The European Parliament voted on Thursday to adopt three separate resolutions addressing grave human rights situations in Sudan, Nigeria and Pakistan, demanding accountability, sanctions and urgent humanitarian action in each case.
Sudan: War Crimes, Siege of El-Obeid and Calls for ICC Jurisdiction
In the most broadly supported of the three votes, MEPs condemned in the strongest possible terms the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Sudan, with particular focus on atrocities taking place during the ongoing siege of the city of El-Obeid by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The resolution was adopted by 476 votes in favour and 28 against, with 96 abstentions.
Parliament called on the European Union to urgently step up its humanitarian aid to Sudan and to provide direct funding to local organisations on the front line, including those in the medical sector. MEPs also stressed the urgent need for humanitarian corridors to ensure the evacuation of civilians and the delivery of aid.
The resolution urges the warring parties to end attacks on civilians, including sexual violence, and to address the resulting famine. MEPs condemned any foreign interference fuelling the war and demanded that all countries cease support for the RSF, particularly through the supply of weapons.
The EU was called upon to impose sanctions on those responsible for attacks against civilians and on external facilitators — specifically naming the Global Security Services Group — for violating the UN arms embargo. Parliament further called for the RSF to be added to the EU's list of terrorist organisations and for perpetrators to be held accountable. MEPs also called for an independent investigation into alleged war crimes and for the International Criminal Court to be able to extend its jurisdiction to the whole of Sudan.
Nigeria: Kawel Massacre, Boko Haram and the Culture of Impunity
The second resolution, adopted by 510 votes in favour and 1 against with 86 abstentions, addressed the ongoing persecution of Christians in Nigeria, with specific reference to the massacre in Kawel village. MEPs strongly condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the families of the victims, reaffirming their commitment to defending freedom of thought, conscience and religion. They expressed particular support for the Christian community in Plateau State.
Parliament condemned the alarming rise in abductions and the disproportionate impact on women and girls. Nigerian authorities were urged to take counter-terrorism measures and intensify their fight against Boko Haram, while ensuring that independent investigations are carried out to bring perpetrators to justice and end what MEPs described as a culture of impunity.
The Nigerian government was further called upon to strengthen its protection of civilians, share early warnings, invest in regional mediation, implement sustainable land management policies, promote food security and address the environmental factors underlying conflicts in the country.
MEPs also called on the EU Special Envoy for the Promotion of Freedom of Religion or Belief outside the EU to pay particular attention to the deteriorating situation of Christians and all persecuted religious communities in Nigeria.
Pakistan: Maria Shahbaz and the Protection of Girls from Religious Minorities
The third resolution, adopted by show of hands, centred on the case of Maria Shahbaz, a 13-year-old Pakistani Christian girl who was abducted, forcibly converted to Islam and forcibly married to her abductor in March 2026. MEPs called for her to be given access to legal representation, her family and psychological support.
Parliament condemned similar abuses committed against underage girls belonging to religious minorities, describing her case as emblematic of broader human rights violations faced by minorities in Pakistan. The resolution cited UN figures from 2025 indicating that, among women and girls affected by forced conversion through marriage, around 75% were Hindu and 25% were Christian.
MEPs urged Pakistan's authorities to fully implement the country's national framework to end child marriage — already in force in some provinces — and to establish a national mechanism for handling complaints from families of abducted or forcibly converted girls from minorities. Pakistan's government was urged to ensure that all cases involving minors or allegations of coercion are subject to transparent and independent investigations, that perpetrators are prosecuted, that the country's judicial framework is strengthened and that abducted girls are able to return safely.
Parliamentary Debate and Follow-Up
All three resolutions were debated during the plenary session of 8 July 2026, with adopted texts scheduled to be made available on 9 July 2026. The resolutions were produced under the authority of Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights. Press inquiries have been directed to the Subcommittee's press attaché Elodie Laborie and to the European Parliament's foreign press service at foreign-press@europarl.europa.eu. The Subcommittee maintains public accounts on X under the handle @EP_HumanRights and on Bluesky at @droi.europarl.europa.eu.
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