We, the International Republican Institute (IRI), the Alliance for Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), the European Conservatives and Reformists Party (ECR), and the European People’s Party (EPP), are united in expressing our grave concern over the sanctions adopted against the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights, democracy promotion institutions, Members of Parliaments and prominent members of civil society.
These sanctions are an assault on democratic institutions and freedom of expression and are designed to intimidate and deter criticism of the Chinese Communist Party and the Government of China. They constitute a clear attempt to erode political will and public support for universal fundamental freedoms that are evidently at odds with the self-declared interests of the Chinese Communist Party.
The Transatlantic Community stands by its steadfast belief in individual rights to liberty and democratic political representation. It is our foundational commitment to defend these institutions and support the democratic rights to people of the world even when that comes at a cost.
We are united in calling for China to end its oppressive ethnic policies in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and restore public confidence in Hong Kong’s democratic institutions in adherence with the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984.
For these reasons, we fully support the sanctions adopted by the Government of the United States, European Union, United Kingdom and Canada against the individuals responsible for the gross human rights violation in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and the additional sanctions adopted by the United States in response to the deterioration of democratic rights in Hong Kong.
Read the statement here.
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