|
Secretary of State John Kerry met with a group of
civil society activists from Europe and Central Asia who had gathered in
Belgrade during the Ministerial Meeting of the 57-nation Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The activists were
participants and leaders of the OSCE Parallel Civil Society Conference
convened by the Civic Solidarity Platform.
The activists from Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia,
Russia, Serbia, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine had an opportunity to discuss
with Secretary Kerry specific cases of concern and broader trends in
their countries and regions. Executive Director of the Helsinki
Committee for Human Rights in Serbia Izabela Kisić also participated at
the meeting.
Kerry expressed solidarity with the activists, calling
their work “essential to the advancement of human rights, democratic
development, prosperity and security in the OSCE region.” The Secretary
assured the activists that they had “the steadfast support of the United
States” and that we will continue to raise concerns about increasing
pressure on civil society and independent media, including restrictive
laws and practices impeding the operation of non-governmental
organizations, the persecution of human rights defenders and independent
journalists, and the false labeling of civil society organizations as
“foreign agents.”
The Secretary also noted the important role played by
civil society in Ukraine and the Western Balkans in advancing needed
reforms and helping build a European future for their countries.
The Secretary welcomed the recommendations presented
to him by the Civic Solidarity Platform.
GALLERY::: |
