Foreign Minister: Romania, honored to endorse Declaration Against Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations

The states must act in such a way as to allow any deprivation of liberty to be examined by independent courts, Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said at the launch of the Declaration Against Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations, a video conference event organized by Canada, the Foreign Ministry informs. "The observance of human rights must be at the heart of all our actions, both nationally and internationally. Initiatives such as the Declaration Against Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations are an additional opportunity to confirm the essential importance of the international order based on rules and on our joint commitments. Romania is honored to endorse this Declaration and to contribute to the creation of the political and diplomatic context necessary for this approach to become a landmark," said Minister Aurescu. The Declaration Against Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations is a political document initiated by Canada and backed by more than 50 states, including EU member states, the US, the UK and Norway. According to the Foreign Ministry, Minister Aurescu's intervention reconfirmed "Romania's attachment to a rules-based world order and to the development of international relations in a constructive and predictable manner." "The Romanian chief diplomat pointed out that the elimination of arbitrary detention is essential, and states must act in such way as to allow any deprivation of liberty to be examined by independent courts, including in terms of the authorities' responsibility for such acts," specified the Foreign Affairs Ministry. The Declaration's guiding principles are: - reaffirming the fact that arbitrary arrests and detentions are contrary to international human rights law and instruments; - expressing grave concern about the use of arbitrary arrest or detention by states to exercise leverage over foreign governments, contrary to international law; - calling on all states to refrain from arbitrary arrest, detention, or sentencing to exercise leverage over foreign governments in the context of state-to-state relations; - reaffirming the fundamental importance of the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, respect for human rights, and respect for the obligation to provide consular access in accordance with international law. AGERPRES (RO - author: Irinela Visan, editor: Claudia Stanescu; EN - editor: Simona Klodnischi)