of the Council of Europe this week, which was addressed by US whistleblower Edward Snowden, who addressed the Strasbourg hearing by video link from Russia. The 30-year-old former US Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency contractor leaked thousands of documents revealing the extent of surveillance being carried out by US authorities. Now wanted in the US, he is in exile in Moscow. Mr McNamara said that what some of what Snowden told the hearing about spying on people involved in the protection of human rights. “He said the US Government had spied on human rights workers, had specifically targeted bodies like the International Human Rights Watch, the National Security Agency (NCA) had specifically targeted leaders and staff members in a number of NGOs, including some in the United States,” Mr McNamara explained. Mr Snowden addressed the hearing on the same day …