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Proposition de résolution - B8-0347/2016Proposition de résolution
B8-0347/2016
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MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Egypt, notably the case of Giulio Regeni

8.3.2016 - (2016/2608(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 135 of the Rules of Procedure

Ignazio Corrao, Fabio Massimo Castaldo, Piernicola Pedicini, Rolandas Paksas on behalf of the EFDD Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0338/2016

Procédure : 2016/2608(RSP)
Cycle de vie en séance
Cycle relatif au document :  
B8-0347/2016
Textes déposés :
B8-0347/2016
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Textes adoptés :

B8‑0347/2016

European Parliament resolution on Egypt, notably the case of Giulio Regeni

(2016/2608(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to its previous resolutions, in particular those of 17 July 2014 on freedom of expression and assembly in Egypt and of the 15 January 2015 on the situation in Egypt,

–   having regard to the EU-Egypt Association Agreement of 2001, which entered into force in 2004, and to the Commission’s progress report of 20 March 2013 on its implementation; having regard to the European Neighbourhood Policy and the most recent progress report on Egypt of 25 March 2015,

–   having regard to the Constitution of Egypt, adopted by referendum on 14-15 January 2014, and in particular Articles 65, 70, 73, 75 and 155 thereof,

–   having regard to Egyptian Law 107 of 24 November 2013 on the Right to Public Meetings, Processions and Peaceful Demonstrations,

–   having regard to its resolution of 12 March 2015 on the human rights and democracy in the world;

–   having regard to the Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP, adopted on 8 December 2008, improving the EU's export control standards,

–   having regard to the EU Guidelines on Freedom of Expression and Association,

– having regard to the current investigations into the killing of the young Italian student and journalist, Giulio Regeni, and the results of the first autopsy, conducted by Egyptian experts, and the second one, by the Italian experts, on his body,

 

A.  whereas the 25 January 2016, day of the fifth anniversary of the beginning of the Egyptian revolution against Hosni Mubarak, was the last time Giulio Regeni, the Italian student and journalist, was seen alive,

B.  whereas the Egyptian and Italian autopsy results on Regeni's body confirmed and reported that he had been systematically and violently tortured before his death by people who seems to be specialists in torture practice,

C.  whereas on that day, thousands of heavily armed security personnel were posted in the city centre to block any protest against the counterrevolutionary junta,

D.  whereas the contradictions between the claims of the Egyptian Interior Minister, Magdi Abdel Ghaffar and the testimony of three security officials on the effective custody of Giulio Regeni,

E.  whereas Giulio Regeni was in Egypt to research the situation of independent trade unions and civil liberties,

F.  whereas since the military takeover of June 2013 the Egyptian Government has conducted a large-scale campaign of arbitrary detention, harassment, intimidation and censorship against government critics solely for exercising their rights to free assembly, association and expression, including journalists, students and human rights defenders, and against political opponents, including members of the Muslim Brotherhood,

G.  Whereas Egypt is a party to the Convention against Torture and it has signed, but not yet ratified, the Rome Statute, as of 1 September 2001,

H.  Whereas torture is a crime under national Egyptian law and prosecutions for torture are not subject to any statute of limitations,

I.  whereas the freedoms of association, assembly and expression have remained areas of particular concern since July 2013; whereas Egypt is rated as ‘not free’ by the 2014 Freedom in the World report by Freedom House,

J.  whereas the Egyptian authorities have tightened the noose on freedom of expression and assembly under repressive legislation introduced, making it easier for the government to silence its critics and crack down on protests,

K.  whereas on 6 February 2016, at least 20 Alexandrian young people were taken from their homes by security forces, detained and tortured, according to their families and lawyers,

L.  whereas 41.000 political prisoners had disappeared into the country's jails in the middle of 2014 ; 164 forced disappearances between April and June 2015 , 340 from August to November, and 66 in January 2016. Whereas 42 of these cases led to torture,

M.  whereas over the past two years, repression and co-optation by the Sisi government have seriously weakened trade unions' initiatives, whereas the two major federation, the Egyptian Democratic Labour Congress and the Egyptian Federation of Independent Trade Unions) have not be free to convened a general assembly since 2013,

N.  whereas, in the absence of the parliament, a number of repressive laws have been passed by the government of President al-Sisi, such as the presidential decree Law 136 of 2014 designating all public property as military installations,

O.  whereas several EU member states, including Italy, are not respecting the eight criteria for the export of conventional arms to Egypt such as the enforcement of human rights in the country of final destination,

P.  whereas the UN Universal Periodic Review has issued 300 recommendations, including the release of anyone arrested for exercising freedom of expression,

Q.  whereas several western leaders, in primis the Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi in 2014, visited Egypt and welcomed newly Sisi's government as key strategic partner,

R.  whereas the EU’s level of engagement with Egypt should be incentive-based, in line with the ‘more for more’ principle of the European Neighbourhood Policy, and should depend on progress in reform of democratic institutions, the rule of law and human rights,

 

1.  Urges the Egyptian authorities, in collaboration with the HR/VP and the Commission, to conduct prompt, impartial and independent investigations into the killing of the Italian student and journalist Giulio Regeni, considering the allegations of excessive use of force, ill-treatment, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance and inhuman, animal-like torture to death, with the possible implications of the Egyptian security apparatus and denounces its continuous red herrings on this case;

2.  Call on Egyptian Government to punish those responsible, to grant redress to the family of the Giulio Regeni family, along with those other victims registered in Egypt and to establish an independent mechanism for monitoring and investigating the behaviour of security forces,

3.  Calls for a common strategy among Member States towards Egypt in the arms export controls and to avoid certain Member states, such as Italy, to supply through a short-sighted approach States which are clearly not respecting human rights and are aggravating the internal situation,

4.  Urges the Council, the VP/HR and the Commission to work actively in accordance with the principle of conditionality and to take into consideration that economic challenges shall not undermine the respect of human rights and the fulfilment of the investigations,

5.  Calls the HR/VP to work with Member States' representatives in Egypt in order to share sensitive information to further clarify the case and analyse any implications of Member States' intelligence and security forces;

6.  Calls on Egypt to ratify the Rome Statute and to become a member of the ICC,

7.  Expresses grave concern at the ongoing restrictions of fundamental rights, notably the freedoms of expression, association and assembly, political pluralism and the rule of law in Egypt; calls for an end to all acts of violence, incitement, hate speech, harassment, intimidation, torture or censorship against political opponents, protesters, journalists, bloggers, students, trade unionists, women’s rights activists, civil society actors and minorities by state authorities, security forces and services, and other groups in Egypt; condemns the excessive use of violence against protesters,

8.  Reminds the Egyptian Government of its responsibility to ensure the security and safety of all citizens irrespective of their political views, affiliation or confession; insists that only building a truly pluralist society which is respectful of the diversity of views and lifestyles can ensure long-term stability and security in Egypt, and calls on the Egyptian authorities to commit to dialogue and non-violence, as well as to inclusive governance;

9.  Reminds the Egyptian authorities of their national and international legal obligations, and calls upon them to prioritise the protection and promotion of human rights and to ensure its accountability as first step to investigate on the initiation of any talk for a possible Deep and Comprehensive Trade Agreement with Europe;

10.  Urges the Egyptian Government to help the investigations on Regeni case through the full involvement of the security and intelligence forces ensuring the effective consultation of local and military agents in full collaboration with the Italian authorities and the official Italian inquiry committee;

11.   Calls on the Egyptian authorities to cooperate fully with UN human rights mechanisms, including by approving pending visit requests by several UN special rapporteurs, and establish an UN ad-hoc inquiry committee to ascertain any abuse and torture by the Egyptian security apparatus and to properly try and punish the perpetrators of this crime

12.  Calls on representatives of the EU Delegation and the embassies of EU Member States in Cairo to attend politically sensitive trials of Egyptian and foreign journalists, bloggers, trade unionists, human rights defenders and civil society activists in the country;

13.   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 parliaments and governments of the Member States, and the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.