Sous-commission Droits de l'homme (DROI) - Parlement européen

20 years on from her assassination, Human Rights and EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation committee MEPs will pay tribute to Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya in Strasbourg.
Subcommittee on Human Rights

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

20 years after the assassination of the Russian journalist, the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) will pay tribute to Anna Politkovskaya on 5 October 2026, from 19:30 to 20:30.

Organised jointly with the Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee (D-RU), the meeting will be an opportunity to shed light on the struggle for fundamental freedoms and against impunity in Russia, in an exchange with the journalist's grand-daughter and political activist Anna-Victoria Politkovskaya, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in the Russian Federation Mariana Katzarova and Editor-in-Chief of Novaya Gazeta Europe Kirill Martynov.

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly embedded in military systems and decision-making, from intelligence and surveillance to targeting support, command and control, border management and security operations. This raises important human rights concerns, particularly around human control, accountability, transparency and decisions that may affect the use of force. The workshop held on 15 July 2026 on behalf of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI), jointly with the Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE), examined key risks linked to AI-enabled military systems, including algorithmic opacity, automation bias and the delegation of functions affecting human dignity, due process, non-discrimination and access to an effective remedy. It also considered the practical challenge of maintaining meaningful human control throughout the design, deployment and use of these systems. Participants discussed responsibility and oversight, including the roles of states, military operators, developers and private technology providers, as well as possible EU responses to strengthen transparency, human rights due diligence, democratic oversight and access to justice. This publication brings together the workshop proceedings, including exchanges with Members, academics, civil society experts and EU representatives, with a study on the same topic
Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Source : © Union européenne, 2026 - PE

The nominees for this year’s Prize will be presented by the political groups in a joint meeting of the Committees on Foreign Affairs (AFET) and on Development (DEVE) and the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) in Brussels on 1st October, 12:00-13:00
Each year, the Parliament awards the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to honour exceptional individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms. In 2025, the Prize was awarded to Andrzej Poczobut, journalist and activist from the Polish minority in Belarus, and Mzia Amaglobeli, Georgian journalist and the first female political prisoner in Georgia since its independence. 
The AFET and DEVE Committees will vote on a shortlist of three finalists on 19 October in Strasbourg and the Conference of Presidents will take a decision on the final laureate on 22 October.  
Sakharov Prize website
Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Source : © Union européenne, 2026 - PE

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Durée de la vidéo : 90'

Clause de non-responsabilité : L'interprétation des débats facilite la communication mais ne constitue en aucun cas un enregistrement authentifié des débats. Seuls le discours original ou la traduction écrite révisée du discours original peuvent être considérés authentiques.
Source : © Union européenne, 2026 - PE

Durée de la vidéo : 180'

Clause de non-responsabilité : L'interprétation des débats facilite la communication mais ne constitue en aucun cas un enregistrement authentifié des débats. Seuls le discours original ou la traduction écrite révisée du discours original peuvent être considérés authentiques.
Source : © Union européenne, 2026 - PE

Durée de la vidéo : 60'

Clause de non-responsabilité : L'interprétation des débats facilite la communication mais ne constitue en aucun cas un enregistrement authentifié des débats. Seuls le discours original ou la traduction écrite révisée du discours original peuvent être considérés authentiques.
Source : © Union européenne, 2026 - PE

Durée de la vidéo : 135'

Clause de non-responsabilité : L'interprétation des débats facilite la communication mais ne constitue en aucun cas un enregistrement authentifié des débats. Seuls le discours original ou la traduction écrite révisée du discours original peuvent être considérés authentiques.
Source : © Union européenne, 2026 - PE

Source : © Union européenne, 2026 - PE

On 2 September at 17:15 CET, DROI held a debriefing of the mission to Egypt of 19–23 July 2026, accompanied by an exchange of views on the human rights situation in the country with invited speakers from the civil society and the European Commission (DG MENA).

Members who participated in the visit exchanged the main findings of the mission and discussed recent human rights developments in Egypt.

The discussion also addressed follow-up to the mission and the role of the EU in promoting human rights in the framework of EU-Egypt relations and relevant financial allocations and funded programmes.

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

On Wednesday, 2 September 2026, the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights held an exchange of views on the deteriorating human rights situation in Pakistan. The exchange provided an opportunity to assess the human rights situation in the country and the key challenges affecting the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms.

Through contributions from invited speakers, the exchange seeked to provide insight into emerging human rights challenges in Pakistan and the broader trends affecting the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms in the country.

It also provided an opportunity to take stock of the ongoing EU-Pakistan dialogue on human rights, including in the framework of the EU-Pakistan Strategic Engagement Plan and Pakistan’s participation in the EU’s GSP+ scheme, and to assess how these instruments can contribute to advancing human rights in the country.

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Source : © Union européenne, 2026 - PE

17-07-2026 / Joint statement: "Protect the International Criminal Court, defend the rule of law: parliamentarians call for the activation of the EU Blocking Statute"
16-07-2026 / Leading MEPs react to a US campaign against the International Criminal Court
30-06-2026 / Azerbaijan: the human rights situation in the context of the visit of the President of the European Commission to Baku
19-06-2026 / 20 June: World Refugee Day
18-06-2026 / "Justice for Tunisian antiracist activist Saadia Mosbah and her colleagues"
07-05-2026 / Human rights MEPs mission to Tanzania cancelled after authorities decline visit
30-04-2026 / World Press Freedom Day: statement by European Parliament committee chairs
09-04-2026 / Joint statement: Russian authorities must put an immediate and unconditional halt end to their campaign to destroy Memorial
27-03-2026 / Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights deplores the request of the authorities to postpone the delegation to Tunisia
25-03-2026 / Joint statement on the occasion of Belarus Freedom Day
10-03-2026 / Joint statement on Mzia Amaglobeli
24-02-2026 / Joint Statement on Ukraine: Russian perpetrators “will be held to account”
10-02-2026 / Joint statement on the sentencing of Armenian detainees by Azerbaijan
27-08-2026 / Joint statement: Lead MEPs call on Turkish authorities to release Osman Kavala
Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Source : © Union européenne, 2026 - PE

A delegation of five MEPs, led by the Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights Mounir Satouri, visited Egypt from 20 to 22 July. The programme included meetings with representatives of the Egyptian authorities, international organisations, and civil society.
Press release
Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

A delegation of five MEPs, led by the Chair of the Subcommittee Human Rights Mounir Satouri, visited Egypt from 20 to 22 July. On the programme: meetings with representatives of the Egyptian authorities, international organisations, and civil society.
Press release
Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP