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Statement of the MFA on the Occasion of Human Rights Day

 

In 1950, the 10 December was declared as the Human Rights Day by the United Nations General Assembly. Two years earlier, in 1948, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights had been adopted as the first international catalogue of universal human rights, which has become a basis for many other international human rights instruments.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel Schwarzenberg underlines a significant symbolic character of the Human Rights Day: “We would like to remind of the people who advocate for protection of human rights and freedoms of others, and sacrifice their comfort, their careers, their and their dearest personal safety, or even their lives for this purpose. In fact, many human rights defenders achieve no or rather small recognition; in consequence of their activities many of them are being attacked, harassed, persecuted or even imprisoned. Thus the Human Rights Day serves primarily as a reminder of these courageous people.

On the occasion of the Human Rights Day, Minister Schwarzenberg calls on immediate release of all prisoners of conscience and expresses his full support and respect to all those, who, despite of hard conditions, deliberate legislative restrictions and physical jeopardy, keep on their activities.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the leadership of Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, has dedicated enormous effort and financial means in order to promote human rights and democracy in the world. Promotion of human rights has belonged to priorities of the Czech foreign policy for more than twenty years. “The Czech Republic will further continue to support, both morally and financially, all individuals and organizations, who contribute to the improvement of human rights everywhere in the world”.

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