The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on Syria,

- having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, art. 9: "no one shall be subject to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile",

- having regard to its report on EU policies in favour of human rights defenders adopted on 17 June 2010,

- having regard to the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights on Islam (1990), to which Syria is a party,

- having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) of 1966, to which Syria is a party,

- having regard to Council Decision 2011/522/CFSP on amending Decision 2011/273/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria, Council Decision 2011/523/EU on partially suspending the application of the Cooperation Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Syrian Arab Republic, and Council Regulation 878/2011 amending Regulation (EU) No 442/2011 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria of 2 September 2011,

- having regard to the UNHRC Resolution on the situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic of 23 August 2011,

- having regard to the Charter of fundamental rights of the European Union,

- having regard to the Statement by High Representative Catherine Ashton on the situation of Rafah Nached in Syria of 23 September 2011,

- having regard to Rule 122(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. Whereas over 2.500 people have lost their lives due to the systematic use of violence and lethal force by the Government Authorities, and many more have suffered severe injuries or have been arbitrary detained in Syria;

B. Whereas Ms Rafah Tawfeek Nached, a 66 year-old Syrian Psychoanalyst, was arrested by officers of the General Intelligence Service on 10 September 2011 at the International Airport of Damascus;

C. Whereas Ms Nached was arrested and carried to prison without any charge known, in the moment she was travelling to Paris to assist to the childbirth of her daughter;

D. Whereas Ms Nached, who suffers from heart complications, and who needs to take medications regularly, is in a serious health situation;

E. Whereas the restrictive practices of freedom of movement and arbitrary arrests are regularly used by the Syrian Authorities against human rights defenders in the whole country;

F. Whereas the EU has adopted restrictive measures against the Syrian regime as a consequence of the escalation of violence and arbitrary actions against the Syrian people;

1. Strongly condemns the escalation of violence in Syria and the continuing serious violations of human rights, and calls for an immediate stop to repression and violence against the Syrian people and peaceful protesters;

2. Expresses its deepest concerns about the situation of Ms Rafah Nached and calls on the Syrian Authorities to immediately and unconditionally release her, and to guarantee her physical and psychological well-being under all circumstances;

3. Strongly condemns the actuation of the Ms Rafah Nached detention by the Syrian Authorities without any legal or fundamental reason;

4. Calls for an independent, transparent and effective investigation into the arbitrary detention and arrest of Ms Rafah Nached;

5. Ask the Syrian Authorities to give an authorisation to humanitarian organisations to assist the victims of violence and, for this purpose, give them access to the whole Syrian territory;

6. Calls on the Syrian Authorities to abide by international human rights standards and international commitments, guaranteeing freedom of opinion and expression;

7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the High Representative, the Governments and Parliaments of the Member States, the Secretary-General of the Arab League and the Government and Parliament of the Syrian Arab Republic.