Derechos Humanos / Human Rights

Between 23 and 26 May, Europe goes to the polls to elect a new European Parliament. It will be the most controversial and important elections in decades.

But elections are not enough to realise democracy.

The democratic problems of the European Union are vast. The EU has gained ever more competences, but democracy has stayed behind. Some of the most important decisions, such as the content of the EU Treaties or Eurogroup policies, are taken behind closed doors – outside the reach of parliaments. Corporate lobbyists and special interests have filled up the democratic vacuum. The uniformity of European law throughout the EU means one size fits nobody.

And the citizens… end up being powerless.

The World Movement strongly condemns the sentencing of nine democracy activists by a Hong Kong district court for their involvement in the 2014 peaceful pro-democracy Umbrella Movement. The individuals, called the “Umbrella Nine,” were handed sentences of up to 16 months on charges of “conspiracy to cause public nuisance” and “inciting others to commit public nuisance” on April 24, 2019. We call on the government of Hong Kong to respect the rights to peaceful assembly and association by immediately and unconditionally releasing these individuals. 

Among those sentenced were professors Benny Tai and Chan Kin-man, along with Baptist minister Chu Yiu-ming. All received full 16-month terms. The three are founders of the Occupy Central with Love and Peace campaign, which aims to use nonviolent civil disobedience in pursuit of democratic reforms in Hong Kong. In 2014, their organization staged a short sit-in in the city center to protest constraints for the city’s first direct elections that would be held in 2017. This stemmed from a decision made by China that it would allow direct elections, but only from a list of candidates pre-approved by Beijing.