MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Egypt, in particular the case of blogger Alaa Abdel Fatah

15.11.2011

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

Mario Mauro, Cristian Dan Preda, Tokia Saïfi, Roberta Angelilli, Bernd Posselt, Tunne Kelam, Monica Luisa Macovei, Elena Băsescu, Sari Essayah, Eija-Riitta Korhola, Zuzana Roithová, Sergio Paolo Francesco Silvestris, Eduard Kukan, Anna Záborská, Giovanni La Via, Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Bogusław Sonik on behalf of the PPE Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0595/2011

B7‑0603/2011

European Parliament resolution on Egypt, in particular the case of blogger Alaa Abdel Fatah

The European Parliament,

- Having regard to the EU-Egypt Association Agreement and in particular Article 2 thereof;

 

- Having regard to Article 10, 18 and 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948;

 

- Having regard to Article 14.1 and 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966 to which Egypt is a party;

 

- Having regard to Article 6 and 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) of 1950;

 

- Having regard to the UN Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination based on Religion and Belief of 1981;

 

- Having regard to the statement by the High Representative, Catherine Ashton, of 10 October 2011, on the violence in Egypt;

 

- Having regard to the conclusion of the Council of the European Union - Foreign Affairs, taken place on the 20th of February in which The High Representative Catherine Ashton has been asked to report about the measures adopted and the concrete proposals to strengthen further the European Union actions concerning the promotion and the defence of religion and freedom of belief;

 

- Having regard to its previous resolutions, in particular of 17 February 2011 on the situation in Egypt and of 24 October 2011 on the situation in Egypt and Syria, in particular of Christian communities;

 

 

A.  Whereas on 9 October 2011 a peaceful demonstration by Coptic Christians was brutally crushed by the Egyptian army, followed by an attack on a Coptic church in Marinab village in the Governorate of Aswan, resulting in the death of over 25 people, mostly Coptic Christian, and leaving several hundred wounded;

 

B.  Whereas on 30 October 2011, the Military Prosecutor called for interrogation the blogger Mr. Alaa Abdel-Fatah and later it ordered his provisional detention for 15 days in the appeals prison of Bab El Khalq in Cairo, after being charged with “inciting violence against the Armed Forces” during a demonstration by Coptic Christians against an arson attack on a church and “assaulting military personnel”;

 

C.  Whereas on 3 November 2011, the Military Appeal Court confirmed the detention of Mr. Alaa Abdel-Fatah for a period of 15 days;

 

D.  Whereas Mr. Alaa Abdel-Fatah refused to answer any question by the Military Court related to the events; Mr. Alaa Abdel-Fatah declared that he only will answer to a civil impartial court, arguing that the Military Court did not have competence to interrogate civilians;

 

E.  Whereas everyone shall be entitled to a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal established by law;

 

D.  Whereas the European Union has repeatedly expressed its commitment to freedom of thought, freedom of conscience and freedom of religion and has stressed that Governments have a duty to guarantee these freedoms all over the world;

 

 

1.  Urges the Egyptian Authorities to immediately release Mr. Alaa Abdel-Fatah, who is in prison for 15 days refusing to answer questions made by the Military Court related to the events of last 9 October 2011, which is not considered by him an impartial court;

 

2.  Strongly condemns the judicial harassment against Mr. Alaa Abdel-Fatah by the Military Judiciary and calls for an end to trials of civilians before military courts;

 

3.  Calls on the Egyptian Authorities to guarantee impartial tribunals as established in art. 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948: "Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him";

 

4.  Urges the Egyptian Authorities to guarantee the independence and impartiality of the various investigations by allowing proper oversight;

 

5.  Calls on the Egyptian Authorities, in the context of the evolution towards a free and democratic society, to guarantee freedom of religion or belief as a universal human right which needs to be protected everywhere and for everybody;

 

6.   Strongly condemns the violence perpetrated against the Copts on 9 October 2011, as well as the attacks that took place last week by the Egyptian army and extremists and any other sectarian violence and expresses its condolences to the victims and their relatives;

 

7.   Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the European Commission, the Governments and Parliaments of the Member States and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt.