MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
22.5.2007
pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure
by Charles Tannock, Bernd Posselt, Eija-Riitta Korhola
on behalf of the PPE-DE Group
on human rights in Syria
B6‑0226/2007
European Parliament resolution on human rights in Syria
The European Parliament,
- having regard to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement, of which the European Union and Syria are parties,
- having regard to the Barcelona Process declaration of 28 November 1995,
- having regard to the Commission communication of 12 April 2005 on the 10th Anniversary of the Barcelona Process, especially the aim to focus on issues such as the protection of human rights,
- having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948,
- having regard to Article 11(1) of the Treaty of the European Union and Article 177 of the EC Treaty, which establish the promotion of human rights as an objective of the common foreign and security policy,
- having regard to its previous resolutions on Syria and the Middle East,
- having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. mindful of the importance of the political, economic and cultural ties that exist between the European Union and Syria,
B. taking into consideration the content of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement, especially 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,
C. whereas the European Parliament and its President have already intervened several times in favour of the release of human rights activists, politicians and parliamentarians detained in Syrian prisons,
D. whereas Michel Kilo, militant pro-democratic writer, was arrested on 14 May 2006, mainly for his position on the Beirut-Damascus Declaration and was sentenced on 13 May 2007 to a three-year prison term,
E. whereas Mahmoud Issa, Faek El Mir and Aref Dalila, members of various human rights organisations in Syria, are now detained in solitary confinement for 6 years,
F. whereas Syrian Security Forces arrested Kamal al Labwani, a physician and co-founder of the Democratic Liberal Gathering, on 8 November upon his return from a trip to Egypt and the United States, and have now sentenced him to 12 years in prison including hard labour on politically motivated charges,
G. whereas Anwar Al Bunni, a founding member of the Syrian Human Rights Organisation and a lawyer specialising in human rights issues, was arrested on the streets of Damascus when he was on the verge of taking up a post as Director of a Human Rights Centre financed by the European Union in 2006 and is now sentenced to 5 years imprisonment for "spreading false information harmful to the state",
H. whereas the Presidency of the European Union has issued a statement in which it expresses its "profound concern" over Michel Kilo and Mahmoud Issa, sentenced by a criminal court in Damascus on 13 May 2007,
1. Welcomes the continuing dialogue between the European Union and Syria and hopes that the continuous efforts will lead to improvements not only on the economic and social situation in Syria but also politically and in the field of Human Rights;
2. Highlights the obligation to comply with Article 2 of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement;
3. Is confident that Syria, who could play an important role of pacification in the region, will improve and support human rights and freedom of expression in the country;
4. Expresses its great concern over recent verdicts for political prisoners in Syria which affect the opposition's every political trend;
5. Is deeply concerned by the restrictions imposed on and the charges made against Mahmoud Issa, Fayek El Mir, Aref Dalila, Kamal al Labwani, Anwar Al Bunni and Michel Kilo for exercising their democratic rights and facing trials for their peaceful activities;
6. Notes that the EU Presidency regrets that Michel Kilo and Mahmoud Issa "have been sentenced merely for expressing their political views" and calls on Syria to respect freedom of opinion and the right to a fair trial, the Presidency also urges the relevant Syrian bodies to reverse the judgements, drop the charges still pending in the Military Court of Damascus and release both Michel Kilo and Mahmoud Issa;
7. Further urges the Syrian authorities to take note of the UN Human Rights Committee concerns and to:
- (a)ensure that the detainees are well treated and not subject to torture or other ill treatment,
- (b)ratify the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading treatment,
- (c)ensure that detained or imprisoned persons are given prompt and regular access to their lawyers, doctors and families;
8. Calls for the abrogation of the state of emergency in Syria, established more than 40 years ago;
9. Urges the relevant Syrian bodies to reverse the judgments, drop the charges still pending in the Military Court of Damascus and release all the above-mentioned prisoners of conscience and political prisoners;
10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Syrian Government and the Syrian Parliament.