MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Yemen: prosecution of juvenile offenders, notably the case of Muhammed Taher Thabet Samoum
15.2.2011
pursuant to Rule 122 of the Rules of Procedure
Marie-Christine Vergiat on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group
B7‑0141/2011
European Parliament resolution on Yemen: prosecution of juvenile offenders, notably the case of Muhammed Taher Thabet Samoum
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions condemning the death penalty and on the situation in Yemen,
– having regard to relevant UN conventions on human rights and the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms,
– having regard to the European Community Strategy Paper for Yemen for the period 2007-2013,
– having regard to the statement by the High Representative Catherine Ashton on the national dialogue process in Yemen of 19 July 2010 and previous declarations of the European Union on the situation in Yemen,
– having regard to the Convention on the Rights of Children and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Yemen is a party,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on the abolition of the death penalty and the need for an immediate moratorium on executions in those countries where the death penalty is still applied,
– having regard to United Nations General Assembly Resolution 62/149 of 18 December 2007 calling for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty (on the report of the Third Committee (A/62/439/Add.2), and the 63/168 calling on the implementation of the 2007 General Assembly resolution 62/149 adopted by the UNGA on 18 December 2008,
– having regard to the speech of the High Representative/VP of the Commission she delivered in plenary on 16 June 2010 on Human Rights recalling that the abolition on death penalty world wide was a priority for the EU,
– having regard to the declaration of EP President Buzek on the occasion of the World day against the Death Penalty of 8 October 2010,
– having regard to Rule 122(5) of its Rules of Procedure
A. whereas the overall political, security and socio-economic situation in Yemen has been deteriorating for a long time,
B. whereas serious concerns about the situation in Yemen with regard to democracy, human rights and the independence of the judiciary remain; whereas there have been cases involving the persecution of journalists and human rights defenders; whereas the situation of women is especially difficult, with deteriorating access to education and a lack of active political participation,
C. whereas following the protests and manifestations in other Arab countries also in Yemen a social movement established and demanded democratic reforms, fair elections and the respect of democratic and human rights of the people,
D. whereas a number of juvenile offenders, including Muhammed Taher Thabet Samoum, are faced with the threat of execution in Yemen, though the international obligations prohibit Yemen the application of the death penalty of juvenile offenders,
E. whereas the age of the juvenile offenders is disputed, as there is a lack of important documents,
F. whereas Yemen has according to data from Amnesty International in 2010 executed at least 51 people and in 2011 2 persons so far,
G. whereas the death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and violates the right to life, as declared in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
H. whereas the EU works towards moratoria of the application of the death penalty and, in due course, abolition and ratification of the relevant international UN and other instruments (in particular Optional Protocol n° 2 to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which provides for the abolition of the death penalty),
1. Condemns all executions wherever they take place; strongly calls on the EU and its Member States to enforce the implementation of the UN resolution on a universal moratorium on executions with a view to total abolition in all states which still practise the death penalty;
2. Calls on the EU Presidency to encourage those remaining countries which have not signed and ratified the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to do so, and those Member States that have not signed Protocol No 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights on the death penalty to do so;
3. Recalls that the full abolition of the death penalty remains one of the main objectives of the EU Human Rights policy; this target will only be achieved by close cooperation between states, cooperation, education, awareness-raising, efficiency and effectiveness;
4. Is unconditionally opposed to the death penalty in all cases as the ultimate, cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment and as a violation of the right to life,
5. Demands the Yemenite authorities to end the application of the death penalty in Yemen and especially to respect their international obligations towards juvenile offenders,
6. Encourages the Yemenite social organisations and movement in their striving for democratic reforms, fair elections and active participation in the policy shaping of the country,
7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the President of Yemen and the speaker of the Yemenite Parliament.