MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on human rights violations in China, notably the case of Liu Xiaobao

19.1.2010

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 122 of the Rules of Procedure

Tunne Kelam, Mario Mauro, Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Cristian Dan Preda, Bernd Posselt, Filip Kaczmarek, Eija-Riitta Korhola, Monica Luisa Macovei, Jean-Pierre Audy on behalf of the PPE Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0040/2010

B7‑0041/2010

European Parliament resolution on human rights violations in China, notably the case of Liu Xiaobao

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on the human rights situation in China,

 

- having regard to its resolution of 6 September 2007 on the functioning of the human rights dialogues and consultations on human rights with third countries,

 

- having regard to the declarations of the Presidency on behalf of the EU concerning Charter 08 and the arrest of human rights campaigners of 19 December 2008,

 

- having regard to the EU-China Summit held in Prague last May 2009,

 

- having regard to the declarations of the Presidency on behalf of the EU on prosecution of Mr Liu Xiaobo of 26 June 2009,

 

- having regard to the EU-China seminar of 18-19 November 2009 and the EU-China Human Rights dialogue of 20 November 2009,

 

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

 

 

A. whereas there are continuous reports of political repression, particularly of journalists, human rights activists and members of religious and ethnic minorities, allegations of torture, frequent use of the death penalty and systematic repression of freedom of religion, speech and the media including the Internet;

 

B. considering that in April 2009, the PRC submitted documents to the UN in order to support its candidacy to the Human Rights Council, in which it affirmed that the People’s Republic of China was “committed to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Chinese people";

 

C. whereas on 8 December 2008 Liu Xiaobo, prominent human rights activist and scholar, and co-author of the “Charter 08”, was placed under “residential surveillance" by Chinese authorities; and, on 23 June 2009, he was officially arrested and charged on 24 June 2009 with “inciting to subvert State power“, pursuant to Article 105 of the Chinese Criminal Code, and the relevant paragraphs;

 

D. whereas, Liu Xiaobo was tried by the Beijing No.1 Intermediate People's Court on 23 December 2009, and he was found guilty to the charge of "inciting subversion of state power"; whereas the trial lasted less than 3 hours, and the defence was not permitted to present any evidence;

 

 

1. Strongly condemns the sentence of 11 years in prison of Liu Xiaobo and his two years' deprivation of political rights; demands his prompt release and that of all dissidents who have been arrested and jailed for crimes of opinion and criticizing the government; calls on accepting his appeal against the sentence, because the charges based on the six articles he published on the internet and the co-authoring of Charter 08 are not relevant accusations;

 

 

2. Deplores that ahead of the country's 60th anniversary, on 1 October 2009, the Chinese authorities increased surveillance, harassment and imprisonment of HR activists, and monitored strictly all internet activities as well as displacing targeted groups from the Capital to the countryside to avoid any possible manifestation against the Regime's celebrations;

 

3. Calls upon China to respect its commitments to human rights, to its universality and to the rule of law, in particular the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders;

 

4. Deplores the fact that China's human rights record remains a matter of concern owing to widespread and systematic human rights abuses; recalls the commitments to human rights made by China when the country won its bid to host the Olympic games;

 

5. Urges China to reform its criminal law to allow greater freedom of expression and to respect freedom of the press for journalists, writers, freelancers, reporters etc, both Chinese and foreign based in China; calls on the Chinese authorities to end the blocking of thousands of websites, including European media websites; calls on the Chinese authorities to release cyber dissidents and web users imprisoned in China;

 

6. Calls on the Council of the European Union to take action in relation to the Chinese authorities regarding the arrest of Hu Jia, winner of the Sakharov Prize 2008, who has come to represent the plight of the many thousands of human rights defenders currently imprisoned in China;

 

7. Calls on the EU and China to strengthen the EU-China human rights dialogue, established in 2000, which, up to now, did not achieve tangible results;

 

8. Calls on China for a prompt ratification and implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;

 

 

9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the candidate countries, the President and Prime Minister of the People's Republic of China.