Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland appreciates the magnitude of the challenges facing Egypt and we are committed to supporting Egypt in dealing with these. However, I believe that a strong and stable democracy cannot flourish without full respect for fundamental rights and freedoms.

In this regard, Ireland is unequivocal in its stance on the death penalty. We oppose and condemn its use in all circumstances. We further believe that the use of the death penalty is not only morally reprehensible, but counter-productive, both as a crime deterrent and as a punishment. The abolition of the death penalty is one of Ireland’s international priorities, and my Department regularly conveys our stance on this issue to all countries where the death penalty is still in use.

We believe that the EU provides one of the most effective channels for raising concerns about human rights. In response to this particular case, the EU has publicly reiterated its call for the universal abolition of the death penalty. The EU has also issued a statement raising concerns about the conduct of the trial which “cast serious doubts on the respect of due process and in particular the defendants’ rights to a fair trial”.

The EU and Egypt adopted partnership priorities for 2017-2020 at the EU-Egypt Association Council, which took place in July 2017. The priorities make it clear that human rights – civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, as set out in international human rights law, the Treaty on European Union and the Egyptian Constitution – are a common value and constitute the cornerstone of a modern democratic state. These agreed priorities commit Egypt and the EU to promoting democracy, fundamental freedoms and human rights as constitutional rights of all citizens, in line with their international obligations.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The recent sentencing of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, two Reuters journalists working in Myanmar, to seven years in prison under the Official Secrets Act, is a cause of significant concern. That they were arrested for covering allegations of grave human rights violations by the Myanmar Military against the Rohingya community in Rakhine State makes this case all the more worrying.

Media freedom and critical journalism are essential pillars of democracy. A free press has a key function in promoting transparency and holding democratic governments to account. I continue to call for the immediate and unconditional release of the two journalists and call on the Myanmar authorities to ensure adequate conditions for journalists to carry out their work.

Ireland continues to actively engage with our international partners on these and other issues of grave concern through bilateral contacts in Myanmar and via participation in the EU and UN responses including at the ongoing 39th Session of the Human Rights Council and at the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly to which I will shortly travel.

More broadly, Ireland and the international community have taken a number of steps to address the Rohingya crisis which have focused on responding to the humanitarian crisis, promoting a political solution and pressing for accountability for crimes and other violations of human rights abuses that have occurred.

Ireland has also supported the intensive political response by the international community which continues to be pursued.

In addition, Ireland has consistently called for an independent and impartial investigation into the serious and credible allegations of human rights violations by the Myanmar security forces. In that regard, we have strongly supported the work of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar (IIFFMM) and UN Special Rapporteur to Myanmar Yanghee Lee, and the recent publication of the Report of the IIFFM has made for harrowing reading. The report of the IIFFMM notes that the crimes in Myanmar “stem from deep fractures in society and structural problems that have been apparent and unaddressed for decades.”

It is therefore imperative that Myanmar and the international community respond comprehensively to the findings of the report and its recommendations in a way that both addresses the long-standing root causes of this crisis and in a manner that ensures the perpetrators of the crimes described in the report are swiftly brought to justice.

I have taken note of the recommendations and Ireland is actively engaging with our international partners in responding to the report, including at the current session of the Human Rights Council where this report is being formally presented.

While efforts aimed at achieving accountability and a political solution to the crisis are vitally important, there is an immediate need for a life-saving humanitarian response to the extremely difficult conditions faced by the huge numbers of displaced members of the Rohingya community now mainly in Bangladesh. To this end, Ireland has actively supported the international humanitarian response to the refugee crisis and we provided direct funding of €1 million in 2017 with an additional €1.1 million allocated for 2018. Our support has focused on food, nutrition, shelter, water and sanitation.

My Department will continue to liaise closely with EU and other international partners to press for progress in resolving this crisis including through our Embassies in Thailand and in Vietnam who are closely monitoring the situation.