EAYA – #voteforhumanrights

Amnesty International Würzburg used a smart mob to call on voters before the European parliamentary elections to vote for parties that respect human rights and whose actions are characterised by democracy and the rule of law.

The forthcoming parliamentary elections of the European Union are of great importance for the future development of the union of states. Political day-to-day affairs are frequently characterised by anti-European voices and populist parties. Additionally, in some member states, respect for democratic and rule-of-law principles as well as compliance with human rights standards is declining. To counter this development, the European Amnesty Youth Action of Amnesty International called for an action week in May. Under the slogan "Wake up call for Europe", smart mobs were organised across Europe in which voters were called upon to cast their vote for human rights.

Colourful sleeping mats are spread out on the grey concrete ground in front of the Vierröhrenbrunnen fountain. Around 15 young and committed activists have made themselves comfortable lying on these mats. They are meant to represent the sleeping European population, which, despite the multitude of human rights violations in the EU, does not take corresponding action measures. Two participants step over the sleeping activists and loudly express their political demands to the EU using megaphones in the presence of curious onlookers. They demand social rights, which include healthcare for all people, protection guarantees for human rights defenders, safe escape routes for refugees and European sea rescue. They draw attention to judicial reform in Poland, through which the country has turned away from rule-of-law and democratic principles. They also insist on a forward-looking foreign policy for the Union, which also takes into account the economic interests of other continents, primarily Africa, and does not distribute agricultural subsidies predominantly to large corporations, as is currently the case. They make clear that the European Union has the deadliest borders in the world, where several thousand people seeking protection die each year. 

Whilst the two activists denounce the EU's violations of law, the others slowly rise from their mats, rub their eyes in confusion, and finally stand up completely. In their hands they hold homemade posters with inscriptions such as "A Europe of Human Rights" and "Your X for Human Rights". They then all call out together in English: "Vote for human rights!"

"This European election is about fundamentals. We must not allow misanthropic and future-denying forces to continue inciting hatred inside and outside parliament. Border protection does not combat the causes of flight, and political stagnation does not address the climate crisis. The challenges are great, but they invite us to think about what kind of Europe we want to live in in the future. We want a Europe that pursues responsible and human rights-compliant policy – internally and externally. It needs safe escape routes and European sea rescue, a reversal in arms export policy and ambitious climate protection. In a Europe of human rights, every person can be who they want to be and every person can love whom they like.", says Jakob Nehls, who is part of the Amnesty Youth Board and helped initiate the European youth action of Amnesty. According to the activists, they are currently focused on mobilising young people to participate in the forthcoming election, since the decisions made by the EU in the future will particularly affect this age group in the coming decades. That is why they hope that voter turnout will be higher than in the last election in 2014 and anti-European parties will be hindered in their actions by counter-votes. From the EU, they wish that its work be made more accessible to the public and that citizens be more involved in political processes. This message has clearly reached the onlookers in front of the Vierröhrenbrunnen fountain. They nod in agreement, seem as though they have been roused at the latest at this moment, and thereby offer at least hope that the future development of the union of states will be characterised by dignified, rule-of-law and democratic events.

Nila Reyn