Motion for a resolution - B9-0396/2023Motion for a resolution
B9-0396/2023

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on  Egypt, in particular the sentencing of Hisham Kassem

3.10.2023 - (2023/2883(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

Idoia Villanueva Ruiz, Miguel Urbán Crespo
on behalf of The Left Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B9-0396/2023

NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.
Procedure : 2023/2883(RSP)
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B9-0396/2023
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B9-0396/2023
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B9‑0396/2023

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on  Egypt, in particular the sentencing of Hisham Kassem

(2023/2883(RSP))

The European Parliament,

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

 

 

  1. Whereas Hisham Kassem a journalist and dissident who was expected to run in the presidential elections, was sentenced to six months in prison, in a trial marred by breaches of fair trial standards; whereas Kassem's appeal hearing is expected on 7 October;

 

  1. whereas Kassem´s sentence is part of a wave of repression ahead of the elections and is another example of the campaign to silence critics and punish dissent in Egypt;

 

  1. whereas despite the release of hundreds of political prisoners, arbitrarily detentions have continued in Egypt; whereas since August more than 385 individuals were arrested for political reasons; whereas those arrested are subjected to enforced disappearances, torture or other ill-treatment, before being detained indefinitely without charge or trial;

 

  1. whereas at least 73 campaign workers of presidential candidate Ahmed al-Tantawy have been detained; whereas former spokesperson for the 6th of April Youth Movement, Mohamed Adel, was sentenced to four years in prison;

 

 

  1. Deplores once again and in the strongest possible terms, Egypt’s continuing and intensifying crackdown on fundamental rights;
  2. Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Hisham Kassem and of the tens of thousands political prisoners such as Alaa Abdel Fattah, solely imprisoned for exercising their human rights, and for all baseless charges against them to be dropped;
  3.  Strongly condemns  the very restrictive political and legal context of Egypt's electoral process, and the lack of a genuinely competitive environment for campaigning which impede the holding free, fair and credible elections;
  4. Calls on Egyptian authorities to allow the full exercise of freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, association and media freedoms, as well as the right to participate in public affairs, including by ceasing the judicial and security harassment of critics and opponents as well as their relatives, campaigners or supporters;
  5. Urges Egyptian authorities to end the systematic use of torture and enforced disappearance, and open adequate criminal investigations  against those responsible;
  6. Reiterates its call for a profound and comprehensive review of the EU’s relations with Egypt in light of the very limited progress on Egypt’s human rights record and of its crackdown on dissent, in particular by ensuring that that the improvement of EU relations and cooperation with Egypt depend on strong human rights benchmarks;
  7. Regrets once again that the EU and its Member States have not responded in a resolute manner to the egregious human rights violations committed under President al-Sisi’s rule; urges the HR/VP and Member States to take a strong public position ahead of the next EU-Egypt association council, on the need for Egypt to release political prisoners, make concrete human rights progress, lifting media and civil society restrictions and putting in place measures to ending torture, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary detentions;
  8. Reiterates that human rights should never be undermined by migration management or counter-terrorism actions;
  9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the EU institutions, Member States and the Egyptian authorities.
Last updated: 3 October 2023
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