MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Sudan, the case of Meriam Yahia Ibrahim
15.7.2014 - (2014/2727(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 135 of the Rules of Procedure
Josef Weidenholzer, Victor Boştinaru, Linda McAvan, Ana Gomes, Richard Howitt, Marc Tarabella, Lidia Joanna Geringer de Oedenberg, Liisa Jaakonsaari, Corina Creţu, Luigi Morgano on behalf of the S&D Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0010/2014
B8‑0018/2014
European Parliament resolution on Sudan, the case of Meriam Yahia Ibrahim
The European Parliament,
- having regard to its previous resolutions on Sudan
- having regard to the statement of Presidents of the European Parliament, Council, and Commission of 10 June 2014, calling on Sudan to revoke its inhumane apostasy verdict.
- having regard to the statement of the EU delegation in Sudan regarding detained political activists of 9 July 2014
- having regard to human rights experts (including the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women) report for the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council of 19 May 2014
- having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
- having regards to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
- having regards to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights,
- having regard to the revised Cotonou Agreement,
- having regard to the EU Guidelines on freedom of religion and belief of 2013
- having regard to Rule 122 of its Rules of Procedure,
A. Whereas Meriam Yehya Ibrahim was sentenced to death by hanging for ‘apostasy’, and to flogging on 15 May 2014, following an earlier charge of adultery after relatives reported her to authorities for her marriage to a Christian man.
B. Whereas at the time of her trial Meriam Yehya Ibrahim was eight months pregnant, consequently giving birth to her second child whilst in detention alongside her 20 month old son.
C. Whereas following her release on 23 June 2014 she was again detained at Khartoum Airport by a group of 40 agents from the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) and taken into custody, only later to be re-released.
D. Whereas Meriam Yehya Ibrahim’s detention and inhumane treatment is emblematic of a worrying crackdown by Sudanese authorities against minorities, human rights activists, student protesters, journalists, political opponents and rights-based organisations, in particular those promoting women's rights and youth empowerment.
E. Whereas Sudan has ratified the relevant UN and African Union conventions and thereby has an international obligation to defend and promote freedom of religion or belief, which notably includes the right to adopt, exchange or abandon one's religion or belief of one's own free will.
F. Whereas the criminalization of sexual relations between consenting adults is a violation of their right to privacy under international human rights law.
G. Whereas Sudanese authorities disproportionately convict women and girls of ill-defined crimes for private, personal decisions that should never be criminalized in the first place and whereas women disproportionally face cruel punishment such as flogging, in violation of their human rights to dignity, privacy and equality.
H. Whereas Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services has a track record of arbitrarily arresting and torturing human rights and political activists with complete impunity for prolonged detention without charge;
I. whereas the National Security Act of 2010 allows detention for up to four-and-a half months without charge or judicial review
J. Whereas there is a systematic failure in Sudan to prosecute serious violations of human rights by security forces, in any part of Sudan including Darfur, South Kordofan and the Blue Nile denying victims the right to an effective remedy.
1. Condemns the unjustified detention of Meriam Yehya Ibrahim. Calls upon the Government of Sudan to repeal all legislation that discriminates on the grounds of gender or religion and to protect the religious identity of minority groups.
2. Rejects all forms of violence and intimidation that impairs the right to have or adopt a religion, including the use of threat, physical force or penal sanctions to compel believers or non-believers to renounce their religion or to convert.
3. Expects the government of Sudan to investigate all allegations of mistreatment, torture, and death in detention of prisoner, and promptly take steps to prosecute and/or discipline any NISS officials, police and other officials responsible for the abuse, including for the unjustified killing of over 170 plus protesters in Khartoum in October 2013. Furthermore calls on Sudan to ratify the United Nations Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading and Treatment or Punishment and its Optional Protocol.
4. Remains alarmed by reports that imprisoned political activists have been subjected to ill-treatment and torture. Calls on the Government of Sudan to ensure their physical and mental integrity and to respect the human rights of all detainees in Sudanese prisons and detention facilities.
5. Condemns the ongoing detention of youth activists, human rights defenders and journalists in Sudan. Calls on the Government of Sudan to guarantee the peaceful exercise of the freedoms of expression, association and assembly in line with its international obligations.
6. Underscores its concern about continued obstacles to the activities of civil society and non-profit organisations, including the recent closure of Salmmah Women's Resource Centre.
7. Condemns the shrinking operational space for such rights-based organisations, in particular those promoting women's rights and youth empowerment. Calls on authorities to ensure that civil society organisations can operate freely, contribute to the development of Sudan and participate actively in the national dialogue.
8. Reiterates calls on the Sudanese Government to continue implementing the necessary political reforms to provide solutions to the country's chronic economic mismanagement, poverty, rising levels of corruption and insecurity in the west and south. Recommends that the Sudanese authorities and all regional and international partners implement programmes for young people in order to promote education, training and employment;
9. Calls on the Sudanese Government to review its National Security Act, which allows the detention of suspects for up to four-and-a-half months without any form of judicial review, and calls also on the Sudanese Government to reform its legal system in accordance with international human rights standards;
10. Calls on the Sudanese Government to repeal the death penalty, which is still in force, and to commute death sentences to appropriate alternative sanctions;
11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Government of Sudan, the African Union, the United Nations Secretary-General, the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly and the Pan-African Parliament (PAP).