Yesterday, at the European Parliament, Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, gave a speech addressing human rights violations in the context of war crimes and crimes against humanity:
“We are working for the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to be fully operational as soon as possible and the European Union is mobilising funds to support this Mechanism with up to 1,5 million euros. I know Member States are doing their part; I count on them and also on your support to have an even stronger support from Member States’ side.”
EuroMed Rights, VDC, and Syrian partners could not agree more. Ahead of HR/VP’s speech and the G20 meeting in Hamburg this week, in an open letter, they call on the HR/VP and EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs to increase their support towards this accountability mechanism on international crimes committed in Syria:
“We call on the EU to mobilise funds to increase its support well beyond 1.5 million EUR. Although the financial contributions by 17 EU Member States are welcomed, we jointly call on the Member States who did not pledge stronger contributions, or any at all, to increase their financial support significantly as an expression of their collective interest in accountability for Syria.”