Motion for a resolution - B8-0159/2016Motion for a resolution
B8-0159/2016

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the systematic mass murder of religious minorities by ISIS

27.1.2016 - (2016/2529(RSP))

to wind up the debate on the statement by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
pursuant to Rule 123(2) of the Rules of Procedure

Josef Weidenholzer, Victor Boştinaru, Knut Fleckenstein, Richard Howitt, Nikos Androulakis, Zigmantas Balčytis, Hugues Bayet, Brando Benifei, Goffredo Maria Bettini, José Blanco López, Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Nicola Caputo, Silvia Costa, Andi Cristea, Miriam Dalli, Viorica Dăncilă, Isabella De Monte, Tanja Fajon, Eugen Freund, Doru-Claudian Frunzulică, Eider Gardiazabal Rubial, Enrico Gasbarra, Neena Gill, Ana Gomes, Theresa Griffin, Enrique Guerrero Salom, Sergio Gutiérrez Prieto, Cătălin Sorin Ivan, Liisa Jaakonsaari, Afzal Khan, Kashetu Kyenge, Javi López, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Andrejs Mamikins, Costas Mavrides, Marlene Mizzi, Luigi Morgano, Alessia Maria Mosca, Victor Negrescu, Momchil Nekov, Péter Niedermüller, Pier Antonio Panzeri, Demetris Papadakis, Vincent Peillon, Tonino Picula, Kati Piri, Miroslav Poche, Soraya Post, Gabriele Preuß, Siôn Simon, Jutta Steinruck, Tibor Szanyi, Marc Tarabella, Elena Valenciano, Julie Ward, Carlos Zorrinho on behalf of the S&D Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0149/2016

Procedure : 2016/2529(RSP)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
B8-0159/2016
Texts tabled :
B8-0159/2016
Debates :
Texts adopted :

B8-0159/2016

European Parliament resolution on the systematic mass murder of religious minorities by ISIS

(2016/2529(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to its previous resolutions on Iraq, Syria, Libya and Egypt, in particular that of 12 March 2015 on recent attacks and abductions by ISIS/Daesh in the Middle East, notably of Assyrians[1], and that of 18 September 2014 on the situation in Iraq and Syria, and the IS offensive, including the persecution of minorities[2],

–  having regard to the Council conclusions of 16 March 2015 on the EU Regional Strategy for Syria and Iraq as well as the ISIL/Daesh threat, of 20 October 2014 on the ISIL/Daesh crisis in Syria and Iraq, of 30 August 2014 on Iraq and Syria, of 14 April 2014 and 12 October 2015 on Syria, and of 15 August 2014 on Iraq,

–  having regard to the EU Guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief and the EU Guidelines on the promotion of compliance with international humanitarian law, and to the UN Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination based on Religion and Belief of 1981,

–  having regard to Council Decision 2003/335/JHA of 8 May 2003 on the investigation and prosecution of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes[3], and to the statement by the Special Adviser of the UN Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide,

–  having regard to the statement of 27 March 2015 on behalf of the European Union by Stavros Lambrinidis, EU Special Representative for Human Rights, at the UN Security Council Open Debate on ‘The victims of attacks and abuses on ethnic or religious ground in the Middle East’,

–  having regard to UN Security Council resolutions 2249, 2253 and 2254,

–  having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of 9 December 1948,

–  having regard to Rule 123(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas, as recognised by UN Security Council Resolution 2249 (2015) of 20 November 2015, the violent extremist ideology perpetuated by the so-called ‘ISIS/Daesh’, its terrorist acts, its continued gross systematic and widespread attacks directed against civilians, its abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, including those driven on religious or ethnic grounds, its eradication of cultural heritage and its trafficking of cultural property, constitute a global and unprecedented threat to international peace and security;

B.  whereas UN Security Council Resolution 2249 (2015) authorises those member states that have the capacity to do so to take all necessary measures, in compliance with international law, in particular with the United Nations Charter, and with international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law, on the territory under the control of ISIS/Daesh, in Syria and Iraq, to redouble and coordinate their efforts to prevent and suppress terrorist acts;

C.  whereas UN Security Council Resolution 2253 (2015) reiterates member states’ obligation to ensure that their nationals and persons in their territory do not make economic resources available to ISIS/Daesh, Al-Qaeda, and associated individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities – recalls that this obligation applies to the direct and indirect trade in oil and refined oil products, and recalls further the importance of all member states complying with their obligation to ensure that their nationals and persons within their territory do not make donations to individuals and entities designated as terrorist or those acting on behalf of or at the direction of such designated individuals or entities;

D.  whereas UN Security Council Resolution 2254 (2015) expresses its support for a Syrian-led political process that is facilitated by the UN and, within a target of six months, establishes credible, inclusive and non-sectarian governance and sets a schedule and process for drafting a new constitution; whereas the resolution further expresses its support for free and fair elections, pursuant to the new constitution, to be held within 18 months and administered under supervision of the UN, to the satisfaction of the governance and to the highest international standards of transparency and accountability, with all Syrians, including members of the diaspora, eligible to participate, as set forth in the 14 November 2015 International Syria Support Group Statement;

E.  whereas the UN and other international organisations have reported widespread serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law committed by ISIS/Daesh and associated groups in the Middle East, and especially in Syria and Iraq, against ethnic and religious minorities, including targeted killings, forced conversions, abductions, selling of women, slavery of women and children, recruitment of children for suicide bombings, sexual and physical abuse, and torture; whereas there are growing concerns for the welfare of those still trapped in areas controlled by ISIS/Daesh forces, as almost no international humanitarian assistance reaches those areas;

F.  whereas religious and ethnic minorities, such as Christian, Yezidi, Shabak, Kaka’e, Sabaean and Shi’a communities, as well as many Arabs and Sunni Muslims, have been targeted by ISIS/Daesh; whereas mosques, monuments, shrines, churches and other places of worship, tombs and cemeteries are being systematically destroyed;

G.  whereas the International Independent Commission of Inquiry has documented and reported that persons from ethnic and religious minorities opposing ISIS/Daesh and other terrorist groups, militias and non-state armed groups in areas under their de facto control continue to be at risk of persecution;

H.  whereas several reports by UN bodies, including the UN Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide, the UN Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Responsibility to Protect, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that acts committed by ISIS/Daesh may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity and possibly genocide;

I.  whereas genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes are of concern to all EU Member States, which are determined to cooperate with a view to preventing such crimes and putting an end to the impunity of their perpetrators, in accordance with Council Common Position 2003/444/CFSP of 16 June 2003;

J.  whereas under international law each individual has the right to live according to his or her conscience and to freely hold and change religious and non-religious beliefs; whereas political and religious leaders have a duty at all levels to combat extremism and to promote mutual respect among individuals and religious groups;

K.  whereas ISIS/Daesh is guilty of gruesome killings of members of the LGBTI community; whereas, according to OutRight Action International, 36 men were killed in Syria and Iraq on charges of sodomy; whereas the fear of horrific death among members of the LGBTI community under ISIS/Daesh rule is further compounded by their isolation in a society that largely shuns them;

1.  Recalls its strong condemnation of ISIS/Daesh and its egregious human rights abuses that amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes according to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and stresses that steps should be taken for these to be recognised as genocide; is extremely concerned at this terrorist group’s deliberate targeting of Christians, Yazidis, Turkmen, Shi’ites, Shabak, Sabeans, Kaka’e and Sunnis who do not agree with their interpretation of Islam, as part of its attempts to exterminate any religious minorities from the areas under its control;

2.  Urges each of the Contracting Parties to the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, signed at Paris on 9 December 1948, and to other relevant international agreements, to prevent war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide within their territory; stresses that there must be no impunity for the perpetrators of these acts and that those responsible should be referred to the ICC; urges Syria and Iraq to accept the jurisdiction of the ICC;

3.  Recalls that UN Security Council Resolution 2253 imposed a legal duty on UN member states to prohibit any kind of assistance to ISIS/Daesh and other terrorist organisations, notably supplying arms and financial assistance, including the illegal oil trade, and urges them to make this kind of assistance a crime under domestic law; recalls that a failure to act in consequence by some member states would constitute a violation of international law and endow other member states with a legal duty to implement the UN Security Council resolution by acting to bring the responsible individuals and entities to justice;

4.  Calls on Turkey and the Gulf states to step up efforts to prevent and suppress any kind of support, active or passive, to ISIS/Daesh and other terrorist organisations from within these countries;

5.  Urges the Gulf states, and in particular Saudi Arabia, to forcefully confront the extremist ideology which distorts the traditional Islamic values and, in its extreme interpretation, serves as a religious-political justification of the actions of ISIS/Daesh and Al-Qaeda;

6.  Urges all EU Member States to update their legal systems in order to prevent their nationals and citizens travelling to join ISIS/Daesh and other terrorist organisations, and to ensure that, should they do so, they are criminally prosecuted as soon as possible – this should include online incitement and support to commit those crimes; stresses the importance of prevention, prosecution, outreach, rehabilitation and reintegration;

7.  Recognises, supports and demands respect by all of the inalienable right of all ethnic and religious minorities, and others, living in Iraq and Syria to continue to live in their historical and traditional homelands in dignity, equality and safety, and to practice their religion freely without any kind of coercion, violence or discrimination; stresses the need for a clear and unequivocal statement by all regional political and religious leaders in support of the region’s ethnic and religious minorities and their continued presence and full and equal rights as citizens of their home countries;

8.  Asks the international community, including the EU and its Member States, to ensure the necessary security conditions and prospects for ethnic and religious minorities who have been forced to leave their homeland or have been forcibly displaced, to make effective as soon as possible their right to return to their homelands, to preserve their homes, land, property and belongings, as well as their churches and religious and cultural sites, and to be able to have a dignified life and future;

9.  Stresses the importance of the international community providing military protection and aid, including military, to particularly vulnerable groups targeted by ISIS/Daesh and other terrorist organisations in the Middle East, such as ethnic and religious minorities, and of such groups’ participation in future political lasting solutions; calls on all parties involved in the conflict to respect universal human rights and to facilitate the provision of humanitarian aid and assistance through all possible channels;

10.  Reaffirms full support for international diplomatic efforts and the work of UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura to launch peace negotiations in Geneva between all Syrian parties, with the participation of all the relevant global and regional players, in the coming days;

11.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Government and Parliament of Syria, the Government and Council of Representatives of Iraq, the Regional Government of Kurdistan, the institutions of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (Gulf Cooperation Council, GCC), the United Nations Secretary-General, the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Security Council and the UN Human Rights Council.