Activities of Fabio Massimo CASTALDO related to 2021/2230(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
EU-Armenia relations (debate)
Amendments (34)
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)
Citation 7 a (new)
— having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights (‘ECHR’),
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8
Citation 8
— having regard to the reports of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) of the Council of Europe, notably the 2016 country monitoring report on Armenia1a and its adopted 2019 conclusions on the adoption of the recommendations,1b _________________ 1a https://rm.coe.int/fourth-report-on- armenia/16808b5539 1b https://rm.coe.int/conclusions-5th- cycle-on-armenia/1680972faa
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)
Citation 8 a (new)
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 b (new)
Citation 8 b (new)
— having regard to the report of the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe following her visit to Armenia from 16 to 20 September 2018,1a _________________ 1a https://rm.coe.int/report-on-the-visit-to- armenia-from-16-to-20-september-2018- by-dunja-m/168091f9d5
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 15 a (new)
Citation 15 a (new)
— having regard to its resolution of 15 April 2015 on the centenary of the Armenian Genocide,
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas periodical deadly military confrontations between Azerbaijan and Armenia continue; whereas the 9 November 2020 ceasefire agreement, introduced after the 44-day war triggerstarted by Azerbaijan in 2020, has been violated several times resulting in more casualties; whereas in his several statements, including in the most recent speech delivered at «an event organized on the occasion of Victory Day» on November 8 2022, President Aliyev admitted that Azerbaijan had started the war in 2020, stated that ''on the whole, the international attitude towards the 44-day war was positive” and once again threatened to use force against Armenia;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas periodical deadly military confrontations between Azerbaijan and Armenia continue; whereas the 9 November 2020 ceasefire agreement, introduced after the 44-day war triggered by Azerbaijan in 2020, has been violated several times resulting in more casualties; whereas the latest Azerbaijan’s military aggression of September 2022 has resulted in the occupation of 220 km2 of Armenian sovereign territory, the killing of hundreds of soldiers, and actions that represent war crimes and crimes against humanity such as the extrajudicial execution of Armenian prisoners of war, raping of women, and torture of civilians;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has not been yet resolved and requires a comprehensive solution; whereas two years after the signing of the ceasefire statement in November 2020, which ended the 44-day war, humanitarian issues are still pending; whereas Armenia has handed all the minefield maps at its disposal; whereas Azerbaijan has been using the demand for the maps to artificially delay the return of Armenian POWs; whereas there are still 33Armenian POWs illegally kept in Baku and sentenced to imprisonments of 4 to 20 years;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas during the military aggression by Azerbaijan in September 2022 civilian objects and infrastructure in the three provinces of the Republic of Armenia, namely Gegharkunik, Syunik, and Vayots Dzor, came under shelling of Azerbaijani forces, which left 7600 persons displaced, including1437 children;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas the alleged Russian readiness to guarantee the security of Armenia has proven non-existing as demonstrated by the lack of response to the Azerbaijan’s continuous attacks even in the light of the Armenian attempt to resort to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO); whereas democratic parties and the civil society in Armenia started to question the country’s membership in the CSTO; whereas Russian peace-keepers deployed in the region were unwilling and unable to prevent further attacks from Azerbaijan, and their presence has been decreasing steadily, especially after the begin of the Russian criminal war of aggression against Ukraine;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas EU-Armenia relations are based on common values, such as democracy, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, and a shared interest of Armenia’s engagement in economic and political reforms as well as regional cooperation, including in the framework of the Eastern Partnership; whereas the final aim of the Union should be to support Armenia in its process of reforms and to support the EU- membership aspiration of the country and its people;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas the defence of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including through the respect of the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention of Human Rights, is a crucial tenet of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between the EU and Armenia ('CEPA');
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E b (new)
Recital E b (new)
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E c (new)
Recital E c (new)
Ec. whereas the human rights of LGBTIQ people in Armenia are at best discarded and at worst actively fought against by government and state institutions; whereas ILGA Europe’s Rainbow Index shows Armenia as having one of the largest deficits in legislation and policy aiming to protect LGBTIQ people, ranking it in the 3rd worst place among all Council of Europe countries, tied with the Russian Federation;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E d (new)
Recital E d (new)
Ed. whereas PACE adopted in 2022 a resolution on violations of the rights of LGBTI persons in the Southern Caucasus and made several calls to authorities to reform legislation in order to address them; whereas the recommendations reflect the 2016 ECRI findings; whereas already in 2019 ECRI had concluded that its recommendations had not been addressed sufficiently, including that none of the relevant provisions of the new Criminal Code had been adopted; whereas the lack of response of the government to international bodies’ recommendations is alarming;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E e (new)
Recital E e (new)
Ee. whereas the European Court of Human Rights recognized in its judgement on Cases 1367/12 and 72961/12 (Ogazenova v Armenia) that criminal law measures are required with respect to hate speech, notably on grounds of sexual orientation and sexual life; whereas domestic law currently prohibits hate speech, yet sexual orientation and gender identity continue not to be included in the characteristics of victims of the offence despite the recommendations of the relevant international bodies in that respect;1a _________________ 1a ECtHR, Cases 1367/12 and 72961/12 (Ogazenova v Armenia), ¶121-122
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine has had implications for the South Caucasus and has further complicated the security situation in the region; whereas the Treaty signed between Azerbaijan’s President, Ilham Aliyev, and the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, the day before the begin of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has brought the relations between these two countries to the level of a fully-fledged alliance;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas despite Azerbaijani authorities releasing some Armenian prisoners of war, an undisclosed number of them, both military and civilians, are still detained in Azerbaijan in unknown conditions;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers that the Nagorno- Karabakh conflict, which over the years has caused immense suffering and destruction, has significantly hampered the socio-economic development and stability of the whole South Caucasus region; is convinced that a durable and sustainable peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan cannot be achieved through military means but requires a comprehensive political settlement in accordance with international law, including the principles enshrined in the UN Charter, the 1975 OSCE Helsinki Final Act and the OSCE Minsk Group’s 2009 Basic Principles; reaffirms that, in order to be effective, a comprehensive peace treaty must include provisions that guarantee the integrity of the Armenian sovereign territory, the safety of Armenian population residing in Nagorno-Karabakh and other conflict- afflicted areas, and the prompt and safe return of refugees and internally displaced people to their homes;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Strongly condemns the large-scale military attack by Azerbaijan in September 2022 against multiple targets in the sovereign territory of Armenia, the brutality that characterised the attack, and its consequences for the peace process; reiterates that the territorial integrity of Armenia and Azerbaijan must be fully respected and underlinencourages the EU’s readiness to be more actively involved in settling the region’s protracted conflicts;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to fully implement the tripartite ceasefire agreement of 9 November 2020 and to urgently implement measures to prepare their respective populations for peaceful coexistence; calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to avoid using inflammatory rhetoric which threatens to undermine the peace process, as it happened with the use of a Putin-style rhetoric by Azeri President Alyiev, who described the Armenian political leadership as fascist in the aftermath of the September 2022 attack;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls that the EU’s passive stance during and immediately after the 2020 war gave other regional actors, such as Russia and Turkey, the opportunity to gain influence; strongly supports, therefore, the initiative taken by the President of the European Council Charles Michel to convene and mediate bilateral meetings of the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Brussels and encourages the work on the ground of the EU’s special representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia; urges the governments of both countries to fully engage in the drafting of a comprehensive and mutually acceptable peace treaty and welcomes in this regard the meetings of the foreign affairs ministers of both countries;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Takes note of the initial discussions on the process of border delimitation; welcomes the agreement to deploy a civilian EUn EU monitoring mission to build trust and contribute to the border commissions; recalls that only Armenia accepted to host the monitoring mission on its side of the border; calls on the Council and the EEAS to increase the resources and personnel allocated to the monitoring mission, and to extend its mandate for all the time needed to find a solution that guarantees the territorial integrity of Armenia;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Continues to be concerned about the fate of Armenian prisoners, both military and civilian, detained during and after the conflict and still held by Azerbaijan and welcomes the release of some of them; demands that in accordance with international humanitarian law and the third Geneva Convention, Azerbaijani authorities treat Prisoners of war humanely in all circumstances; calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all the remaining detainees, including those captured during the recent military confrontations, and that they be treated in accordance with international humanitarian law;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Condemns in the strongest possible terms the footage that has appeared depicting the torture, mutilation and killingextrajudicial executions of an Armenian servicewoman and unarmed Armenian prisoners of war by Azerbaijani armed forces; calls for a full and impartial investigation of the videos to identify those responsible and hold them accountable for their actions;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Supports the normalisation of relations between Armenia and Turkey and welcomes the progress achieved so far; calls for the speedy implementation of agreements reached by the special representatives; calls on both sides to engage in the process in good faith and without preconditions; recalls that the previous attempt of normalisation of relations between Armenia and Turkey through the signing of 2009 protocols failed because of Turkey's unilateral support for Azerbaijan and conditioning the opening of border and establishment of diplomatic relations with Armenia on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict; deplores the signals coming from the Turkish authorities that the current process is closely coordinated with Azerbaijan and emphasizes its calls on Turkey not to repeat the mistake of the past and to take concrete steps in the ongoing process with Armenia;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the early parliamentary elections of 2021 which confirmed the strength of democracy in Armenia and the support of its people for the reform agenda; encourages the government to continue implementing reforms, despite the difficult international context and the challenges Armenia is facing; calls on the Commission and the Council to increase its political and diplomatic support to Armenia also in light of the assertiveness of its neighbours; reiterates that the EU is the largest donor supporting Armenia’s reform process;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Underlines the important role of civil society in the shaping and implementation of key reforms; advocates for a thorough EU support for Armenian civil society;
Amendment 219 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. UHighlights that Article 1 of CEPA includes as an objective to enhance cooperation in the area of freedom, security and justice with the aim of reinforcing the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; underlines the importance of media freedom, anti-discrimination, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly for preserving a vibrant democracy; is concerned by the pervasive presence of discrimination, disinformation and harsh rhetoric; , as well as hate speech towards certain social groups; urges authorities to categorically uphold all human rights enshrined in the ECHR, notably when they concern vulnerable groups such as women, children, persons with disabilities and LGBTIQ persons1a; _________________ 1a Referring to Commissioner’s for Human Rights country reporting on Armenia: https://www.coe.int/en/web/commissioner/ -/report-on-armenia-recommends- measures-to-improve-women-s-rights- protection-of-disadvantaged-or- vulnerable-groups-and-establishing- accountability-for-p
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Underlines the importance of media freedom, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly for preserving a vibrant democracy; welcomes the improvements in media freedom in Armenia as reported by the World Press Freedom Index 2022 that ranked Armenia at the 51st place while it was at the 63rd place in 2021; encourages the national authorities to continue to implement reforms for improving media freedom in the country; is concerned by the presence of disinformation and harsh rhetoric;
Amendment 226 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Recalls that the fight against discrimination is a cornerstone of democratic systems; considers that the democratic transition in Armenia is an opportunity to strengthen the human rights system; recalls that the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe encouraged the government to take a prompt stance and adopt several legal reforms1a; considers that the authorities have all recommendations at their disposal to make progress on human rights and calls for their implementation; _________________ 1a https://rm.coe.int/report-on-the-visit-to- armenia-from-16-to-20-september-2018- by-dunja-m/168091f9d5, ¶106-107
Amendment 232 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16b. Considers that LGBTIQ persons are in dire need of protection; calls for the adoption of anti-discrimination legislation adding sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and sex characteristics as prohibited grounds, alongside the adoption of civil, administrative and/or criminal proceedings to protect people from hate speech and hate crimes; calls on authorities to reform criminal legislation by adding the previous grounds as aggravating circumstances; urges Armenia to stop considering homosexuality as a mental illness1a; _________________ 1ahttps://pace.coe.int/en/files/29711/html ¶10-11
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 c (new)
Paragraph 16 c (new)
16c. Calls on the Armenian government, including the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, to raise public awareness around the issue of LGBTIQ- phobia and the need to change prevailing patriarchal structures to counter gender stereotypes; calls on the Armenian government to adopt and implement action plans with the aim of strengthening the rights of LGBTIQ persons and their living conditions, and preventing and combating social exclusion, stigmatisation and all forms of discrimination against them;
Amendment 258 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Welcomes the visit of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to Armenia in October 2022 and the IAEA support for ensuring that Armenia’s nuclear program is safe and secure; welcomes also Armenia's commitment to "Rays of Hope" initiative and its positive example in achieving "CancerCare4All”, as stated during the above-mentioned visit;