Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which basic human rights remain available to the former Prime Minister of the Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko; if in the course of her incarceration she has had regular visits from international monitors on a regular basis; if she has set out any specific requirements in recent times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45237/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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As the Deputy is aware, the case of former Prime Minister of Ukraine, Yulia Tymoshenko, is a matter of deep concern to Ireland, the European Union and the wider international community. I refer the Deputy to my previous reply on 11 July. Since then, on 29 August, Ms. Tymoshenko’s appeal against her conviction was rejected by Ukraine’s High Specialised Court. This was a very disappointing outcome. Indeed, the EU has made it clear that further progress towards the signature and ratification of its Association Agreement with Ukraine would require a number of positive steps on the resolution of the issue of politically motivated trials and convictions, including that of Ms. Tymoshenko, as well as the fair and transparent conduct of the parliamentary elections taking place on 28 October. I fully support this position. It is a matter of regret that Ms. Tymoshenko and others will not be permitted to take part in the elections.

The Deputy will be aware that Ms. Tymoshenko has been visited by a wide range of international contacts, although a visit proposed by the Vice-President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly was recently denied. I would continue to urge the Ukrainian authorities, as a minimum, to facilitate such visits as well as all medical and human rights related visits. I made the concerns of the Irish Government on this known to Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Gryshchenko when we met recently at the UN General Assembly.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the countries or locations which remain in the top ten areas of most concern worldwide where abuses of human rights continue to be an issue, whether through war or economic deprivation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45238/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Ireland does not produce or maintain a “top ten” list of countries in regard to the violations outlined by the Deputy. Human rights concerns remain central to our foreign policy. With its EU partners, Ireland closely monitors the human rights situations in many countries, including post-conflict countries, throughout the world. We do this on the basis of information obtained from a variety of sources, including both official channels and non-governmental/civil society organisations. Where and when the situation warrants, we make known our concerns about human rights violations to the Governments in question.

Ireland supports the use of the full UN human rights machinery in responding to human rights abuses, including supporting the role of UN Human Rights Treaty Monitoring Bodies, Special Procedures and Mandate Holders and the convening, where appropriate, of Special Sessions of the UN Human Rights Council. At the UN, the EU regularly makes statements on the human rights situations in a number of countries from all regions. Ireland is fully associated with these statements.

Ireland has been a consistent and strong supporter of the International Criminal Court, recognising it as an essential means of combating impunity for the most serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law.

The Government is committed to the promotion of full observance of universal human rights standards. Active participation in multilateral organisations including the EU, UN and the Council of Europe provides an opportunity for Ireland to voice its concerns regarding human rights abuses. Through these organisations, international pressure can be brought to bear on those responsible for violation of human rights. Ireland will continue to use these mechanisms as a means of highlighting violations of human rights and furthering their protection.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which the international community continue to be able to intervene in Syria in order to protect human rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45239/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I have on a number of occasions stated clearly my grave concerns at the appalling situation in Syria. I have repeatedly condemned the unacceptable human rights violations and brutality which are now estimated to have claimed well over 20,000 lives since the conflict first erupted in March 2011. There is no doubting the widespread international revulsion generated by the conflict over the last 20 months and in particular by the violence and killings associated with the repressive actions of the Syrian regime. The international community has been prompt to express its indignation and to compel the Syrian regime to change course, notably through the adoption of a series of resolutions on the human rights situation in Syria by the UN General Assembly Resolution in February and by the UN Human Rights Council, in March, June and September.

The UN Human Rights Council has also initiated a process of inquiry through the establishment in August 2011 of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry. Mandated to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law in Syria since the beginning of the conflict, and, where possible, to identify those responsible, the Commission, in its 15 August 2012 report, concludes that Government forces and its affiliated militia have committed crimes against humanity, war crimes and gross violations of human rights, all pursuant to a State policy. The report also found reasonable grounds to believe that serious abuses had been committed by anti-Government armed groups, although these did not reach the gravity, frequency and scale of violations committed by Government forces. This report may well pave the way for the situation in Syria to eventually be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC), a course called for by UN Human Rights Commissioner Pillay and which Ireland has long supported. We are also highly supportive of efforts underway at the UN that aim at building up cross-regional support for formal referral to the ICC by the UN Security Council.

The European Union has, of course, also reacted to the human rights violations in Syria. It has adopted a series of robust economic, political and diplomatic measures to compel the Syrian regime to cease its reprehensible attacks against its own people. While actively supporting the efforts of the UN/Arab League Joint Special Representative Ladhkar Brahimi to achieve a ceasefire and mediate some sort of peaceful settlement, the EU has continued to impose tough sanctions targeted on the Assad regime and those who support the repression. Last Monday’s Foreign Affairs Council which I attended adopted additional restrictive measures to step up the pressure on the Syrian regime to change course and halt its unacceptable violence and repression.

In saying all this, we must also acknowledge that the current paralysis of the international community is a major impediment to stopping the daily abuses suffered by ordinary Syrians. The UN Security Council need to step up to its responsibilities and give a lead in the international community’s efforts to halt the violence. Ireland, for its part, will continue to call for a strong UN Chapter VII resolution that would impose robust sanctions and notably a comprehensive arms embargo which is now long overdue in the current circumstances prevailing in Syria.

Ultimately, such a Resolution and united action on the part of the Security Council represents the best opportunity for ending the conflict and ongoing human rights violations and setting in train a process of urgently needed political reform and transition in Syria. Ireland and its EU partners will continue to work steadfastly in support of this aim.