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Eichhorst's remarks at FHHRL Annual Human Rights Reception

NNA -The Foundation for Human and Humanitarian Rights - Lebanon held a reception on Tuesday evening on the sixty-fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the annual Human Rights Award to two women, Judges Rita Karam and Nazek al-Khatib, on the stage of Sagesse - Ashrafieh, in the presence of the former minister Ibrahim Najjar, head of the State Council judge Shukri Sader, Ambassador of the European Union, Angelina Eichhorst, Ambassador of Malaysia Illango Karuppanan, Charge d'Affaires of the US Embassy Richard Mills, Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of Switzerland Boris Richard, president of the Human rights Foundation in Lebanon, Wael Kheir , Dr. Habib Charles Malik, judge Ziad Shabib and a crowd of judicial, legal, academic and media dignitaries.



The Head of the EU delegation to Lebanon Angelina Eichhorst delivered the following statement:



"Mr. Wael Kheir, Managing Director, Foundation for Human & Humanitarian Rights,
Ladies and Gentlemen,



It is a great pleasure to beamongstall of you, members and friends of the Foundation for Humanitarian Rights, on this Human Rights Day.


Indeed, today is a day to celebrate. Today we celebrate the anniversary of a document that after 65 turbulent yearsremains a milestone in human history: It was the first international agreement that set out freedoms, rights and entitlements for all humans to claim and the first key document tooblige states to protect individual rights.



The Universal Declaration on Human Rights continues to be a source of inspiration for the EU. We do not only value human rights among ourfounding principles. Human rights are also a fundamental pillar of our relations with our partners,including Lebanon.


Today is also a day to pay tribute to those who draftedthe Declaration, including Charles Malek and to recognise their idealism, sense of hope and their vision.Today is aday to salute, praise and remember themfor making historyinhuman rights law.


Today also marks the memorial of Nelson Mandela who received the Nobel Peace Prize 20 years ago.
In his last address to the UN General Assembly in September 1998, Mandela explained how he drew strength from the Declaration during his incarceration on Robben Island.
He reminded us thatthat indifference, cynicism or selfishness make us fail to live up to the ideals of humanism which the Nobel Peace Prize encapsulates.



Ladies and Gentlemen,


How can we best pay tribute to the authorsof theDeclaration? Howcan we work togetherto turn this dream into reality? We must continue doing as much as we can to narrow the gap between rhetoric and reality.
We needto acknowledge that strong efforts are still necessary to promote and protect human rights in the European Union, in Lebanon, in the region and in this world.


Challenges regarding the protection and promotion of human rights in Lebanon include the abolition of the death penalty, the prevention of torture,the fight against impunity, the alignmentof prison and detention conditions with international standards, the protectionof refugee rights, the combat against all kinds of discriminations, among others.



Any stateaspiring to democracy and human rights, any country that aspires to address challenges like the ones mentioned, any society that intends to safeguard human rights and implement the principles of the Declaration, needs to focus on the prevailing role of the judiciary: A judiciary that protects the human rights of both individuals and groupsagainst arbitrary legislative power and guarantees effective remedies and fair trial. A judiciary that is efficient, independent and accessible to all.



In this framework, allow me to stress the importance of independence. An independent judiciary is essential for the protection of human rights. Courts ought to play a major role in ensuring that victims of human rights abuses obtain effective remedies, that perpetrators of human rights abuses are brought to justice and that persons suspected of criminal offences receive a fair trial according to international standards
The European Union has and will support justice and the rule of law throughour political dialogue and in our cooperation activities. We strengthenjudicial institutions and the functioning of the judiciary throughactions for a more transparent, better trained and more independent judiciary in partnership with the best experts and expertise from EU Member States.



We also strongly encourage the efforts of civil society to become an effective "watchdog" of the efficiency and independence of the judiciary, to protect and promote the rights of the most vulnerable and to stand by human rights and human rights defenders.



Allow me to thank the Foundation for Human & Humanitarian Rights Lebanon for encouraging and recognising judges who apply human rights standards and provisions and therefore contribute to develop a much needed culture of human rightsin Lebanese courts.


Rest assured that the EU remains determined to promote the respect for and protection of all human rights of all persons around the world. The EU will continue to offer unwavering support for human rights and democracy, and those who defend them."



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تابعوا أخبار الوكالة الوطنية للاعلام عبر أثير إذاعة لبنان على الموجات 98.5 و98.1 و96.2 FM

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