MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on violence against opposition activists in Equatorial Guinea, notably the case of Julio Obama Mefuman

14.2.2023 - (2023/2552(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules of Procedure

Anna Fotyga, Karol Karski, Angel Dzhambazki, Witold Jan Waszczykowski, Hermann Tertsch, Eugen Jurzyca, Waldemar Tomaszewski, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński
on behalf of the ECR Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B9-0122/2023

NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.

B9‑0130/2023

European Parliament resolution on violence against opposition activists in Equatorial Guinea, notably the case of Julio Obama Mefuman

(2023/2552(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to Rule 144 of its Rules of Procedure,

 

 

1. whereas in January 2023 the Movement for the Liberation of the Third Equatorial Guinea (MLGE3R) announced that prominent dissident and Spanish citizen Julio Obama Mefuman, died in prison in the city of Mongomo; whereas reportedly he was tortured repeatedly during detention;

 

2. whereas the authorities said Obama Mefuman “died in a hospital following illness” but refuted any accusation of torture;

 

3. whereas Obama Mefuman was arrested in 2020 and served a 60-year jail sentence after being convicted of planning a coup d’état; whereas three other leading dissidents, including Spanish citizen Feliciano Efa Mangué and two citizens of Equatorial Guinea who were residing in Spain, were also arrested and were given jail terms based on the same charges;

 

4. whereas human rights organisations have described the accusations as false and found the trial was marred by egregious procedural irregularities;

 

5. whereas Spain’s national high court, the Audiencia Nacional, is investigating top security officials of the regime in Equatorial Guinea, including a son of president Teodoro Obiang, for allegedly kidnapping and torturing Julio Obama Mefuman and Feliciano Efa Mangué;

 

6. whereas the surprising change of criteria of the Spanish judge, Santiago Pedraz, regarding the arrest warrant issued on December 10, 2022, against Carmelo Ovono Obiang, which was revoked on December 29, facilitated Obiang’s flight from Spain; whereas the death in prison of Obama Mefuman happened after the escape of Carmelo Obiang from Spain, and whereas Feliciano Efa Mangué remains imprisoned in the same precarious conditions, with serious risk to his life;

 

7. whereas the government frequently detains opposition politicians in the country, cracks down on civil society and censures journalists; whereas the judiciary is under presidential control and security forces engage in torture and other violence with impunity;

 

***

 

1. Deplores the death of Julio Obama Mefuman in prison, and lack of adequate actions by the international community that would prevent it;

 

2. Urges the Equatorial Guinea authorities to fully cooperate with the Spanish authorities to clarify the circumstances of the death in prison of Obama Mefuman, and to act diligently to secure the immediate release of Feliciano Efa Mangué;

 

3. Expresses deep concern at the trials and detention of other dissidents in Equatorial Guinea; calls on the authorities to ensure that all prisoners are supported by legal certainty and procedural guarantees, and have right to family visits;

 

4. Urges the authorities of Equatorial Guinea to substantially improve  democratic governance in the country to the benefit of all its citizens;

 

5. Calls on authorities to undertake a thorough investigation of allegations of abuse and irregularities around the November 2022 elections as the environment in which the they were conducted was not conducive to democratic, pluralist and participatory elections;

 

6. Calls on the EU Delegation to the Republic of Cameroon to closely monitor the situation in Equatorial Guinea;

 

7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the government and parliament of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea;