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First Person, Türkiye earthquake – 60 seconds of terror

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United Nations News
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First Person, Türkiye earthquake – 60 seconds of terror

When Monday’s devastating earthquakes struck Türkiye and Syria, killing thousands of people, Olga Borzenkova, a spokesperson for the UN migration agency (IOM), was in Gaziantep, Türkiye, one of the most affected areas. She describes her experience, and the emergency response effort that is underway.

“Like hundreds of thousands of other people in South-Eastern Türkiye, I was fast asleep when the world started to shake. I don’t really know how to describe to anyone who hasn’t felt an earthquake, let alone one of the biggest ever recorded in this region. 

It’s just completely surreal. The floor and the walls were shaking, bending, and as we ran down the three floors to the street our only thought was to get far, far away from buildings. 

It was sixty seconds of the worst terror I have ever felt. As we calmed down a bit and realised we had survived the shaking, we also realised it was raining, we were cold, and our legs felt like jelly, like they were not really part of our bodies. Everyone around us was calling out, shouting, screaming. 

First Person, Türkiye earthquake – 60 seconds of terror
© UNOCHA/Ali Haj Suleiman – The search for survivors continues in Samada, Syria following the February 6 earthquake.

Türkiye, ‘Saddening beyond words’

It took us a while but eventually we found a place to shelter after the urgency of the second quake, in a school. Along with hundreds of others we sat, lay down or stood on the basketball court, getting word to our families that we were safe.

Then I checked in with work and started to assess how I could help, how I could tell them what was going on, how to pay tribute to the wonderful people who were doing all they could to help me and thousands like me.

We spent Monday night in a shelter run by the Government. We felt a few trembles but it was comfortable and we had hot drinks and some food, as well as a place to sleep. Now I’m in the office, catching up on everything, including the heart-breaking news that we lost a colleague. Some others are injured, and have lost family members and, in some cases, homes. Others like my team member survived just by a miracle in Hatay.

It’s saddening beyond words. One minute we were sleeping, and the next we are part of one of the biggest disasters on the planet.

I am screaming inside, with despair, grief and fear. But I look at my colleagues, my neighbours, and my friends, who are affected much more than me, and they inspire me to carry on.

Massive shelter needs in Türkiye

image300x180cropped - First Person: Türkiye earthquake – 60 seconds of terror
Olga Borzenkova, IOM spokesperson, Gaziantep, Türkiye.

Türkiye is of course hugely prone to earthquakes and has built a world-class response mechanism. We’ve been working with them for more than 30 years and they are phenomenal partners. But even they will be stretched by this. This is a double whammy – over a million people who fled the war in Syria have temporary protection status in the area hardest hit by the quake.

We are talking to the government to see how best we can help. In all situations like this, the first need is for search and rescue, and I know teams are pouring into the country from across the globe to assist. There will of course be massive shelter needs – so many thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of people will be homeless and the weather is freezing. They will need somewhere to sleep short term. And they  will need warm clothes, water, food, heating, there will be trauma and crush injuries, there will be huge mental scars.

Communities will have been devastated: schools and hospitals will have been damaged, workplaces wiped out. The logistics of aid will be fiendish – roads and runways will need to be rapidly repaired. This will be an enormous rescue, response and recovery operation and we are ready to respond in any way the government asks us to, for as long as it takes.

First meeting of the Inclusive Forum on Carbon Mitigation Approaches, 9-10 February

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Newsdesk
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First meeting of the Inclusive Forum on Carbon Mitigation Approaches, 9-10 February

More than 500 senior government officials representing 100 countries and jurisdictions from around the world are expected to come together for the first meeting of the Inclusive Forum on Carbon Mitigation Approaches (IFCMA)starting with a high-level launch event at the OECD in Paris on Thursday 9 February at 14:00 (13:00 GMT).

The IFCMA is an initiative designed to help improve the global impact of emissions reduction efforts around the world through data and information sharing, evidence-based mutual learning and inclusive multilateral dialogue. It brings together all relevant policy perspectives from countries around the world, participating on an equal footing basis, to take stock of and consider the effectiveness of different carbon mitigation approaches.

With its technical work, the IFCMA seeks to enhance understanding of the full spectrum of carbon mitigation approaches available and their combined global impact. It will support individual countries’ emissions reduction efforts, facilitated by better information about the range of good practices available that could be adapted to their individual circumstances. It provides an inclusive and trusted platform for dialogue aimed at ensuring emissions reduction efforts in individual countries and jurisdictions are globally effective and do not just shift emissions to other parts of the world.

On 10 February 2023, senior and technical-level delegates from the climate, tax and structural economic policy communities in participating countries will meet to consider proposed terms of reference and governance arrangements for the IFCMA and initiate discussion on a range of substantive questions raised by the proposed technical work on carbon mitigation approaches. The 10 February discussions will be held in closed session.

OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann will present the IFCMA initiative to accredited media in an embargoed advance briefing at the OECD on Thursday 9 February, from 10:00 (09:00 GMT).  Journalists may register here for in-person attendance. Journalists unable to be physically present may register here to virtually participate in the advance briefing.

The IFCMA opening sessions on Thursday 9 February will also be webcast live, without registration.

For further information, journalists are invited to contact Lawrence Speer or Catherine Bremer in the OECD Media Office in Paris.

Working with over 100 countries, the OECD is a global policy forum that promotes policies to preserve individual liberty and improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world.

Two more mosques were vandalised and set ablaze in a wave of Anti-Ahmadiyya hatred in Pakistan

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Newsdesk
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Two more mosques were vandalised and set ablaze in a wave of Anti-Ahmadiyya hatred in Pakistan

Anti-Ahmadiyya hatred – The International Human Rights Committee (IHRC), an NGO created by the Ahmadiyya community, reported yesterday that on 2nd February 2023 at around 3.30 in the afternoon, the opponents of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community razed to the ground the minarets of the Ahmadiyya Hall built in 1950 in Saddar Karachi. A wave of bigotry against Ahmadis has intensified since the start of 2023.

Nasim Malik, General Secretary IHRC reported that “Once again, we want to inform you that in the late night on 3rd February 2023, unknown assailants while entering the boundary wall of the Ahmadi Mosque in Noor Nagar district Umerkot, Sindh Pakistan, set the fire on mosque by pouring gasoline. Due to the fire, all mats and chairs were burned. Local residents became aware of the fire when they arrived for the early morning prayers”.

The letter from Malik continued saying that “in another targeted attack, some unknown persons on 3rd February 2023, during late night, damaged the minarets of the Ahmadiyya Mosque in Goth Chaudary Javed Ahmed at Goth Ghazi Khan Mirani, also in district Mirpurkhas, Sindh Pakistan. The Ahmadiyya Mosque was set on fire. Intolerance and hatred towards Ahmadis in Pakistan are nothing new; rather it has spread over decades and gained momentum each passing under the State’s supervision. Systematic marginalisation of Ahmadis in all walks of life because of their religious beliefs is not considered condemnable and Ahmadis are being treated without even basic human rights.”

The letter continued saying:

“Such brazen acts with impunity violate fundamental rights of religious freedom and also fly in the face of the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s decision in 2014 to protect places of worship. There is no legal justification for this action. These are state-sanctioned incidents of violence by extremists against the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
Unfortunately, Government Officials in Pakistan are engaged in such illegal activities to win the pleasure and approval of the ferocious opponents of the Ahmadis. We request the Government of Pakistan to respect and follow the eight-point directive given by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2014, which emphasised the provision of protection for the places of worship of all religions in Pakistan. The destruction of Ahmadiyya Mosques in Pakistan is in glaring contravention of Article 20 of the Constitution of Pakistan and the Supreme Court of Pakistan verdict of 2014.
On July 13, 2021, UN human rights experts expressed their deep concern over the lack of attention to the serious human rights violations perpetrated against the Ahmadiyya community around the world and called on the international community to step up efforts in bringing an end to the ongoing persecution of Ahmadis.
We once again urge the international community to pressure the Government of Pakistan to honor its responsibility to provide protection to all its citizens, ensure freedom of religious practice to Ahmadis, and bring perpetrators of such vicious attacks to justice. The Government of Pakistan must also bring its laws and practices in conformity with international standards as ordained by Article 2, 18 and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Article 25, 26.”

The European Times wonders if the European Union and Pakistan will ever talk effectively about this issue in any negotiation so that the lifes and properties of Ahmadies are duly respected.

SUDAN: The Vice President of the Sovereign Council receives the UN Independent Expert for Human Rights

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Newsdesk
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SUDAN: The Vice President of the Sovereign Council receives the UN Independent Expert for Human Rights

The Vice President of the Sovereign Council, Lieutenant General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, received today the United Nations Independent Expert on Human Rights in Sudan, Mr. Radhouane Nouicer.

The meeting discussed the human rights situation in Sudan, the developments achieved, as well as the governmental efforts to strengthen the protection of human rights and achieve justice, as well as the current political developments in the country to achieve stability.

The Vice President of the Sovereign Council expressed Sudan’s willingness to cooperate with all UN mechanisms in the protection and promotion of human rights in the country, stressing the availability of political will to promote human rights, referring to the efforts made to protect civilians and address the conditions of the displaced, in addition to the efforts to secure villages for voluntary return, camps for the displaced and the organization of tribal reconciliations in Darfur, Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan, calling for support to state efforts to create a conducive environment for voluntary return and provide basic conditions for voluntary return, stressing the importance of attracting international support, to effectively contribute to efforts to promote and protect human rights in Sudan, in addition to improving the conditions of refugees.

For his part, Mr Radhouane Nouicer stressed the importance of the cooperation of the Sudanese government to improve and achieve new developments in the field of human rights, welcoming the framework agreement signed last December to complete the transition period. The developments achieved by the Government of Sudan in lifting the state of emergency and the release of prisoners, indicating that he had heard during his visit many statements on developments in the country, stressing the need for cooperation to promote human rights in Sudan.

Morocco handed over the T-72B tanks to Kyiv

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News desk
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Morocco handed over the T-72B tanks to Kyiv

Morocco handed over T-72B tanks to Kyiv, which were modernized in the Czech Republic. This was reported on the Menadefense website.

About 20 tanks have already been sent to the war zone.

The article notes that the decision for this delivery was made under pressure during the April negotiations at the Ramstein base in Germany.

This meeting was attended by Morocco and Tunisia.

According to Menadefense data, in 1999-2000 the Moroccan army purchased 148 T-72 tanks from Belarus, as well as 136 T-72B and 12 T-72BK.

A day earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron, asked about the possibility of Paris supplying Kyiv with Leclerc tanks, said that “nothing is impossible”.

We remind you that in July 2015, the Ukrainian state company Ukroboronservis also turned to Morocco with a request for spare parts for its T-72 tanks. The French publication Le Journal de l’Afrique reported that Washington had managed to convince Morocco to supply Ukraine with components for the armored vehicles “under conditions of the strictest secrecy”. According to the weekly’s sources, US diplomacy is expanding its operations to obtain arms for Ukraine from Africa.

Illustrative photo: Two T-72B tanks at the Chebarkul training ground, Russia, April 2017.

Study Finds That Exercise Curbs Insulin Production

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Newsdesk
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white digital device beside white pen

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates blood sugar levels in the body. A new study conducted by the University of Würzburg suggests that exercise could curb the production of this hormone.

Insulin is a vital hormone that plays a crucial role in regulating sugar metabolism in humans and other organisms. The mechanisms by which it performs this task are well understood. However, less is known about the control of <span class=”glossaryLink” aria-describedby=”tt” data-cmtooltip=”

insulin

Insulin is a hormone that regulates the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood. It is produced by the pancreas and released into the bloodstream when the level of glucose in the blood rises, such as after a meal. Insulin helps to transport glucose from the bloodstream into the cells, where it can be used for energy or stored for later use. Insulin also helps to regulate the metabolism of fat and protein. In individuals with diabetes, their body doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t respond properly to insulin, leading to high blood sugar levels, which can lead to serious health problems if left untreated.

” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]”>insulin-secreting cells and the resulting insulin secretion.

Researchers from the Biocenter of Julius-Maximilians-Universität (JMU) Würzburg in Germany have made new discoveries about the control of insulin secretion in their recent study published in Current Biology. The team, led by Dr. Jan Ache, used the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism. Interestingly, this fly also releases insulin after eating, but unlike humans, the hormone is not produced by pancreas cells, but rather by nerve cells in the brain.

The figure shows the relationship between the movement and regulation of insulin-producing cells in the fruit fly. Credit: Sander Liessem / University of Wuerzburg

Electrophysiological measurements in active flies

The JMU group figured out that the physical activity of the fly has a strong effect on its insulin-producing cells. For the first time, the researchers measured the activity of these cells electrophysiologically in walking and flying Drosophila.

The result: when Drosophila starts to walk or fly, its insulin-producing cells are immediately inhibited y. When the fly stops moving, the activity of the cells rapidly increases again and shoots up above normal levels.


“We hypothesize that the low activity of insulin-producing cells during walking and flight contributes to the provision of sugars to meet the increased energy demand,” says Dr. Sander Liessem, first author of the publication. “We suspect that the increased activity after exercise helps to replenish the fly’s energy stores, for example in the muscles.”

Blood sugar plays no role in regulation

The JMU team was also able to demonstrate that the fast, behavior-dependent inhibition of insulin-producing cells is actively controlled by neural pathways. “It is largely independent of changes in the sugar concentration in the fly’s blood,” explains co-author Dr. Martina Held.

It makes a lot of sense for the organism to anticipate an increased energy demand in this way to prevent extreme fluctuations in blood sugar levels.

Insulin has hardly changed in evolution

Do the results allow conclusions to be drawn about humans? Probably.


“Although the release of insulin in fruit flies is mediated by different cells than in humans, the insulin molecule and its function have hardly changed in the course of evolution,” says Jan Ache. In the past 20 years, using Drosophila as a model organism, many fundamental questions have already been answered that could also contribute to a better understanding of metabolic defects in humans and associated diseases, such as diabetes or obesity.

Less insulin means longevity

“One exciting point is that reduced insulin activity contributes to healthy aging and longevity,” Sander Liessem tells us. This has already been shown in flies, mice, humans, and other <span class=”glossaryLink” aria-describedby=”tt” data-cmtooltip=”

species

A species is a group of living organisms that share a set of common characteristics and are able to breed and produce fertile offspring. The concept of a species is important in biology as it is used to classify and organize the diversity of life. There are different ways to define a species, but the most widely accepted one is the biological species concept, which defines a species as a group of organisms that can interbreed and produce viable offspring in nature. This definition is widely used in evolutionary biology and ecology to identify and classify living organisms.

” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]”>species. The same applies to an active lifestyle. “Our work shows a possible link explaining how physical activity could positively affect insulin regulation via neuronal signaling pathways.”

Further steps in the research

Next, Jan Ache’s team plans to investigate which neurotransmitters and neuronal circuits are responsible for the activity changes observed in insulin-producing cells in the fly. This is likely going to be challenging: A plethora of messenger substances and hormones are involved in neuromodulatory processes, and individual substances can have opposite or complementary effects in combination.

The group is now analyzing the many ways in which insulin-producing cells process input from the outside. They are also investigating other factors that could have an influence on the activity of these cells, for example, the age of the fly or their nutritional state.


“In parallel, we are investigating the neuronal control of walking and flight behavior,” explains Jan Ache. The long-term goal of his group, he says, is to bring these two research questions together: How does the brain control walking and other behaviors, and how does the nervous system ensure that the energy balance is regulated accordingly?

Reference: “Behavioral state-dependent modulation of insulin-producing cells in Drosophila” by Sander Liessem, Martina Held, Rituja S. Bisen, Hannah Haberkern, Haluk Lacin, Till Bockemühl and Jan M. Ache, 28 December 2022, Current Biology.
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.12.005

Relationships between Morocco and the European Parliament at a low ebb

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Willy Fautre
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Relationships between Morocco and the European Parliament at a low ebb
Rabat is looking to Washington instead of Brussels to reorient its strategic partnerships

Morocco and the European Parliament – On 19 January, the European Parliament adopted a strong resolution urging Morocco to respect media freedom and the independence of journalists. It also called “for the EU and its Member States to continue raising with the Moroccan authorities the cases of detained journalists and prisoners of conscience and attend their trials.”

The cases of three journalists were particularly highlighted in the resolution.

Taoufik Bouachrine sentenced to 15 years in prison, officially for sexual offences. Omar Radi sentenced to six years in prison on charges of espionage and rape. Soulaimane Raissouni serving a five-year sentence for alleged sexual offences. All of them denied the charges and said they were fabricated.

356 MEPs voted in favour of the resolution, 32 against and 42 abstained.

The Reporters Without Borders watchdog welcomed the EU Parliament vote.

The resolution had been initiated by the political group “Renew Europe” comprising MEPs elected on the list of President Macron’s political party. Since 2021, it has been led by the French MEP Stéphane Séjourné, a former member of the Socialist Party and now an advisor to Emmanuel Macron.

Reactions in Rabat

On 23 January, members of both houses of the Moroccan Parliament held a joint meeting and unanimously rejected the resolution, largely putting the blame on France. After their session, they called the EU resolution “an unacceptable attack against the sovereignty, dignity and independence of judicial institutions in the kingdom.”

Mohammed Ghiat, president of the National Rally of Independents, the biggest party of the ruling coalition declared: “Their decisions are not going to intimidate us, and we are not going to change our path and approach.”

Ahmed Touizi of the Authenticity and Modernity Party, another member of the ruling coalition, called the resolution “a desperate attempt to influence Morocco’s independent judiciary.”

Rachid Talbi Alami, speaker of the House of Representatives, said that Morocco’s Parliament has decided to reconsider its relations with the European Parliament.

Rabat looking for other allies

The US is one of the traditional allies that continue to reiterate its willingness to boost diplomatic ties with Morocco.

Washington is ready to deepen an already solid strategic partnership, Rabat says. Earlier this month, the Biden administration renewed the US determination to further strengthen diplomatic relations and bilateral cooperation with Morocco in various areas, including trade and security.

At the same time, the US Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations Affairs, Michele Sison, conveyed her country’s keenness to bolster ties with Morocco.

In a press briefing following talks with Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sison reiterated the US’ support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the most “serious, credible and realistic solution” to put an end to the dispute over the Western Sahara region.

During her visit to Morocco, Sison recalled the need to maintain the significantly strategic cooperation between Rabat and Washington. In particular, she drew attention to Morocco’s regional leadership in promoting peace and security in the Middle East and North Africa.

This charm offensive of Washington comes at a time when the Moroccan Parliament feels disappointed by France’s and the EU’s attitude on a number of dramatic regional issues concerning Rabat, such as migration and the fight against Islamist movements in the Sahel.

Brussels and Paris need to be vigilant at a time when the presence of France in the region is increasingly and dramatically contested.

Holocaust remembrance: beware ‘siren songs of hate’ – UN chief

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grayscale photo of metal frame glass building

In his speech, delivered at UN Headquarters in New York, Mr. Guterres recalled that, within months, the Nazis had dismantled fundamental constitutional rights and paved the way for totalitarian rule: members of parliament were arrested, freedom of the press was abolished, and the first concentration camp was built, in Dachau.

The antisemitism of the Nazis became government policy, followed by organized violence and mass murder: “by the end of the war, six million children, women, and men – nearly two out of every three European Jews – had been murdered”.

Alarm bells ignored

Mr. Guterres went on to draw parallels between 1933 and today’s world: “the alarm bells were already ringing in 1933,” he declared, but “too few bothered to listen, and fewer still spoke out”.

The UN chief said that there are many “echoes of those same siren songs to hate,”

pointing out that we are living in a world in which an economic crisis is breeding discontent; populist demagogues are using the crisis to win votes, and “misinformation, paranoid conspiracy theories, and unchecked hate speech” are rampant.

In addition, continued Mr. Guterres, there is a growing disregard for human rights and disdain for the rule of law, “surging” white supremacist and Neo-Nazi ideologies; Holocaust denial and revisionism; and rising antisemitism – as well as other forms of religious bigotry and hatred.

‘Antisemitism is everywhere’

The Secretary-General lamented the fact antisemitic hate can be found everywhere today and, he said, it is increasing in intensity.

Mr. Guterres cited several examples, such as assaults on Orthodox Jews in Manhattan, Jewish schoolchildren bulled in Melbourne, Australia, and swastikas spraypainted on the Holocaust memorial in the German capital Berlin.

Neo-Nazis now represent the number one internal security threat in several countries, declared Mr. Guterres, and white supremacist movements are becoming more dangerous by the day. 

image1170x530cropped 21 - Holocaust remembrance: beware ‘siren songs of hate’ – UN chief

US Holocaust Memorial Museum/Yad Vashem

Jews from Subcarpathian Rus are subjected to a selection process on a ramp at Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland.

‘Set up guardrails’

The online world is one of the main reasons that hate speech, extreme ideologies and misinformation are disseminating so fast around the world, and the UN chief appealed to all those involved, from tech companies to policymakers and the media, to do more to stop the spread, and set up enforceable “guardrails”.

He went on to call out social media platforms and their advertisers who, he said, are complicit in moving extremism to the mainstream, turning many parts of the Internet into “toxic waste dumps for hate and vicious lies”.

The UN’s contribution to addressing the issue includes the Secretary-General’s Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech,  proposals for a Global Digital Compact for an open, free, inclusive, and secure digital future, and a code of conduct to promote integrity in public information.  

‘New waves of antisemitism’

In his address to the Ceremony, Csaba Kőrösi, President of General Assembly, reminded his audience that, although the Assembly was created to ensure that no one would have to see what the Holocaust survivors endured, 2023 is already seeing “new waves of antisemitism and Holocaust denial” across the world.

“Like poison, they seep into our everyday lives. We hear them from politicians, we read it in the media. The hate that made the Holocaust possible continues to fester”, declared Mr. Kőrösi.

The General Assembly President concluded by urging pushback against the “tsunamis of disinformation crashing about the Internet”.

Action through education and moderation

Tweet URL

The Holocaust began with words – and in the internet and social media era, the power of propaganda is more devastating than ever.

BUT EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE CAN HELP PREVENT GENOCIDE.

27 JANUARY IS INTERNATIONAL #HOLOCAUSTREMEMBRANCEDAY.

HTTPS://T.CO/41DXZOZFJT HTTPS://T.CO/YKCP6OZO39

UNESCO 🏛️ #EDUCATION #SCIENCES #CULTURE 🇺🇳

UNESCO

JANUARY 27, 2023

In a statement released on the International Day, UNESCO, the UN education, science, and culture agency, referred to the partnerships it has established with leading social media company Meta – the owner of Facebook and TikTok – as a first step towards fighting online antisemitism and Holocaust denial, but acknowledged that significant work still needs to be done.

This programme involves the development, in collaboration with the World Jewish Congress, of online resources, which are now used by the platforms to counter the spread of content denying and distorting the Holocaust.

“As we enter a world with fewer and fewer survivors who can testify to what happened, it is imperative that social media companies take responsibility to fight misinformation and to better protect those targeted by antisemitism and hate,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay.

Widespread online Holocaust denial

UNESCO research has found that antisemitism and denial and distortion of the Holocaust, continue to proliferate on all social media platforms.

On average, 16 per cent of social media posts on the Holocaust falsified history in 2022. On Telegram, which has no content moderation, this rises to 49 per cent, whilst on Twitter the amount has risen considerably following the upheaval at the company at the end of last year.

Offline, UNESCO has programmes across the world to promote Holocaust and genocide education.

Next month, UNESCO and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum aim to train ministry of education officials in 10 countries to develop ambitious Holocaust and genocide education projects and, in the US, will train educators in the US on how to address antisemitism in schools.

Fifth European Court of Justice ruling on parity of pay looms as Commission advances high-profile Lettori case to the reasoned opinion stage

By
Henry Rodgers
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Fifth European Court of Justice ruling on parity of pay looms as Commission advances high-profile Lettori case to the reasoned opinion stage

16 months from the date it opened infringement proceedings against Italy for its persistent discrimination against non-national university teaching staff (Lettori), the European Commission has decided to advance the proceedings to the reasoned opinion stage. Italy’s failure in the interim period to settle its liability to the Lettori for decades of discriminatory treatment explains why the Commission took its decision.

The infringement of the Treaty at issue in this increasingly high-profile case is Italy’s failure to correctly implement the 2006 European Court of Justice(CJEU) enforcement ruling in  Case C-119/04 , the last of 4 rulings in favour of the Lettori in a line of jurisprudence which dates back to the seminal Allué ruling of 1989.  Pilar Allué Day, a piece published in The European Times in May of this year, recounts how Italy has managed to evade its obligations to the Lettori under each of these CJEU rulings from 1989 to the present.

The simplicity of the solution of the Lettori case renders the duration of the breach all the more remarkable. Implementation of the 2006 enforcement ruling merely required the universities to pay settlements for reconstruction of career from the date of first employment to the Lettori based on the minimum parameter of part-time researcher or more favourable parameters won before Italian courts, as provided for under the terms of an Italian March 2004 law, a law which was approved by the CJEU. 

But Italy has consistently tried to subordinate this clear-cut ruling to Italian arrangements and interpretations. The Gelmini Law of 2010  retrospectively interpreted the March 2004 law in a restrictive manner which placed limits on the reconstruction of career due to the Lettori, limits nowhere condoned in the 2006 ruling. A blueprint of a contract for universities and Lettori introduced by interministerial decree in 2019 to give effect to the CJEU jurisprudence effectively ignored the rights to settlements of retired Lettori. Since the litigation for parity of treatment dates back to the 1980s, these Lettori constitute a significant percentage of the beneficiaries of the CJEU case law.

In its press release, the Commission is explicit as to why it decided to send the reasoned opinion to Italy.

“The majority of universities did not take the steps needed for a correct reconstruction of the Lettori’s careers, the result being that most foreign lecturers have still not received the money to which they are entitled. Italy has not adopted the necessary measures since the launch of the infringement procedure in September 2021 and is therefore still discriminating against foreign lecturers.”

Should the Italian authorities fail to pay the settlements due under the ruling in Case C-119/04, then the Commission may refer the case to the CJEU for what would be the fifth ruling in the line of jurisprudence which dates back to Pilar Allué first victory in 1989. In such a scenario Italy’s lawyers would have the unenviable task of explaining to the Court why the March 2004 law- the enactment of which spared Italy the daily fines of €309,750 recommended by the Commission- was not subsequently implemented.

The infringement proceedings were preceded by pilot proceedings, a procedure introduced to resolve disputes amicably with member states and prevent recourse to litigation. Over a 10-year period it markedly failed to achieve its objectives. The move to infringement procedures proper with their broadened scope is credited to the evidence of discrimination collected in the national Census of Lettori and to other depositions of Asso. CEL.L, an official complainant in the infringement proceedings, and FLC CGIL, Italy’s largest trade union. That FLC CGIL denounced the discriminatory practices of the state of which it is the main union and canvassed Italy’s MEP in support of the Lettori was obviously influential.

Heartened by the opening of infringement proceedings the Lettori have become more politically engaged. Modelled on the representations of FLC CGIL to Italy’s MEPs, and availing of the multilingualism of the category, Lettori wrote to the euro parliamentarians of their home countries to enlist their support for a move to the reasoned opinion stage. These successful mother-tongue representations including translations of Pilar Allué Day, the definitive legal history of the Lettori, were copied to President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who has taken a personal interest in the Lettori question.

The age profile and- from the mother-tongue slogans on the placards they carried – the range of nationalities of the Lettori were discernible as they staged a national protest  against their discriminatory treatment outside the office of  Anna Maria Bernini, Minister for Higher Education and Research, near the Tiber in Rome in December of last year. Gathered afterwards for lunch in nearby cafés before separating for train journeys to different parts of Italy, their flags and placards set down against walls and tables, the setting brought a wistful awareness that in their early and late 60s they were still marching, still protesting. It was not lost on the company that the right to the parity of treatment claimed outside the Ministry had been ratified in the historic Treaty of Rome, signed in 1957 at a venue within easy walking distance: Palazzo dei Conservatori on the Campidoglio.

As Guardian of the Treaties, it is the task of the Commission to ensure that the commitments made by the member states in Rome and other subsequent Treaty cities are respected. That it has had to open second infringement proceedings to compel implementation of the ruling resulting from the first proceedings is the measure of how intransigent and resistant Italy has been.

News that the proceedings had been moved to the reasoned opinion stage was warmly welcomed in universities across Italy. The decision was seen as a serious statement of the Commission’s intent to ensure full compliance with the Court sentence of 2006.

Retired Lettore Linda Armstrong, who taught at the University of Bologna from 1990 to 2020, is all too familiar with the universities’ practice of wilful evasion of CJEU sentences. Much to her exasperation the university withheld her Treaty right to parity of treatment over the course of her teaching career. 

Commenting on the Commission’s decision to move the infringement proceedings to the reasoned opinion stage, Ms. Armstrong said:

“It is intolerable that Italy can flout the crystal-clear rulings of the CJEU with impunity. The parliamentary question from Clare Daly and her fellow Irish MEPs on the benefits and obligations of membership, which preceded the opening of the infringement proceedings, best posits the Lettori case before the conscience of the EU. That Italian universities receive billions of euros in funding from Europe while simultaneously denying Treaty rights in the workplace makes a mockery of European ideals. Hopefully, the move to the reasoned opinion stage will speed up the resolution of our case.”

In the press release giving news of the issue of the reasoned opinion, the Commission announced that it has given Italy two months to respond.

The persecution of Christians in the world, especially in Iran, highlighted at the European Parliament

By
Willy Fautre
-
0
The persecution of Christians in the world

The persecution of Christians in Iran was the focus of the presentation of the 2023 World Watch List of the Protestant NGO Open Doors yesterday, Thursday 25 January, at the European Parliament (EP).

According to their report, 360 million Christians around the world suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith, 5621 Christians were murdered and 2110 church buildings were attacked last year. 

The event was hosted by MEP Peter Van Dalen and MEP Miriam Lexmann (EPP group).

Peter Van Dalen commented on the damning Open Doors report as follows:

“It is highly concerning to see that persecution of Christians is still increasing in
the world. It is therefore very important that in all its work on human rights,
the European Parliament does not overlook the right to freedom or religion or
belief! I am grateful for organisations like Open Doors who keep reminding
us of the urgency and importance of these matters.”MEP Peter Vandalen

MEP Nicola Beer (Renew Europe Group), one of the EP Vice-presidents, had a special address focusing on the positive and constructive role of religious communities in democratic societies and consequently the necessity to defend freedom of religion or belief.

Ms Dabrina Bet-Tamraz, a Protestant from the Assyrian ethnic minority in Iran, who is now living in Switzerland, had been invited to testify about the persecution of Christians in Iran, through the example of her own family.

ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw== The persecution of Christians in the world, especially in Iran, highlighted at the European Parliament

When I was a teenager we were constantly under surveillance; we were bugged and there were spies in the church. We didn’t know
who we could trust. We were ready for anyone in the family to
be killed at any time as it had happened in many other Christian communities. At school, I was discriminated against by the teachers and the principal. I was stigmatized both as a Christian and as an Assyrian by the other students.

After the Shahrara Assyrian Church of my father was closed in 2009, I was arrested
many times to be interrogated about the activities of the members of our church.
I was kept in custody with no legal permit, with no female officer present but just
in male surroundings, which is stressing for a teenager. I was threatened of being
raped. I now feel safe in Switzerland but when Iranian Ministry of Intelligence
officers published an article on social media with my pictures and home address – encouraging Iranian men living in Switzerland to ‘pay me a visit’ – I had to move
to another house. Even outside Iran, we remain under threat for our life if
we reveal the human rights violations of the regime.“

For many years, Dabrina’s father, Pastor Victor Bet-Tamraz, and her mother, Shamiran Issavi Khabizeh were sharing their faith with Farsi-speaking Muslims, which is forbidden in Iran, and were training converts.

20230126 Christian Church in Iran - The persecution of Christians in the world, especially in Iran, highlighted at the European Parliament
Photo credit: Pastor Victor Bet-Tamraz

Pastor Victor Bet-Tamraz was officially recognised as a minister by the Iranian government and led the Shahrara Assyrian Pentecostal Church in Tehran for many years until the Interior Ministry closed it down in March 2009 for holding services in Farsi – it was then the last church in Iran to hold services in the language of the Iranian Muslims. The church was later allowed to reopen under a new leadership, with services conducted in Assyrian only. Pastor Victor Bet-Tamraz and his wife then moved into house church ministry, hosting meetings in their home.

Dabrina’s parents were arrested in 2014 but were released on bail. In 2016, they were sentenced to ten years in prison. Their appeal hearing was postponed several times until 2020. When it was obvious that the prison term would be maintained, they decided to leave Iran. They now live with their daughter who had fled to Switzerland in 2010.

In the meantime, she had studied Evangelical theology in the UK and she is now a pastor in a German-speaking church in Switzerland. Her campaign for religious freedom in Iran has taken her to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, to the second annual Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom in Washington DC and to a UN General Assembly, apart from many other events.

At the European Parliament in Brussels, she called on the Iranian authorities to

“order the immediate and unconditional release of Christians detained on spurious
charges related to the practice of their faith and religious activities; and uphold the
right to freedom of religion or belief for every citizen, regardless of their ethnic or
linguistic group, including converts from other religions.” 

She asked the international community, including the European Union, to hold Iran accountable for its mistreatment of religious minorities. She urged the Iranian authorities to uphold their obligation to ensure freedom of religion and belief for all their citizens in conformity with the international instruments they have signed and ratified.

MEP Miriam Lexmann, from Slovakia, a former Communist country, pointed at the anti-religious nature of the Marxist ideology imposed on her country for decades after WWII. She made a vibrant plea for freedom of conscience and belief, saying:

Miriam Lexmann European Parliament 1024x682 - The persecution of Christians in the world, especially in Iran, highlighted at the European Parliament
MEP Miriam Lexmann – Photo credit: European Parliament

“Freedom of religion or belief is the cornerstone of all human rights. When religious freedom is attacked, all human rights are under threat. Fighting for religious
freedom is fighting for all human rights and for democracy. A number of
countries such as China, another Communist country, have developed some
very sophisticated methods to amputate parts of the religious freedom of their populations. I try to share my concerns with my colleagues of other political
groups in the Parliament but for various reasons it is difficult to open their minds.”

MEP Nicola Beer, from Germany, stressed that religious communities play a major role in our democratic countries, contribute to the stability of our societies and provide assistance to the most vulnerable persons through their caritative organizations.

23038 original Nicola Beer - The persecution of Christians in the world, especially in Iran, highlighted at the European Parliament
Nicola Beer | Source: European Parliament Audiovisual

“Fighting for freedom of religion or belief contributes to the defence of all human rights but quite often my colleagues at the Parliament forget religious freedom when they prioritize the human rights that should be defended,” she said. “The situation is getting worse and worse around the globe and it is important that people like Dabrina Bet-Tamraz testify about this deterioration. We have the privilege to freely decide and choose which religious or non-religious beliefs we want to adhere to. It is a privilege and a treasure that we should fully appreciate because in many countries thinking differently is perceived as a threat.”

During the debate with the numerous audience, MEP Peter Van Dalen was challenged about the efficiency of sanctions taken by the European Union. His answer was very convincing:

Peter Vandalen - The persecution of Christians in the world, especially in Iran, highlighted at the European Parliament

“Last year in April, the lawyer of a Christian couple in Pakistan called me for help because they had been on the death row for years on so-called blasphemy charges and they might be sentenced to death. It was decided to table an emergency resolution about their situation. The motion got a huge support and two weeks later, they were released, officially ‘for lack of evidence’. It shows that resolutions of the European Parliament do not remain unnoticed and can be very effective. Those two Christians could leave Pakistan and now live in a Western democratic country. Based on this success, I have just taken the initiative to send a letter to the EEAS and to Josep Borrell signed by eight MEPs to question the legitimacy of the commercial advantages attached to the GSP+ status, too generously granted to Pakistan and maintained despite the recurrent violations of religious freedom and human rights in Pakistan. Indeed, on 17 January, the National Assembly of Pakistan increased the punishment of insulting pious personalities of Islam, specifically family members of the prophet Muhammad, from three to ten years imprisonment.

Read more:

Hotspot of Christians persecution in 2022 highlighted in West Africa

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