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Concerns over 43 MPs detained around the world
The IPU, of which India is a leading member, said its committee on human rights of parliamentarians held a virtual sitting and focussed particularly on MPs detained in Venezuela, Côte d’Ivoire and Turkey.
The Geneva-based Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) on Friday expressed concern over the detention of 43 MPs in various countries in conditions of overcrowding and confined spaces during the coronavirus pandemic, calling for their release.
The IPU, of which India is a leading member, said its committee on human rights of parliamentarians held a virtual sitting and focussed particularly on MPs detained in Venezuela, Côte d’Ivoire and Turkey.
The committee examined the cases of 210 MPs out of its current caseload of 488 MPs from 40 countries who report human rights violations.
It said: “The IPU is increasingly concerned about parliamentarians in detention during the Covid-19 pandemic due to greater risks of infection in overcrowded and confined spaces…The committee calls for the release of the parliamentarians from those three countries in light of concerns about greater vulnerability to the coronavirus in prison and a lack of due process”.
In Venezuela, the IPU said it is monitoring the cases of 139 MPs from the coalition of Democratic Unity Roundtable who oppose the Nicolas Maduro Government.
In Turkey, the committee is examining alleged human rights violations against 57 current or former parliamentarians from the People’s Democratic Party, while in Côte d’Ivoire, it is examining the cases of 10 opposition MPs who allegedly suffered violations of their fundamental rights since 2018.
In other cases, the IPU said the committee is monitoring closely the situation of 13 Palestinian MPs currently held in Israeli prisons. It is also urging Libyan authorities to do more to uncover the reasons behind the disappearance of MP Seham Sergiwa, who was abducted in July 2019.
Among new cases, the IPU said the committee also considered the disappearance of former Egyptian MP Mostafa al-Nagar, as well as allegations of abduction and sexual violence suffered by Zimbabwean MP Joana Mamombe.
A global body of national parliaments, the IPU was founded 1889 as the first multilateral political organisation in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. Today, it comprises 179 national member parliaments and 13 regional parliamentary bodies.
