Пълен протокол на разискванията

Четвъртък, 9 юли 2015 г. - Страсбург

17.3. Бахрейн, и по-специално случаят с Набел Раджаб

  Przewodniczący. – Kolejnym punktem porządku dnia jest debata nad siedmioma projektami rezolucji w sprawie Bahrajnu, w szczególności sprawy Nabila Radżaba (2015/2758(RSP)).

  Alyn Smith, author. – Mr President, Bahrain is a clear ally of the European Union and an important partner in the region, and it could be a good news story for human rights within the Middle East. There has been progress: there is ongoing dialogue, and it is important that we recognise that there are allies for progress, human rights and reforms within the Bahraini authorities. Indeed I suspect that, left to their own devices, they would come up with a considerably better solution than we see from the continuing outside interference – notably from Saudi Arabia and Iran – within their internal affairs.

But where we recognise the progress being made within Bahrain, it is also important that we recognise failures and shortcomings. Nabeel Rajab’s case is emblematic, but that is the point – it is emblematic of many more cases of repression and abuse of human rights. We call for all charges to be dropped. But in the time that is available, I will address my remarks to colleagues from the EPP and the ECR colleagues. It is a matter of great regret that you did not feel fit to support this joint motion for a resolution, which is balanced and fair. I would say that this House is only so credible, and we are even less credible in the eyes of our interlocutors when we do not speak with one voice. I would urge you to support the joint motion for resolution. Human Rights Watch has already been in touch with you, and they say it better than I can: ‘a weak, divided reaction to one of the worst crackdowns on human rights defenders, political activists, journalists and religious leaders, who are threatened, persecuted and tortured simply for having peacefully exercised their freedom of expression and assembly, would be unworthy of the reputation of a major human rights watchdog built by the Parliament over the years’. I would urge you to support this balanced and fair resolution, so that we can make some progress with our friends in Bahrain.

  Ignazio Corrao, Autore. – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, molti uomini del Bahrein che hanno aderito al terrorismo e all'ISIS provengono dalle istituzioni di sicurezza e queste istituzioni sono state la loro prima incubatrice ideologica. Questo è il tweet di Nabeel Rajad per il quale è stato imprigionato a gennaio.

Sappiamo benissimo che nel 2011 proprio il Bahrein è stato uno di quei Paesi da cui è nata la cosiddetta Primavera araba, da cui sono nati quei moti che cercavano di portare la libertà di espressione, la libertà di manifestazione e la libertà di opporsi a quelli che sono dei veri e propri regimi.

Colleghi, guardiamoci in faccia. Non è un caso che l'ECR e il PPE non sostengano questa risoluzione. C'è un silenzio molto complice da parte di alcuni Paesi dell'Unione europea, in primis il Regno Unito, che ha degli accordi commerciali abbastanza vantaggiosi con il Bahrein e non ha nessuna intenzione di andarsi a creare inimicizie e problemi.

È molto triste vedere che anche dei colleghi di quest'Aula, molto affollata in questo momento, fanno lo stesso. Quindi, io spero che cambino idea e che sostengano la risoluzione, come ha detto il collega Smith.

  Mark Demesmaeker, Auteur. – Voorzitter, in 2011 kende Bahrein een maand lang massale volksprotesten voor meer vrijheid en democratie. Eén op vier Bahreini's kwam toen op straat. Er vielen 93 doden bij brutaal politie-optreden. Duizenden manifestanten werden gearresteerd. Als reactie op de internationale verontwaardiging besliste de koning om een internationale onderzoekscommissie op te richten.

Eerst leek het erop dat de regering bereid was de aanbevelingen van de onderzoekscommissie in de praktijk om te zetten. Maar al snel bleek dat mensenrechtenactivisten en journalisten in de gevangenis zwaar mishandeld werden. Zo verdween ook Nabeel Rajab, de voorzitter van het Bahreinse Centrum voor de mensenrechten, meermaals achter de tralies. Zijn misdaad? Hij gaf kritiek op een gewelddadig incident in de gevangenis.

Ondertussen blijven ons verontrustende verhalen bereiken waaruit blijkt dat vrijheid van meningsuiting een loos begrip is. Willekeurige arrestaties van activisten zijn schering en inslag. Er wordt nog altijd gefolterd in Bahrein!

Ik denk dat we het over de grond van de zaak eens zijn. De bevolking wil slechts vrijheid, openheid en democratie. En wij moeten hen helpen, in de eerste plaats om de eigen aanbevelingen van 2011 uit te voeren.

  Cristian Dan Preda, auteur. – Monsieur le Président, Nabil Rajab un défenseur des droits de l'homme au Bahreïn, est en prison parce qu'il a twitté. Il a donc été puni pour avoir exercé sa liberté d'expression. C'est le cœur du problème et c'est ce qui justifie d'adopter une résolution d'urgence pour demander la libération immédiate et inconditionnelle de M. Rajab.

Le groupe PPE, propose aujourd'hui une résolution équilibrée et, avant toute chose, centrée sur ce cas précis. Je tiens à le rappeler ici, l'objet de nos résolutions d'urgence est d'accomplir une action concrète et de tenter d'obtenir la libération des activistes des droits de l'homme arbitrairement emprisonnés, en l'occurrence, Nabil Rajab. Ces résolutions ne doivent pas se transformer en une analyse géopolitique des pays de la péninsule arabique.

Le sujet central n'est pas les lois antiterroristes, ni les exportations d'armes, comme c'est malheureusement le cas dans les résolutions proposées par quelques groupes. C'est pourquoi, le groupe PPE, au nom duquel je m'exprime aujourd'hui, a refusé de cosigner cette résolution commune, car elle s'éloigne complètement du mandat initial, qui est celui de discuter du cas très grave de Nabil Rajab, qui a déjà été emprisonné à plusieurs reprises depuis qu'il a créé le centre de Bahreïn pour les droits de l'homme. J'invite donc les collègues à voter en faveur de la résolution du groupe PPE.

  Marie-Christine Vergiat, auteure. – Monsieur le Président, Nabil Rajab est effectivement le président du centre bahreïnien des droits de l'homme et le vice-secrétaire général de la FIDH, une organisation à laquelle j'appartiens depuis plus de trente ans.

Détenu pour la cinquième fois en moins de trois ans, il a passé vingt-huit des trente-six derniers mois en prison. Depuis le soulèvement de 2011, où près de 300 000 personnes seraient descendues dans la rue, dans ce petit pays d'un peu plus d'un million d'habitants, la répression est sévère. De plus, n'oublions pas que c'est l'intervention armée de l'Arabie saoudite qui a permis à la dynastie Al Khalifa de se maintenir au pouvoir.

Les opposants politiques chiites et sunnites, comme en témoignent les arrestations du cheikh Ali Salman, leader de l'opposition chiite modérée, celle d'Ibrahim Sharif, leader de l'opposition sunnite, les journalistes, les militants des droits de l'homme, le syndicalistes qui dénoncent l'exploitation des travailleurs migrants et les femmes en font les frais.

Les tentatives de dialogue national échouent les unes après les autres. Les factions dures du régime semblent avoir repris la main. La dégradation de la situation des droits de l'homme est patente.

Les Bahreïniens font les frais de l'affrontement entre puissances générales et de l'instrumentalisation de celles-ci. Les États-Unis viennent d'annoncer la reprise de leur aide militaire, pourtant suspendue en 2011, sans parler des livraisons d'armes de certains États membres. Il faut donc dénoncer fermement cette situation pour soutenir l'ensemble des ONG, sans concession.

Enfin, j'aimerais que le groupe PPE ait le même esprit quand il s'agit d'examiner tous les pays. Il semble qu'il y ait des pays dans lesquels il y a une analyse politique et d'autres dans lesquels on se concentre sur les droits de l'homme. Ce n'est pas ma façon de voir les choses. Je regrette cette attitude du groupe PPE.

  Beatriz Becerra Basterrechea, Autora. – Señor Presidente, hace casi un año, el 24 de septiembre de 2014, Nabil Rajab visitó la Subcomisión de Derechos Humanos de este Parlamento y nos habló de la situación de Baréin. Ese día Rajab nos confió dos tareas muy concretas. La primera: que no dejáramos nunca de poner en evidencia las violaciones de derechos humanos que se están llevando a cabo en países como Baréin; la segunda: que mostráramos al Reino de Baréin que Europa no iba a tenderle la mano mientras se vulnerasen los derechos humanos y los derechos fundamentales de sus ciudadanos.

Siete días más tarde, cuando Rajab aterrizó en Baréin, fue detenido, una vez más, bajo la acusación de insultar públicamente a instituciones oficiales del Estado y, esta vez, sentenciado a diez años de prisión.

Hoy tengo un sabor agridulce, Presidente. Esta Resolución que hoy aprobamos muestra cómo nuestro compromiso con los derechos humanos, allá donde sean violados, está claro, pero a día de hoy no hemos podido cumplir la segunda tarea y seguimos tendiendo la mano a países como Baréin, que tiene 4 000 presos políticos con una población de algo más de un millón de habitantes.

Rajab nos dijo: «I'm gonna continue my fight for democracy». Hoy, desde mi escaño y desde el Grupo liberal, le digo: «You’re right, I’ll fight».

  Josef Weidenholzer, Verfasser. – Herr Präsident! Ich bin sehr froh, dass wir heute endlich über Bahrain diskutieren. Endlich!

Wir haben uns häufig darum bemüht, weil Menschenrechte unteilbar sind. Sie gelten für Russland, für China, für Afrika, auch für uns, auch für Verbündete oder sogenannte Verbündete. Wir müssen besorgt sein über die Situation in Bahrain.

Einmal der Fall Nabil Radschab, der hier bei uns im Parlament im Menschenrechtsausschuss zu uns gesprochen hat, anschließend inhaftiert wurde und seither inhaftiert ist – wie viele andere auch, wie hunderte Aktivistinnen und Aktivisten, wie etwa der Oppositionsführer Scheich Ali Salman, der seit vier Jahren ohne ein Gerichtsverfahren in Haft ist. Das können wir nicht hinnehmen, nicht nur, weil die Menschenrechte allgemeingültig sind, sondern weil es auch um die Stabilität in einer sehr instabilen Region geht.

Wir müssen diese Zusammenhänge sehen, wir müssen sie aufzeigen. Ich fürchte, wenn die Situation so weitergeht, dann ist es wie mit einem Druckkochtopf. Je länger er erhitzt wird, umso schneller wird er irgendwann einmal explodieren. Daher ist es wichtig, uns jetzt um die Einhaltung der Menschenrechte in Bahrain zu kümmern.

  Monica Macovei, în numele grupului PPE. – Domnule președinte, Nabeel Rajab, președintele Centrului pentru drepturile omului din Bahrain, a fost condamnat la șase luni de închisoare pentru postări pe Twitter. Pare incredibil. dar Nabeel este la închisoare! Pe Twitter a scris „mulți cetățeni din Bahrain care s-au alăturat grupării teroriste Isis provin din instituțiile de securitate ale Bahrainului, iar aceste instituții au avut rolul unui incubator ideologic.”

Deci și-a exprimat părerea pe Twitter. Libertatea de exprimare este un fundament al suveranității și libertății oricărui popor și al oricărui individ. Foarte pe scurt: cer eliberarea imediată a lui Nabeel Rajab! Să ne gândim dacă poate n-ar fi cazul să suspendăm exportul de arme către Bahrain până când drepturile omului sunt respectate, măcar la un nivel decent, în această țară.

  Ana Gomes, em nome do Grupo S&D. – Senhor Presidente, o governo do Barém continua a utilizar métodos repressivos para silenciar todos aqueles que lutam pelos direitos e liberdades fundamentais para a maioria do povo. É intolerável que Nabeel Rajab esteja preso por causa de um twit, logo após ter-nos visitado aqui no Parlamento Europeu, assim como é intolerável a prisão, a continuada prisão, de personalidades como o Sr. Ebrahim Sharif ou o cidadão baremita-dinamarquês Abdulhadi al-Khawaja. Isto num país que alega fazer reformas para melhorar os direitos humanos.

É inaceitável também que o governo do Barém alegue estar empenhado num processo de reconciliação nacional, quando pôs na prisão o líder do Al-Wefaq, o principal partido da oposição, xeque Ali Salman, condenado a quatro anos.

A União Europeia tem de fazer muito mais, e mais audivelmente, pelos direitos humanos no Barém, exigindo o fim da repressão, incluindo o abominável recurso à retirada da nacionalidade a oposicionistas. O silêncio faz cúmplices da União Europeia, dos seus Estados-Membros e dos membros do PPE, e, qualquer que for a justificação, hoje, aqui, não votaram a favor desta resolução.

  Marietje Schaake, on behalf of the ALDE Group. – Mr President, Commissioner and colleagues, human rights defender Nabil Rajab is in prison and in fact was arrested right after we, as Members of the European Parliament, met with him in Brussels. The general human rights situation in Bahrain remains dire. Thousands are in arbitrary arrest, citizenships are taken away from people and the tensions have been going on for years, and that has been bad; it is bad enough as it is. The EU and this House have been taking a lead role in addressing the tensions in Bahrain, not letting it be swept under other problems in the Middle East, and I think we have to continue, especially as the US has resumed military aid. But even so, the State Department has condemned the human rights violations in Bahrain, and now I want to ask: are we really in a situation where the European People’s Party is not going to participate in a joint motion for resolution addressing the human rights violations in Bahrain today?

  Paloma López Bermejo, en nombre del Grupo GUE/NGL. – Señor Presidente, es importante situar el caso de Nabil Rajab en su auténtico contexto: la represión política que siguió a los acontecimientos del año 2011 bajo el liderazgo de Arabia Saudí, con la aquiescencia de los Estados Unidos.

En los Estados del Golfo la razón geopolítica impone una estabilidad de hierro y el resultado es, precisamente, la represión de la oposición política, de los derechos sociales y las libertades cívicas, de los trabajadores y de los activistas que luchan por un Baréin democrático.

Europa debe velar por el reconocimiento de los convenios internacionales de derechos humanos en Baréin y, también, de las normas laborales internacionales, de las que no puede excluirse a los trabajadores migrantes. Porque solo con el reconocimiento de los derechos fundamentales puede garantizarse la estabilidad del Golfo a medio plazo.

  Diane James, on behalf of the EFDD Group. – Mr President, it is quite clear that the events in Bahrain have been – and continue to be – disturbing, creating a climate of fear: fear of prosecution and fear of violence – and some fear for their lives. Yet the European Union is doing nothing to stop these events but is in fact funding and supporting their continuation. Over the past years the people of Bahrain have been calling out for fair democracy, a fair voting system and free speech – many people, including this individual that we are talking about today. He, like others, has faced imprisonment, loss of citizenship and police brutality.

The EU should not be supporting these acts but, regretfully, it does, via the Member States’ trade policies. Last year the European Union Member States – not just the United Kingdom – was involved with over EUR 2.6 billion worth of trade with Bahrain, despite the mass mistreatment of the people and the complete avoidance of recognisable democratic progress. These trade figures are bad enough but, if you look further, there is an additional EUR 15 million alone worth of arms and ammunition sales.

Collectively the European Union stands upon its moral high horse, as usual, on one hand, whilst perversely facilitating the climate of fear to continue. We may well grandstand, condemning the actions and events happening in this country, but it is the European Union that is effectively supporting those horrible acts and this prosecution case.

(The Speaker refused to take a blue card question under Rule 162(8)).

  Seán Kelly (PPE). – A Uachtaráin, agus muid ag caint faoi Nabeel Rajab caithfear a rá ar dtús gur duine mór le rá é. Tá sé ina uachtarán ar Ionad Bhairéin do Chearta an Duine agus ina Leas-Ard-Rúnaí ar an gCumann Idirnáisiúnta um Chearta an Duine.

Dar ndóigh, tá sé i bpríosún toisc gur scríobh sé tweets faoi ISIS agus faoi fhórsaí slándála Bhairéin. Ní coir mór é sin agus ní ceart go mbeadh sé i bpríosún. Tá a fhios againn go léir nach bhfuil i tweets ach comhrá scríofa sóisialta. Dá bhrí sin caithfimid gach brú is féidir linn a chur ar fhórsaí agus údaráis Bhairéin é a ligean saor chomh luath agus is féidir, mar tá amhras ann nach bhfuil sé ag fáil, nó nach bhfaighidh sé cothrom na Féinne.

Freisin, ba chóir dúinn grúpa oibre a bhunú idir an Bhairéin agus an tAontas chun féachaint ar chúrsaí chearta an duine, agus go háirithe saoirse an phreasa nach bhfuil ann i mBairéin ach oiread.

  Elena Valenciano (S&D). – Señor Presidente, es un placer tener un presidente tan políglota como usted.

La verdad es que siempre tenemos una responsabilidad con todos los defensores de los derechos humanos, pero con aquellos que han tenido la valentía de venir a visitarnos, como es el caso de Nabil Rajab, que hace muy pocos meses estuvo con nosotros, contando la situación de su país y poniendo claramente en peligro su seguridad al venir a vernos, tenemos una doble obligación.

Al volver de Bruselas, Rajab volvió a ser detenido y está en prisión. Es penoso, lamentable, que seamos capaces de invitar a un defensor de los derechos humanos a nuestra casa, que después se vaya a su país, lo encarcelen, y nosotros no movamos ni un dedo por cambiar nuestras relaciones con un país que se comporta de esta manera.

Creo que estas son las cosas que hacen que perdamos credibilidad y que pongan en cuestión nuestro verdadero compromiso con los derechos humanos. Es hora ya de mandar un mensaje claro a Baréin, y se lo digo al Grupo popular, porque Nabil Rajab está en prisión porque vive en Baréin; si no, estaría en libertad. Así que por supuesto que la petición de liberación viene acompañada de una condena al régimen de Baréin.

  Petras Auštrevičius (ALDE). – Mr President, Commissioner Malmström, colleagues, Nabeel Rajab’s case is an emblematic example of the overall situation of human rights defenders in Bahrain. I am seriously concerned that people are being arbitrarily detained, tortured and stripped of their citizenship, merely for their work related to defending human rights in the country.

The public sphere – both online and offline – cannot be subject to prior authorisation. It is a forum where citizens should be entitled to enjoy the rights of association, assembly and freedom of speech. Thus I hope that this resolution, following on from the previous pledges of such institutions as the UN, will give a strong push to the Bahraini authorities to commit themselves to undertaking necessary reforms.

I believe that the Bahraini authorities, instead of suppressing civil society and political opposition, should engage in a genuine partnership so that, through their combined efforts, they will be able to tackle political crises without sliding into violent confrontations and political unrest.

  Fabio Massimo Castaldo (EFDD). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, Nabeel Rajab, per l'ennesima volta, incarcerato e, peraltro, poco dopo aver visitato, in questo Parlamento europeo, la sottocommissione per i diritti umani. Questa incarcerazione offende la dignità di questo Parlamento e offende quei valori europei che noi rappresentiamo e proteggiamo.

Non si può tacere, affrontando questo argomento e questa urgenza, la gravissima situazione in cui versa l'intero Bahrein: il fatto che il 70% di abitanti sciiti sia di fatto escluso dalla gestione e dalle istituzioni del potere; il fatto che la casata reale abbia accentrato il potere impedendo il normale esercizio delle libertà istituzionali. Non possiamo permettere che questo Stato, unico nel Golfo in cui ci siano state delle forme di protesta, diventi l'ennesimo terreno di scontro tra Iran e Arabia Saudita.

Io dico, colleghi, che il principio di condizionalità per l'Unione europea deve essere un imperativo categorico e non un optional. I nostri partner lo devono rispettare, altrimenti non sono più i nostri partner e anche tutti i gruppi di questo Parlamento lo devono dire e dovrebbero votare per questa risoluzione.

Nabeel deve essere rilasciato e tornare a trovarci qui a Strasburgo. Nabeel libero, Bahrein democratico!

Pytania z sali

  Nicola Caputo (S&D). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, suscita particolare preoccupazione la situazione del Bahrein, Stato in cui risulta sempre più difficile battersi a favore dei diritti umani. Secondo un rapporto dell'Osservatorio sulla protezione dei diritti umani, almeno 97 persone dal 2011 a oggi sono morte in seguito a torture e maltrattamenti subiti durante i periodi di detenzione.

Lo stesso rapporto sottolinea che ben 10 difensori dei diritti umani in Bahrein negli ultimi 4 anni sono stati seviziati, processati e detenuti senza giusta causa. È il caso, tra gli altri, di Nabeel Rajab, presidente del Centro dei diritti umani del Bahrein, costretto al carcere quasi ininterrottamente dal 2012 per una serie di accuse infondate, come l'accusa a una pubblica istituzione per aver criticato con un tweet l'aggregazione di membri delle Forze di sicurezza del Bahrein all'ISIS.

Rajab, nonostante la persecuzione giuridica, ha continuato a denunciare e oggi rischia altri dieci anni di carcere per avere scritto un articolo in cui segnalava le violenze continue subite dagli oltre 2000 detenuti di Jaw, il carcere più duro del Bahrein. Quello di Rajab è solo il caso più eclatante: molte altre persone si battono per la giustizia e vengono trattate come criminali da un governo che non rispetta i diritti umani.

  Julie Ward (S&D). – Mr President, there are clear links between the sporting, business and defence interests of certain governments – such as my own – and the lack of strong action to condemn human rights abuses in Bahrain and elsewhere. So we find ourselves here as people who can speak – and we must speak – not only to expose the human rights abuses themselves, but also to expose the hypocrisy of governments, political groups, the defence industry and sporting organisations whose own interests seem to ride roughshod over those who might be imprisoned or tortured for speaking out.

The Bahraini Government would do well to listen to us, because the more they crack down on the freedom of speech, the more we will speak up about what they are doing. They risk Nabeel Rajab becoming a cause célèbre, because there is a move afoot to put his name forward for the Sakharov Prize. So I would urge the Bahraini authorities to listen to the voices from this House today and to do the right thing.

(Koniec pytań z sali)

  Cecilia Malmström, Member of the Commission. – Mr President, honourable Ladies and Gentlemen, the External Action Service and the European Union are engaged with local and national authorities at all levels to try to have wider contact with different stakeholders and activists in Bahrain. We will, of course, continue to support stability and development, but this can only be done if there is a process of national reconciliation, without preconditions, leading to gradual political and socio-economic reforms based on compromise by all political actors.

We are also following the cases of a number of peaceful activists, including Mr Nabeel Rajab, but also Mr al—Khawaja, a Danish—Bahraini citizen who has also been in prison for a long time. The External Action Service and Member States are following those cases and are trying to be present at all court cases. We have consistently said, over the past four years, that a lasting reconciliation process must include a combination of modernisation and confidence-building steps – including the release of all those arrested in the context of peaceful political activities – in order to overcome the polarisation in Bahraini society.

We had a visit in May, for the second time this year, by the EU representative for fundamental rights, the special representative – whom many of you know very well as he is a former MEP – Mr Stavros Lamprinidis. He passed this message very clearly to his interlocutors. He was able to meet with some activists in detention, as well as with the families of some of the detainees.

We also believe that opposition parties are fundamental to any democracy. We have publicly voiced our dismay, on 17 June, at the sentencing of Ali Salman, the Secretary-General of al-Wefaq, to four years in jail. Such moves run counter to the efforts promoting a lasting and inclusive national reconciliation, and we hope that the sentences can be reconsidered in appeal.

Many steps taken by the Bahraini authorities to implement the recommendations of the Bahraini independent commissions of inquiry are positive, as some of you have also mentioned, and have the potential to improve the human rights situation in the country. The Minister of the Interior’s Ombudsman, the Prisoners’ and Detainees’ Rights Commission and the National Institution for Human Rights have an important and very proactive role to play in this regard, fulfilling their mandate in full independence. The bold recommendations issued by these institutions must now be fully implemented and produce concrete results, in order to win the confidence of the public. So I want to encourage you to maintain contact with the recently-elected parliamentary bodies in Bahrain, and we appreciate the strong interest that the European Parliament is taking in this regard.

  Przewodniczący. – Zamykam debatę.

Głosowanie odbędzie się po debacie.