European Parliament lawmakers have adopted three resolutions calling for action over alleged human rights violations in Hong Kong, Cuba and Zambia, including proposals for EU sanctions and independent investigations.
MEPs backed a resolution urging the EU Council to impose sanctions on Hong Kong authorities and officials under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, a framework that allows the bloc to target individuals and entities linked to serious abuses, the Parliament announced on Thursday.
The text criticised Hong Kong’s National Security Law, in force since 2020, and the National Security Safeguarding Ordinance, in force since 2024, and demanded their repeal.
More than 400 people have been arrested and more than 180 convicted since the beginning of June 2026.
The resolution condemned the June 2026 arrest of bookseller Leticia Wong and the sentencing of activists Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung and Albert Ho, as well as the sentencing of media owner Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison.
MEPs called for charges against them to be dropped and for political prisoners to be released.
The Hong Kong resolution was adopted by 459 votes in favour, 12 against and 86 abstentions.
Cuba and Zambia votes
A separate resolution on Cuba condemned what MEPs described as increased repression and systemic rights violations against political prisoners and their families, the Parliament said.
MEPs referred to the cases of Félix Navarro, 72, and his daughter Saylí Navarro, described as a co-founder of the “Damas de Blanco” group, which won the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize, and said they were sentenced to nine and eight years in prison respectively for enquiring about the fate of protesters arrested in 2021.
The resolution demanded their immediate and unconditional release, as well as that of all political prisoners.
MEPs reiterated a call for the immediate suspension of the EU’s Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement with Cuba and urged EU sanctions against those responsible for repression, naming President Miguel Díaz-Canel.
The Cuba resolution passed by 374 votes in favour, 198 against and 19 abstentions.
In a third resolution, MEPs called on Zambian authorities to establish independent and impartial investigations into the August 2026 murder of opposition figure and former minister Mutotwe Kafwaya, and into allegations of illegal use of force, arbitrary arrests and intimidation after recent elections.
That resolution was adopted by 562 votes in favour, one against and 33 abstentions.
