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Andrew Stroehlein Profile picture
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Jan 21 • 8 tweets • 3 min read
I fear it's not just one bad apple of a commissioner but rather further evidence of a European Commission that is increasingly turning its back on the very concept of human rights.
See also, the Commission helping Orbán's Hungary become a dictatorship: hrw.org/news/2020/04/2…

The Commission's complicity with abuses in Libya: ecre.org/un-high-commis…

Its support for Poland's abuses & helping Warsaw lie about them: hrw.org/news/2021/12/0…
I could go on...

The European Commission is supposed to oversee Frontex, the EU border agency, which "has repeatedly failed to take effective action when allegations of human rights violations are brought to its attention".

hrw.org/news/2021/06/2…
The European Commission is also funding a program that will help Greek police to target and harass refugees, asylum seekers, and minority groups with, a new "tech-driven tool to ramp up abuse."

hrw.org/news/2022/01/1…
And for 15 months, the European Commission has blocked wider vaccine production globally - during a pandemic in which BILLIONS still haven't had one jab yet, in large part due to this policy of deliberate shortage to boost pharma monopoly profits.
Of course, it's not just the Commission. EU member states, through the Council, could help redirect policy on things like blocking vaccine production, but they're not speaking up, and so this Commission has run with the deadly policy, ignoring all advice from health experts.
And lies and disinformation have been central to the European Commission's deadly policy from the start:
In more and more policy areas - from undermining human rights groups in Israel/Palestine, to abuses of asylum seekers, to blocking wider vaccine production - we see a consistent pattern of the European Commission ignoring its obligations to uphold human rights.

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More from @astroehlein

Andrew Stroehlein Profile picture
Jan 23
In blocking wider vaccine production globally, EU & UK take a neocolonialist approach to the pandemic, saying:

❗️ we're in charge;

❗️ we decide who lives & dies;

❗️ we may give you some charity later if we feel generous & if you behave.

It’s arrogant & self-destructive. Image
From the beginning, the EU & UK have been blocking wider vaccine production globally by obstructing the #TRIPSwaiver, a proposal at the World Trade Organization to temporarily waive some intellectual property rules on vaccines & other health products.
EU & UK leaders have adopted this policy to boost pharma monopoly profits.

They know it will prolong the pandemic & lead to more deaths & suffering.

They know it gives more time for new variants to emerge.

But profits come first, so the policy is: enforce vaccine shortage.
Read 21 tweets
Andrew Stroehlein Profile picture
Jan 21
This kind of sledgehammer does not seem like a sensible way to convince the as-yet unconvinced: euobserver.com/tickers/154153

Vaccine mandates can be a key tool in dampening the pandemic, but they must get the nuances right & be rooted in a broader strategy: hrw.org/news/2021/10/0… Image
And while mandating vaccines at home, #Austria, as part of the EU, is blocking wider vaccine production globally by obstructing the #TRIPSwaiver, a proposal to temporarily waive some intellectual property rules on vaccines & other health products, so BILLIONS now CANNOT get a jab
#Austria’s policy is the EU’s policy, because the European Commission negotiates on behalf of the EU at the World Trade Organization, where the EU is protecting pharma monopolies by blocking the #TRIPSwaiver. Austria could try to change the EU's deadly policy via the EU Council.
Read 6 tweets
Andrew Stroehlein Profile picture
Jan 21
For all those who see human rights activists & NGO types slogging away, day after day, on issues that seem intractable and wonder if it's worthwhile... if it actually works... if progress is even possible...

Let me tell you that, yes, it is. Image
Since overthrowing the democratically elected government on 1 February 2021, #Myanmar’s military has carried out nationwide crackdowns on anti-junta protesters, activists, journalists & political opposition, killing more than 1400 people. It amounts to crimes against humanity. Image
In addition, the #Myanmar junta's renewed attacks on ethnic minority areas have resulted in numerous war crimes.
hrw.org/news/2021/12/1…
Read 24 tweets
Andrew Stroehlein Profile picture
Jan 17
My friend asked me for 10 euros, saying it was a matter of life & death...

🧵 1/
I know his situation. He's not exaggerating. It really is a matter of life & death.

2/
So, I gave him 38 cents.

3/
Read 6 tweets
Andrew Stroehlein Profile picture
Jan 17
Some small, pro-death rallies took place in a few EU member states at the weekend: euobserver.com/tickers/154100

But the biggest support for the deadly virus continues to come from the EU's policy of blocking wider vaccine production globally: politico.eu/article/vaccin…
Yes, the EU & its member states are supporting widespread vaccination at home but blocking it globally.

Billions of people around the world have not had even one shot yet, in large part because of the global vaccine shortage the EU enforces at the World Trade Organization.
For over 15 months, the EU has been blocking wider vaccine production globally by obstructing the #TRIPSwaiver, a proposal at the WTO to temporarily waive some intellectual property rules on vaccines & other health products.
Read 22 tweets
Andrew Stroehlein Profile picture
Jan 15
But WHY would the EU, led by Germany in this, continue to block wider vaccine production globally. During a global pandemic! That’s just crazy, isn’t it?

For 99.9% of humanity, yes.

For a few selected parts of Germany however…

theguardian.com/world/2021/dec… Image
It’s very nice that the city of Mainz is able to balance its books. Not sure it’s worth the countless deaths that will result from the Germany/EU policy of blocking wider vaccine production globally to protect pharma monopoly profits. But, yeah, Mainz politicians are happy. 👍
For two years, the leaders of rich governments have been pretending they can fight a global pandemic by thinking locally & nationally. This is just one, particularly egregious, example.
Read 15 tweets

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