MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

13.6.2006

with request for inclusion in the agenda for the debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure
by Jana Hybaskova, Charles Tannock , Bernd Posselt and Boguslaw Sonik
on behalf of the PPE-DE Group
on Syria: violation of human rights

B6‑0365/06

European Parliament resolution on Syria: violation of human rights

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on Syria, notably that of 8 September 2005,

- having regard of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement, of which the European Union and Syria are parties, notably Article 2 which stipulates that respect for democratic principles and fundamental rights inspire the domestic and external policies of the parties and constitute and essential element of the agreement,

- having regard to the Barcelona Process declaration of 28 November 1995 and its priority to enhance Human Rights,

- having regard to the political priorities of the EP Presidency of the EMPA in 2005 to increase the dialogue on human rights with parliaments of the partner countries,

- having regard to the Commission communication on the 10th Anniversary of the Barcelona Process and the objectives for the next 5 years, especially the aim to focus on issues such as the protection of human rights,

- having regard to Article 11(1) of the Treaty of the European Union and Article 177 of the EC Treaty, which establishes the promotion of human rights as an objective of the common foreign and security policy,

- having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948,

- having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.   mindful if the importance of the political, economic and cultural ties that exist between the European Union and Syria,

B.   whereas the accession to power of the current president, Bachar Al Assad, has given rise to hope in Syria and the opening of the Syrian political system, which had been dominated by the Baath party for many years,

C.  underlining that the European Parliament welcomes the efforts made to improve the human rights situation in Syria at the beginning of this year and also welcomes the Syrian co-operation in the UN investigations on the assassination of Rafik Hariri but stresses the crucial need for full and unconditional co-operation from Syria with the investigating commission,

D.   whereas Amnesty International and other Human Rights organisations have reported the arrest and torture of several civil activists in May 2006 after signing a petition for improved Syrian - Lebanese relations in view of UN Security Council Resolution 1680, notable amongst them the human rights lawyer Anwar al Bunni and writer Michel Kilo as well as others such as Khalil Hussein, writer Kaled Khalifa, Dr. Safwan Tayfour, Mahmoud ´Issa, Fateh Jammous, Abbas Abbas, Prof. Suleiman Achmar, Nidal Derwiche, Suleiman Shummor, Ghalem Amer, Muhammad Mahfud and Mahmoud Mer´i,

E.  taking note that the Syrian authorities are also reported to have arrested numerous journalists and civil activists in the past two months,

F.   recalling that already in November 2005, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch reported the arrest and risk of torture of peaceful activists such as Kamal Al -Labwani, who now is facing a life sentence for expressing his views,

G.  concerned that in 2005 the UN Human Rights Committee expressed its distress "at the obstacles of the imposed on the registration and free operation of non-governmental human rights organisations" in Syria and "intimidation harassment of human rights defenders",

H.  also concerned by the conclusion of a recent investigative report on "honour killings" based upon on the fact that the Syrian penal code makes it easy for men to evade punishment for murdering women in order to defend their family honour,

I.  whereas Syria is governed by emergency laws introduced 43 years ago,

1.   Urges the Syrian authorities to release immediately all activists still detained for signing a petition calling for improved Syrian- Lebanese relations;

2.  Further urges the Syrian authorities to reconsider all cases of political prisoners and immediately release all prisoners of conscience, and to:

• (a)ensure that the detainees are well treated and not subject to torture or other ill treatment,
• (b)ensure that detained or imprisoned persons are given prompt, regular and unrestricted access to their lawyers, doctors and families;

3.  Expresses its deep concern about the recent widespread harassment of human rights defenders, their families and peaceful political activists in the past month after the efforts made to improve the human rights situation in Syria at the beginning of this year;

4.   Calls on Syria to repeal the state of emergency and to cease to apply emergency laws that are used to justify the violation of human rights;

5.  Welcomes the declaration by the EU Presidency of behalf of the European Union regarding the recent arrests in Syria on 19 May 2006;

6.  Calls on the Syrian Government fully to respect freedom of expression and assembly as laid down in the Syrian Constitution and in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ratified by Syria in 1969;

7.  Further calls upon Syria to ratify the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading treatment and to amend the penal code in order to condemn "honour killings";

8.  Calls on the Council, Commission and the Member States actively to support the aim of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement regarding the adherence to human rights in a permanent political dialogue with Syria and highlights the Syrian obligation to comply with Article 2 of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement;

9.  Reasserts the need for the Commission and the Council also to do their utmost to ensure that the Association Agreement with Syria leads to an improvement of human rights in Syria and calls on them to stress that ratification will be suspended if there is no noticeable improvement in the human rights situation;

10.  Calls on the Commission to make an annual assessment of the human rights situation in Syria and its compliance with the obligations under the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement and the Association Agreement and to report its findings within the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership;

11.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Syrian Government and the National Parliament of Syria.