MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

15.1.2008

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 Marios Matsakis, Frédérique Ries
on behalf of the ALDE Group
on Egypt

NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.

B6‑0036/2008

European Parliament resolution on Egypt

The European Parliament,

• -having regard to the EU human rights guidelines;
• -having regard to its previous resolutions on Egypt;
• -having regard to the European Neighbourhood Policy and its National Action Plan;

A.  deeply concerned by the decision by the decision to close down in Cairo the Association for Human Rights and Legal Aid (AHRLA), a non governmental organisation monitoring and denouncing acts of torture in police stations as well as providing legal support to victims of torture;

B.  deeply concerned by the closing of the Centre for Trade Union and Workers Services (DTUWS) and its branches which is the first time an advocacy NGO is closed by an executive decision;

C.  deeply concerned by the wave of jail terms hitting journalists; human rights and political activists ;

D.  concerned by the trial of civilians before the military court;

E.  concerned by several cases of killings by Egyptian security focus of migrants and asylum seekers;

F.  particularly concerned by the deterioration of the health of the opposition presidential candidate Ayman Nour as a result of his imprisonment 

1.  Underlines the importance of Egypt and EU-Egypt relations for the stability and development of the Euro-Mediterranean area;

2.  Calls on the Egyptian authorities to put an end to all forms of harassment against Civil Society NGO such as the AHRLA and the CTUWS, repeal the decision to close it down and ensure in all circumstances that its members are able to carry out their work freely without any hindrances;

3.  Stresses that respect for human rights, including freedom of information, speech and association, is a fundamental value enshrined in the EU-Egypt Association Agreement and reaffirms the importance of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership for promoting the rule of law and fundamental freedoms;

4.  Calls on the Egyptian authorities to put an end to all forms of harassment against human rights defenders;

5.  Calls on the Egyptian government to take into consideration Ayman Nour's appeals for release on humanitarian grounds;

6.  Stresses that Article 2 of the Association Agreement includes a clause demanding that human rights and democratic principles be respected;

7.  Urges the Council and the Commission, in this connection, to develop and strengthen democracy programmes for Egypt in the framework of the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights, with a view to supporting Egyptian civil society;

8.  Instructs its Delegation for Relations with the Mashreq Countries to address the issue of human rights in Egypt at its next meeting with Egyptian parliamentarians and to involve representatives of civil society in the process;

9.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Member States and the Government and Parliament of Egypt.