On October 9, the United States government sanctioned the International Criminal Court, citing ICC jurisdiction over crimes by US nationals abroad.

This is an unprecedented assault on global justice and the rule of law.

Read HRW's statement: https://bit.ly/4zuGQqh

The EU has real leverage as it negotiates deals with GCC states. It should use it to secure rights progress and reforms, focusing on concrete deliverables, @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu @eucopresident.consilium.europa.eu

Read the full letter: www.hrw.org/news/2026/10...

5️⃣ In #Yemen, the #Houthis have been holding dozens of UN and NGO staff. Some are in critical health, and risk death sentence.

The EU should play a greater role in advocating for their release, and urge GCC states with influence over the Houthis to increase efforts. www.hrw.org/news/2026/10...

4️⃣ Migrant workers face widespread abuse across the Gulf, some possibly forced labour. #SaudiArabia preps for 2034 #WorldCup risk exacerbating that.

EU partnership & trade deals with GCC countries should be tied to benchmarks, incl. ILO ratifications, labour reforms: www.hrw.org/sites/defaul...

3️⃣ All GCC countries retain the #DeathPenalty. Executions were recorded in 2025 in UAE, Kuwait and, most of all, Saudi Arabia, where at least 356 were killed, incl. journalist Turki al-Jasser.

The EU should urge a moratorium, pending abolition by all GCC governments. www.hrw.org/news/2026/01...

2️⃣ The EU should urge the release of jailed human rights defenders and activists, incl. high-profile prisoners like Ahmed Mansoor in #UAE, Waleed Abulkhair in #SaudiArabia, and EU citizens (!) al-Khawaja & al-Muqdad in #Bahrain
www.hrw.org/news/2026/09...

1️⃣ @hrw.org contributed to exposing #UAE support for the #RSF, responsible for appalling atrocities in #Sudan

The EU should urge the UAE to halt that support, prepare sanctions against Abu Dhabi-based GSSG, and lay out consequences for arms exports and trade negotiations
www.hrw.org/news/2026/06...

#GCC-#EU summit: @hrw.org wrote to @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu & @eucopresident.consilium.europa.eu highlighting 5 human rights priorities the EU should raise in Riyadh on Oct 24 and in ongoing partnership and trade negotiations with GCC countries. Why these priorities, and what is at stake: 🧵⤵️

If genocidal acts don’t suffice to suspend a treaty that is allegedly based on a human rights clause, then what does?

The past three years have shown that, for the EU, the issue is not what abuses are committed, but who commits and who suffers them: europeancorrespondent.com/en/r/what-ha...

A side-effect of @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu’s refusal to uphold international law: she has abandoned EU states to Israel's petty retaliation.

When will her failure end? www.hrw.org/news/2026/09...

#Syria: 'Return to Nothing' - Visit the exhibition by Ali Haj Suleiman at @europarl.europa.eu from 28.9. to 1.10. 📸

Join us on Monday, 28 Sept, at 18h30 for the opening - hosted by MEP Marco Tarquinio & with remarks by EEAS SecGen @kajsaollongren.bsky.social.

Need access to EP? 🔗 t.co/mXKFQ7Zcpw

#Bahrain has been jailing and torturing two EU citizens and human rights defenders for 15 years. And what does the EU do? Seek a bilateral partnership agreement, of course: euobserver.com/238799/eu-ba... #EUGCC #GCC #FreeAlKhawaja #FreeAlMuqdad

@vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu @kajakallas.bsky.social

🕊️ Meet the #EUinfluencer2026 Top 5 in Democracy & Human Rights:

🥇 @clafrancavilla.wsocial.eu
🥈 @enriqueanartelazo.bsky.social
🥉 @lotteleicht.bsky.social
🏅 @alemanno.bsky.social
🏅 @stevepeers.bsky.social

#EUinfluencer #10YearsofEUInfluencer

In her #SOTEU speech, @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu called Israeli settlements "unacceptable", but resisted calls to ban EU trade fueling their economy.

Hard to see the point. Easy to see the (embarrassing and criminal) results: euobserver.com/238230/israe...

#China: new decree expands discretion to bar nationals and non-nationals from leaving the country.

Anyone applying to leave must prove their reasons are “truthful and lawful”, whatever that means.

If it sounds nightmarish and unlawful, it’s because it is: hrw.org/news/2026/09...

🔟 She didn't enter into ongoing turf war with Kallas and EEAS reform, and presented "European Security Council" as joint COM-HRVP proposal.

She also didn't repeat need to "break free from the shackles of #unanimity" in foreign policy (SOTEU 2025), which remains huge obstacle to an effective EU FP.

9️⃣ "Europe will always lead when it comes to defending the rules-based system"

But will it? Where is the EU's blocking statute for US sanctions against #ICC officials, Albanese & Pal NGOs? Where are Venezuela, Iran, the UN?

Tell you where they're not: in her speech.

8️⃣ As usual, #migration painted as a defence issue: "weaponised" desperate people that we must "protect our borders" from

Not a word on who "weaponises" them, nor on how to address the oppression they flee from. Just more Frontex - along with some possibly helpful skills & jobs projects

7️⃣ #Africa doesn't get a single mention.

One can only infer cooperation with some African countries is implied in her migration remarks - which only makes it worse, as "not welcome" is her only message to the entire continent.

All while wars wage in Sudan, DRC, Sahel, etc