Despite
the fact that we do not deal directly with issues related to religious freedom,
we consider it to be one of the fundamental human rights. That is why we
supported activists from non-governmental organisations, associated in the
American group called International Religious Freedom (IRF) Roundtable, which
sent a letter to the Australian Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Defence and Trade on the adoption of legislation comparable to the Global
Magnitsky Act.
The Open Dialogue Foundation, as
a long-standing promoter and advocate of the Global Magnitsky Act, signed a
letter from IRF to the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign
Affairs, applauding the Australian Parliament’s inquiry into whether Australia
should enact legislation that would provide a mechanism – comparable to the
Global Magnitsky Act – to impose sanctions on government officials and other
actors responsible for violations of human rights and religious freedom in the
Indo-Pacific region.
At the same time, the signatories of the letter
recommended that a mechanism for regular consultation between the implementing
agencies and human rights advocates, civil society organisations and witnesses
and victims of violations should be included in the Global Magnitsky Act as
part of its enforcement process. Based on their experience, the signatories
ensure that such regular consultation is the key to effective implementation of
sanctions and human rights monitoring systems worldwide.