We are writing to call your attention to the conclusions of two recent reviews of France's human rights record by authoritative international human rights bodies. In July, the United Nations Human Rights Committee conducted a comprehensive review of France's compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

Human Rights Watch sent a letter to President Sarkozy asking that he delay accepting an invitation to the Olympics until the Chinese government makes progress on four key human rights issues.

We are writing in advance of the upcoming Article 36 Committee
meeting in Brussels, at which you will discuss the EU Network of contact points in respect of persons responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes (EU Network).

We are writing to express our concern about elements of the draft bill concerning “Immigration control, integration and asylum.” As currently drafted, the procedural safeguards in the bill are inadequate to protect against return to the risk of persecution under the Refugee Convention.

Human Rights Watch commends the collective call by the European Union to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center that was made at the E.U.-U.S. summit last month.

We are writing to you about the draft anti-terrorism law currently under consideration in the Senate. Human Rights Watch would like to express our concerns about current provisions in the draft law that would increase the maximum duration of police custody for terrorism suspects without improving safeguards with respect to access to counsel and judicial supervision.

In the past year, expansion has brought the European Union ever closer to Russia’s border, but developments in Russia have moved it farther from European values in human rights. We are writing to respectfully urge you to raise these concerns at the highest level during your visit, and to signal that human rights will be a key concern for the European Union in the months leading up to the E.U.-Russia summit.

In an unprecedented move, Human Rights Watch and other human rights and refugee organizations across Europe call on the European Union to withdraw proposals for new asylum procedures. The groups contend that the proposals violate member states' obligations under international law.