MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
12.12.2005
by Francis Wurtz, Giusto Catania, Vittorio Agnoletto, Sylvia-Yvonne Kaufmann, Luisa Morgantini, Kyriacos Triantaphyllides and Marco Rizzo
on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group
on the allegations of terrorist suspects being secretly detained, tortured in and transported through several EU Member States and applicant countries
B6‑0672
European Parliament resolution on the allegations of terrorist suspects being secretly detained, tortured in and transported through several EU Member States and applicant countries
The European Parliament,
– having regard to Articles 6 and 7 of the Treaty on European Union;
– having regard to Articles 2, 3, 5 and 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights;
– having regard to the European Convention on the Prevention of Torture;
– having regard to Rule 103 (2) of its Rules of Procedure;
A. whereas there have been allegations since November 2005 reporting that the CIA has been holding and interrogating terrorist suspects at secret facilities in Europe, as part of a global covert prison system established after the 11 September attacks in 2001,
B. whereas independent research has been conducted by reputable associations on the practice of 'extraordinary renditions' whereby terrorist suspects were transported in secret to the authorities of third-party states, after which detention and torture have allegedly taken place,
C. whereas press reports and associations' research alleging that airport facilities used by the CIA for such transport included facilities connected to US bases and specifically those of Aviano (Italy) and Ramstein (Germany),
D. whereas several Member States have started internal inquiries to elucidate such allegations,
E. whereas all flights over any Member State without its authorisation are a violation of their national sovereignty,
F. whereas any use of torture is a direct violation of Article 3 (torture and inhuman or degrading treatment) and Article 5 (right to liberty and security of person) of the European Convention on Human Rights,
G. whereas any aid or assistance to agents of another state in conduct amounting to secret deprivation of liberty and torture, including aid or assistance in the transportation by aircraft and use of airport facilities, is also a violation of Articles 3 and 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights,
1. Strongly condemns any use of torture, including inhuman and degrading treatment;
2. Strongly condemns the capture of the German citizen Masri and other non-EU citizens in different EU Member States by the CIA (among them political refugees, as in the case of Abu Omar in Italy), who were in some cases interrogated and tortured on EU territory and were then brought to Afghan camps, Guantánamo, Egypt or locations in other third countries, where they were kept without any legal procedure for months and years and were severely treated and tortured;
3. Calls for the full legal protection of EU citizens and the defence of their inalienable rights by the EU governments and the guarantee of full respect for the human rights of all citizens living in EU Member States;
4. Strongly condemns all flights carried out by US officials or persons acting in an official capacity over any Member State without its authorisation;
5. Condemns without reservation such practices, which are in flagrant violation of international law;
6. Decides to establish a Committee of Inquiry in accordance with Article 193 of the EC Treaty and Parliament's Rules of Procedure;
7. Is committed to opening the procedure under Article 7 of the Treaty on the European Union if investigations confirm the allegations that several Member States have given assistance, whether by act or omission, to agents acting on behalf of other governments in conducting such practices;
8. Calls on the European Council to express its position on these allegations and to inform the European Parliament and the public;
9. Calls on every Member State to conduct inquiries into the allegations;
10. Welcomes the Council of Europe’s investigation into the allegations and urges all Member States to give any relevant information in relation to this;
11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Governments and Parliaments of the Member States and applicant countries, and the Council of Europe.