Press releases

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) expressed serious concerns about the scale and type of alleged human rights violations of parliamentarians in Cambodia, the Maldives, Turkey and Venezuela with the effect of jeopardizing parliamentary democracy in these countries.

Parliamentarians from over 137 countries will seek to identify and agree upon parliamentary inputs to the UN-led reforms on the rights and protection of migrants and refugees. Meeting at the 138th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Geneva (24-28 March), more than 740 MPs, including 65 Speakers of Parliament and 216 women parliamentarians, will ensure that the interests of the 6.5 billion people they represent are part of the global negotiations on the new migration regime. MPs will look in detail at their contribution to ensuring domestic enforcement of the two related Global Compacts expected to be adopted by the UN community later this year.

Statement by Senator Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

The year 2017 saw some positive developments in women’s participation in elections, according to the Women in Parliament in 2017: The year in review, released by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) ahead of International Women’s Day. However, in global terms, the number of women in national parliaments has only increased by 0.1 percentage point from 2016, from 23.3% to 23.4%.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is deeply concerned about the latest attempt to undermine Venezuela’s National Assembly and urges the Venezuelan authorities to fully respect the Assembly’s integrity. The IPU expresses grave concern about statements from high-ranking Venezuelan officials indicating that parliamentary elections might be organized on 22 April 2018, thereby effectively cutting short the term of the current National Assembly, which is due to expire in January 2021.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians condemns the exclusion and repression of opposition MPs in the lead-up to critical elections in Cambodia and Venezuela, and the pattern of intimidation against opposition parties worldwide. The IPU Committee, during a recent meeting, adopted decisions on 18 cases of violations against 252 MPs in 14 countries. A majority of these cases concerned opposition MPs.

An international gathering of MPs has called for renewed momentum to conclude international trade negotiations that foster sustainable development, known as the Doha Development Round. The parliamentarians urged all WTO Members to show flexibility and the willingness to compromise in order to conclude this trade round that has already lasted too long. Over 500 participants, including some 220 MPs from 56 countries, attended the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO from 9-10 December in Buenos Aires, which preceded the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference.

Human rights abuses against parliamentarians reached a new high in 2017, according to Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) statistics. Parliamentarians from Cambodia, Maldives, Turkey and Venezuela alone, where the political situation has been worsening in recent times, account for 35% of the cases. Cases of abuses against women MPs have also reached a record number this year, having tripled since 2014. El Salvador, Turkey and Venezuela account for this year’s huge increase.

The IPU notes with satisfaction the groundbreaking decision of the Mongolian government to make publicly available records related to the investigation into the 1998 assassination of Zorig Sanjasuuren, an MP and pro-democracy leader. The decision to declassify the majority of the judicial records and evidence was taken as a result of recent actions by the IPU’s Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, and a request from the newly appointed Minister of Justice, Mr. Ts Nyamdorj.

Young MPs from 51 countries have defined a youth-centred action plan that promotes inclusive democratic and socioeconomic policies for all. More than 120 young men and women MPs who attended the Inter-Parliamentary Union's (IPU) Fourth Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians in Ottawa, Canada, on 17-18 November, took a united approach to end exclusion and marginalization of young people.

Parliamentarians from 155 countries have committed to pursuing cultural pluralism and peace through interfaith and inter-ethnic dialogue. In a declaration issued at the close of the 137th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly (#IPU137) in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, IPU Member Parliaments have called for transparency, accountability and respect for human rights and the rule of law to serve as the basis for building sustainable and peaceful diversity.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has expressed deep concern about the increasing repression and escalation of human rights violations against opposition MPs in Cambodia, Venezuela, Turkey and the Maldives on the closing day of the 137th IPU Assembly in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation. The IPU has called for fact-finding missions by the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians to be sent to the four countries in the very near future.

The global parliamentary community has condemned today the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya minority in the Northern Rakhine state of Myanmar. MPs have called upon the Government of Myanmar to end immediately the violence and forced displacement of the Rohingya and the blatant violations of their human rights.

A new report (and Executive Summary) by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has found that parliaments are committed to overseeing their governments but in practice face significant challenges in doing so.

A delegation of the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians has expressed deep concern about the flawed justice, torture and intimidation in the investigation of the 1998 assassination of the parliamentarian and Minister of Infrastructure Zorig Sanjasuuren. Sanjasuuren is regarded by many as the leader of the democratic movement in Mongolia in the early 1990s.

To mark the dual milestones this year of the 10th anniversary of the International Day of Democracy on 15 September and the 20th anniversary of the adoption of IPU’s Universal Declaration on Democracy, the IPU campaign, Get engaged now, calls for people to take action to strengthen democracy. Such actions can mean voting in elections, speaking out against human rights violations, opposing restrictive laws on freedom of expression and joining a civil society organization

The IPU once again condemns ongoing attempts to strip the National Assembly of its power and to harass its leadership and members. It is deeply concerned over reports that the Constituent Assembly called for the prosecution of several MPs on charges of treason.

Members of Parliament from the Middle East, including Israel and Palestine, have declared that access to clean water should not be politicized and should not be used as a weapon in regional conflicts. In a second roundtable, organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) Committee on Middle East Questions, MPs from Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Palestine and the United Arab Emirates have also agreed concrete measures to tackle the water crisis that threatens to further aggravate regional instability. The areas earmarked for action include: mapping those communities most threatened by water scarcity, establishing a regional parliamentary network on water governance and supporting MPs’ on shaping equitable and sustainable legislation on water management.

The IPU condemns in the strongest terms the recent attack on the National Assembly in Venezuela. The Organization deplores the assault on members of parliament and the physical integrity of the institution itself. The incident follows an earlier assault on several parliamentarians on 27 June, including a member of the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, Delsa Solórzano, who sustained serious injuries. “Any attack on parliament is an assault on democracy,” said IPU President Saber Chowdhury, reaffirming the sanctity of parliament. Noting that President Maduro has also condemned the 5 July attack, the IPU is urging restraint by all sides in the escalating crisis in Venezuela and a return to calm.

On 23 June, the UN Human Rights Council adopted without a vote a resolution in support of stronger cooperation with parliaments. The resolution encourages States to involve parliaments in all stages of the Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR), under which the Council examines the human rights situation of each UN Member State.