Dear Prime Minister,
As the Finnish government prepares to assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), Amnesty International calls on you to ensure that human rights are at the forefront of your mandate. The Finnish Presidency comes at a key moment of institutional transition and as the EU faces a host of challenges in its internal and external policy. With human rights under assault worldwide and many states currently disengaging from the international human rights framework, the EU and its Member States are increasingly called upon to exercise leadership on human rights at global level, including at multilateral fora, as most recently highlighted in Council Conclusions on multilateralism.
Given Finland’s longstanding and vocal support for human rights, as reaffirmed in your Presidency’s and government’s programs, we trust that you will use this opportunity to influence the future direction of the EU by championing a robust, coherent and consistent human rights policy throughout the Presidency.