MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Tunisia, recent breaches of human rights
13.12.2011
pursuant to Rule 122 of the Rules of Procedure
Charles Tannock, Marek Henryk Migalski, Ryszard Antoni Legutko, Tomasz Piotr Poręba, Valdemar Tomaševski, Ryszard Czarnecki, Adam Bielan, Michał Tomasz Kamiński, Geoffrey Van Orden on behalf of the ECR Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0712/2011
B7‑0717/2011
European Parliament resolution on Tunisia, recent breaches of human rights
The European Parliament,
- having regard to its previous resolutions on Tunisia, in particular the one of 3 February 2011,
- having regard to its resolution of 7 April 2011 on the review of the European Neighbourhood Policy - Southern Dimension,
- having regard to the conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Council of 14 November 2011 on Tunisia,
- having regard to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, signed and ratified by Tunisia and its Optional Protocol,
- having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, signed and ratified by Tunisia,
- having regard to Rule 122(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. Whereas, on 13 November 2011, Zacharia Bouguira, a Tunisian national, witnessed at the Tunis-Carthage airport acts of violence by the police against a group of Moroccans who had attended an African Champions League football match in Tunis and who were arrested by the police forces;
B. Whereas Mr. Bouguira began to film the scene on a mobile phone with the intention of distributing the video on the internet but was immediately stopped from filming the scene by the police and suffered acts of violence himself;
C. Whereas Mr. Bouguira was subsequently detained for at least three hours alongside the Moroccans and continued to suffer acts of violence by the police forces; whereas at the same time the police forces continued to use acts of violence, intimidation and other forms of inhuman or degrading treatment against the Moroccans;
D. Whereas the arrest of the group of young Moroccan football supporters was also announced by TV stations Al-Watania, Hannibal and Nesma;
E. Whereas on 17 November 2011 Mr. Bouguira filed a complaint against members of the Tunisian security forces in the office of the Attorney General and was subsequently heard on 8 December 2011 by the prosecutor's office;
F. Whereas Tunisian human rights and advocacy organizations report continued use of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment by the Tunisian security forces;
G. Whereas it is essential for the emergence of a Tunisian state based on human rights and the rule of law, and the Arab Spring to be successful and to bring lasting change, that this and other cases of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment are prosecuted in a fair and transparent manner and an end is made to impunity in this regard;
1. Welcomes the commitments made by Tunisia since the end of Ben Ali's regime, particularly in terms of cooperation with special procedures and mechanisms of the United Nations in the fight against torture, inhuman and degrading treatment; therefore urges the Tunisian authorities to deal with the case brought by Mr. Zacharia Bouguira in a fair and transparent manner and according to the rule of law and its international commitments;
2. Furthermore urges the Tunisian authorities to guarantee an independent investigation into the alleged use of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment of the Moroccan nationals implicated in this case;
3. Requests to be kept informed by the HR/VP of the steps taken by the Tunisian authorities concerning this event;
4. Is aware of the challenges facing Tunisia in its process of democratic transition and calls on the Constituent Assembly and the future government to engage in a reform process with a view to establishing a deep and strong democracy based on human rights and the rule of law and to engage civil society in this process;
5. Calls on the Tunisian authorities to pay particular attention to the establishment of an independent judiciary, reforming the security forces and ending impunity;
6. Reiterates its support for and commitment to the legitimate democratic aspiration of the Tunisian people and welcomes the first democratic elections held on 23 October 2011 for a Constituent Assembly and the first to have come from the events of the Arab Spring;
7. Requests the HR/VP and the European Commission to support Tunisia in the process of democratic transition wherever possible, including through its Neighbourhood Policy, and to set up a programme aimed specifically at supporting reform efforts concerning the Tunisian security forces and the establishment of an independent judiciary;
8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Tunisian authorities and the Tunisian Constituent Assembly.