Sweden - Selective Human Rights Concerns: Gregorian Bivolaru / EAW Julian Assange

20 Oct 13 Live discussion with vice-president Viviane Reding on the Romanian misuse of EU mechanisms to continue persecution of refugees VIDEO:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rnb_PbUpYY#t=14 On 14th October Mrs. Reding visited the Citizens’ Dialogue in Stockholm. The Swedish representative of Soteria International, Mr. Konrad Swenninger brought up the issue of a human rights contradiction between the European Arrest Warrant and the International Convention for protection of Refugees. As an example, Mr. Swenninger mentioned the case of Gregorian Bivolaru, a Romanian political dissident continuously targeted by Romanian authorities and was given political asylum in Sweden. The asylum is now threatened by a European Arrest Warrant issued in June 2013 by Romanian authorities, as a result of a highly controversial decision of the Romanian Supreme Court against Bivolaru. Acknowledging the case, Mrs. Reding stated that indeed the European Arrest Warrant has been a complicated subject in European politics. She and her team have insisted on precise procedures related to the warrant, so that it cannot be used by national authorities to pursue undemocratic interests. Referring to the situation in Romania, Mrs. Reding is concerned that indeed the country struggles with implementation and respect for democratic procedures. Mrs. Reding reminded the audience that in the summer of 2012, the Directorate General for Justice of the EC, which she conducts, severely criticized the attack on the constitution of Romania attempted by opposing Romanian governing parties. In a follow-up briefing Mrs. Viviane Reding, Mrs. Brigitta Ohlsson, Swedish Minister for EU Affairs and MEP Olle Ludvigsson who co-chaired the meeting with citizens expressed their concern and interest to follow the case and received a communiqué from Gregorian Bivolaru concerning his situation. In meetings 17th October in Brussels several Swedish MEPs expressed their concern and interest to work for the case, and the Romanian misuse of the European Arrest Warrant to pursue political persecution of the refugee Bivolaru. We remind that earlier in October the case has been discussed at the Human Dimension Implementation meeting organized by OSCE in Warsaw, both in the plenary discussion on the protection of refugees and in the side-event conference organized by Soteria International. Representatives of the Swedish government assured Soteria International and the international community that Sweden takes its international obligations on Human Rights very seriously and reminded that Swedish legislation, as well as European law, foresee that national courts should take consideration of human rights implications in their rulings. The statement of Swedish governmental representatives and the strong position of Viviane Reding in matters of defending human rights and democratic procedures bring confidence that human rights will be efficiently protected and countries such as Romania, still on their way to democracy, will be given a strong good example and will be prevented in their attempts to disregard or violate the rights of its citizens. http://www.soteriainternational.org/live-discussion-with-vice-president-viviane-reding-on-the-romanian-misuse-of-eu-mechanisms-to-continue-persecution-of-refugees COMMENT The misuse of the European Arrest Warrant ("EAW") is not confined to issue of EAWs on trivial grounds.  The EAW is also misused for political persecution of dissidents or those who otherwise fall foul of authorities. Significantly, misuse of the EAW is not confined to dissidents of 'repressive Eastern European' regimes.   The dubious EAW has been used by Sweden and Britain to facilitate persecution of journalist-publisher Julian Assange, by blocking political asylum granted to Assange by Ecuardor.  So we have witnessed Sweden issuing a EAW and Interpol Red Notice in order to merely question Assange in respect of 'allegations' the Swedish prosecution claims it is 'investigating'. Sweden has been able to issue such an arrest warrant because (a) it is a member of the European Union and (b) the requirement for proof that there is in fact a case to answer has not been written into legislation by Union lawmakers.  How easy is that? While Sweden was quick to issue an EAW and Red Notice, it has been unusually resistant in getting around to even questioning Assange during the 2 years he remained under house arrest in Britain, in addition to a further 2.5 years that Assange has remained trapped at the Ecuador embassy, under threat of British arrest and extradition to Sweden (almost certainly leading to subsequent extradition from Sweden to the United States). The treatment of Assange is in stark contrast to Sweden's selectively liberal stance protecting Gregorian Bivolaru. Gregorian Bivolaru's 2005 arrest would have been effected under an Interpol all-points-bulletin apprehension, as Romania's accession to the European Union was in 2007. Despite allegations of a sexual nature involving a minor (which were later dropped on claim of 'coercion') and a whole host of other serious charges, Sweden refused to extradite Gregorian Bivolaru and proceeded to grant Bivolaru asylum in 2005. A 2013 EAW now threatens Gregorian Bivolaru's asylum in Sweden and Swedish politicians are commendably quick to express their concern regarding Bivolaru's matter, but remain curiously silent regarding WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange, who has now been denied liberty (without charge) for over 4 years. EAWs are a dime-a-dozen and generally used for pursuit of trivial matters, as the British surge in figures and analysis attests.  Unfortunately, the EAW also does away with arrest initiating-authorities being required to prove subjects of an EAW actually have a case to answer. The EAW sidestepping of the burden of proof is a travesty of justice that should never have been permitted (let alone recently adopted by the British, by default, thanks to the British Conservatives pushing through legislation by sleight of hand). Uproar in Commons over vote U-turn on European Arrest Warrant Cameron narrowly avoids rebellion after European Arrest Warrant vote scrapped The arrest warrant allows any European Union country to request the arrest and extradition of a wanted person without proving they have a case to answer – the traditional burden of proof that British courts insisted foreign countries pass before agreeing an extradition. Critics say the burden of proof now is too low, and can lead to people being arrested simply on the word of foreign police or magistrates, without any case to answer. EXTRACT - http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/uk/uproar-in-commons-over-vote-u-turn-on-european-arrest-warrant-1.1995697 Sweden's treatment of American target, Julian Assange, captive without charge on what strongly smells of trumped up allegations that serve US political objectives, is blatantly incongruous and jarring. Where Sweden's conscience should be, concerning the detention and political persecution of publisher Julian Assange, lies a gaping, unmentionable hole that goes unchallenged. ................................................................... Something Stinks: British Detention & FBI Investigation Australia Kowtows to America LINK

UKRAINE - OSCE - OUN CIA ASSET - and PRO-UKRAINE BIAS

UKRAINE OSCE "Declass CIA document: Father of head of OSCE_SMM in Ukraine Bohdan Borciukiw was OUN CIA asset" - Govt LINK Source:  Twitter OSCE SMM = OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Quick scan of the OSCE Wikipedia page indicates an alleged 'pro-Russian bias': It currently takes an important role in the monitoring of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, though it has been accused on mid November 2014 of showing a pro-Russian bias.  This accusation is also based on the fact that one of its most prominent members, currently in Ukraine, Alexey Lyzhenkov, is an ex-official of Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, close to Sergey Lavrov.  [Wikipedia] What a joke!  Did Joseph Gobbels write this entry?  Some 'Ministry of Truth' entry for sure. Elsewhere online indicates OSCE stands accused of pro-Ukraine bias: Moscow accuses OSCE of pro-Ukraine bias November 14, 2014 Russia on Friday accused the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) special monitoring mission of a pro-Ukraine bias. “We are concerned about the approach the OSCE special monitoring mission in Ukraine has been demonstrating lately,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “There is an impression that its efforts are aimed at supporting and assisting only one side in the conflict, the Kiev authorities,” it added. It added that the mission failed to mention “numerous facts” of violations of the peace accord reached in September in Minsk as well as international humanitarian norms in regions under Kiev’s control. “Its reports systematically give detailed accounts of movement of the military units of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, but ignore the data on military preparations and concentration of attack Ukrainian attack forces along the contact line,” the ministry said. “They also fail to notice numerous facts of violation by the Ukrainian military of not only the Minsk agreements of the Contact Group, but also international humanitarian law norms, as well as the rampage of neo-fascists and nationalists in the Kiev-controlled regions. They also hush up the cases of Ukrainian security agencies’ pressure on OSCE observers. Such policy of the mission’s leadership undermines trust to its work,” it added. The Minsk protocol was signed by representatives of Ukraine, Russia, and the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics under the OSCE auspices. OSCE representative Ilkka Kanerva complained Thursday the mission has been restricted to report only what it sees passing through the official crossing along the “tiniest strip” of the porous Russia-Ukraine border. With both Russia and Ukraine, alongwith NATO, alleging renewed troop movement on the border, China has expressed grave concerns over the possibility of more conflict. China on Wednesday urged all parties in Ukraine to immediately implement the Minsk agreement so as to ensure that ceasefire is achieved. Nato Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Philip Breedlove has claimed the body can vouch for Russian military equipment and Russian combat troops entering Ukraine this week. [Oh, sure.  Breedlove has been gunning for the Russians to justify military spending &, in particular, NATO spending & incursions.] Even as Western statements are fueling fears of a return to all-out conflict are growing, Beijing reiterated its position at the UNSC, that “a political solution is the only way out on the question of Ukraine”. Meanwhile, Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance has increased its presence near the Russian border. Nato has said it is concerned about Russian humanitarian convoys of trucks that it alleges is taking artillery and supplies into eastern Ukraine.  [NATO the aggressor] More than 4000 people have died since the conflict broke out in April. TBP and Agencies http://thebricspost.com/moscow-accuses-osce-of-pro-ukraine-bias/ So much for that Wikipedia entry for OSCE.   The exclusion of pro-Ukraine bias allegations (while referring to alleged 'Russian bias' in the OSCE entry on Wikipedia) amounts to a pro-Ukraine information bias in that OSCE Wikipedia entry.

EASTERN UKRAINE - Shakhtarsk - Independence Supporters Defend Town - JOURNALIST MISSING

Галерея Обороны TRANSLATE - Gallery of Defense Обороняющие Шахтерск ополченцы на отдыхе Translate - Defending Shahtersk militia on holiday Быт мирных жителей в осажденном Шахтерске Translate - Gen. civilians in the besieged Shahtarsk Town of Shaktarsk in independence supporter held EASTERN UKRAINE (Not far off site of MH17 downing) SOURCE - TWITTER - DEFENCE GALLERY - HERE. ................................................................................................ OTHER - SOURCES [Source - here] UKRAINE GOVT SHELLING AFTERMATH SHAHTARSK 10 Lenina St SOURCE - Save at least one life today  - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0seypr0Omc

CURRENT NEWS

Rossiya Segodnya photographer Andrei Stenin OSCE Checking Info About Russian Journalist Missing in Ukraine MOSCOW, August 8 (RIA Novosti) – The office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media is checking reports that Rossiya Segodnya photographer Andrei Stenin went missing in Ukraine earlier this week, a source in the organization told RIA Novosti Friday. “The office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media is checking the information about the disappearance of Andrei Stenin,” the source said. Earlier in the day, an informed source said that Stenin is currently being held by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in southern Ukraine. The SBU claimed it did not detain the Rossiya Segodnya photographer. Stenin went missing on August 5 while covering the events in Donetsk, Slaviansk and other eastern Ukrainian cities. According to sources at the headquarters of the self-proclaimed People’s Republic of Donetsk, the Russian journalist could have gone to the city of Shakhtarsk with the militia’s press corps. The Russian Embassy to Ukraine is looking into the circumstances of the incident. Stenin’s abduction is not the first incident of mass media workers coming into harm’s way in Ukraine. Back in June, a cameraman for Russia's Channel-1 TV station was fatally wounded in the stomach.  Prior to that, a reporter and a sound engineer from Russia's VGTRK media holding were killed in a mortar attack near Luhansk. SOURCE - RIA NEWS - HERE.

    ITAR-TASS also reports:

“According to unverified information, he [Stenin] was captured by the Ukrainian National Guard forces,” Alexander Shtol, the head of the Rossiya Segodnya agency's photo service, said. “We have not yet managed to get in touch with him personally.”

Shtol earlier said that the journalist could have gone to the town of Shakhtersk with the militia fighting against pro-Kiev troops.

[SOURCE - ITAR-TASS - HERE]

As far as I can see on news Google newsfeed, there's no update on the missing journalist. 

However, a human rights representative is calling for the Ukrainian government to explain reasons for the journalist's detention (if he is held by the government), and asking that the government ensure the journalist is promptly released or, should they have sufficient grounds to charge him, that he be charged and brought before the courts,  so he may be released pending trial. [Source - RIA NEWS - here.]

*OSCE is:  Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Crisis management and human rights type of org.

MISSING JOURNALIST  - ANDREI STENIN FOLLOW @ TWITTER  #FREEANDREW