Rapporti verbatim tad-dibattiti

Il-Ħamis, 17 ta' Diċembru 2015 - Strasburgu

3.1. Ibrahim Halawa qed jirriskja l-piena tal-mewt

Πρόεδρος. - Το επόμενο σημείο στην ημερήσια διάταξη αφορά τη συζήτηση επί επτά προτάσεων ψηφίσματος σχετικά την πιθανή επιβολή θανατικής ποινής στον Ibrahim Halawa Ibrahim Halawa.

  Ignazio Corrao, Autore.– Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, Ibrahim Halawa rischia la pena di morte, accusato appunto di numerosi crimini che però si riassumono in un'unica e sola legge che è la legge sulle proteste.

Colleghi, diciamocelo chiaramente, da quando Al-Sisi governa l'Egitto, sappiamo bene che è una situazione delicata e che abbiamo bisogno di mantenere un dialogo proficuo con quel paese vista appunto la collocazione geografica e le tensioni che ci sono attorno. Però è anche vero che non è accettabile da parte nostra che possano essere utilizzate leggi come questa e che si possa appunto rischiare la pena di morte soltanto per essere in dissenso. Quindi dovremmo utilizzare quella forza di dialogo che molti degli Stati membri hanno con l'Egitto appunto per cercare di fare pressione affinché una legge del genere venga rimossa e che Ibrahim Halawa venga rilasciato.

  Mark Demesmaeker, Auteur.– Collega's, opeengepropt in een cel in Egypte, geslagen en gemarteld, zo bracht de Ierse burger Ibrahim Halawa onlangs zijn 20e verjaardag door. En waarom? Omdat hij een beroep heeft gedaan op zijn recht op vrijheid van meningsuiting en op vrijheid van vereniging. Met zijn hongerstaking vraagt hij nu de aandacht en de hulp van de internationale gemeenschap.

De verkiezingen van 2011 gaven miljoenen mensen voor het eerst een politieke stem en het lijdt geen twijfel dat de Moslimbroeders nauwelijks oor hadden voor dissidente stemmen. Maar doet het huidige bewind het beter? Is het minder repressief, minder autocratisch? De persoonlijke vrijheden in Egypte zijn vandaag nog beperkter dan onder Mubarak en de schendingen van mensenrechten wijdverbreid.

Zwaaien met de doodstraf overschrijdt alle fatsoen. Het stemt niet overeen met het verlangen van de meerderheid van de Egyptenaren naar een vrij, stabiel en democratisch land. Ik roep de Egyptische autoriteiten dan ook op om Halawa en de honderden andere gevangenen een vrij en eerlijk proces te geven en om eindelijk een rolmodel voor veel andere staten in de regio op zich te nemen.

  Judith Sargentini, Auteur.– Ibrahim Halawa werd gearresteerd toen hij zeventien was. Het is een kind. Er zijn internationale regels over hoe je omgaat met kinderen in gevangenissen. Hij is ondertussen een paar jaar verder en het gaat niet goed met hem. Het gaat ook niet goed met die honderden mensen die met hem gearresteerd zijn, mensen die in massaprocessen voorgebracht worden, die niet eens kunnen horen hoe het proces verloopt, wiens zaak eigenlijk helemaal niet uitgezocht is omdat ze allemaal hetzelfde ten laste gelegd krijgen. Dit is het Egypte onder el-Sisi.

Dit is ook het Egypte waarvan een heleboel collega's hier zeggen "het Egypte waar wij relaties mee moeten aanknopen omdat het onze vriend is, onze strategische partner in een onrustige regio, een partner die ons zou moeten helpen om de regio te stabiliseren". Daar vergissen wij ons pijnlijk in. Dit is een land wat de regio helpt destabiliseren en el-Sissi is Mubarak 2.0.

Mensen kwamen in verzet tegen Mubarak na zware repressie van decennia en decennia en zullen dat in de toekomst weer doen en wij kijken eigenlijk weg. We vragen nu aandacht voor Ibrahim Halawa. We hopen dat hij vrijkomt, maar wij kijken weg van wat el-Sisi en zijn regering de lokale Egyptische bevolking aandoet. Ik wil nog drie namen noemen: Rena Netjes, Sue Turton en Dominic Kane. Zij zijn Europese journalisten die in die hele Al Jazeera-zaak veroordeeld werden, terwijl ze er niet waren. Ook zij verdienen gerechtigheid.

  Marian Harkin, author.– Mr President, Ibrahim Halawa and myself have a number of things in common. Two of them are that we are Irish citizens and we are European citizens. In that context, and crucially because Ibrahim Halawa was a minor when he was detained, I would ask the Egyptian authorities to unconditionally and immediately release Ibrahim Halawa to the Irish authorities.

I use those words ‘immediately and unconditionally’ because Ibrahim Halawa has spent 849 days in prison and his trial has been adjourned ten times. I use those words ‘immediately and unconditionally’ because Ibrahim Halawa has been declared a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International. I use those words because Ibrahim Halawa, along with 493 individuals, awaits a mass trial without any guarantee of a free and fair trial.

Finally, I use those words ‘immediately and unconditionally’ because the Irish Government has requested his release under Presidential Decree Law 140. Finally, I acknowledge and commend the diplomatic and consular efforts of the Irish authorities and many of my MEP colleagues, who have raised this issue in Parliament on a number of occasions, and in particular my colleague Lynn Boylan, who has ensured that his name and his case will be remembered.

  Seán Kelly, author.– Mr President, firstly I would like to thank all Groups in the House for their cooperation in tabling this resolution. As a result, we have unanimity. Also particular thanks to my co-authors, especially Marian Harkin and Lynn Boylan. As has been stated, it was Lynn Boylan’s initiative to bring the family out here that led us to table this resolution.

I also recognise the strategic role of Egypt in that part of the world and the good cooperation Europe, and indeed Ireland, has with Egypt on many fronts, but the case of Ibrahim Halawa is totally unacceptable. A 17-year-old Irish citizen caught up in the protests in Cairo in August 2013, arrested and kept in prison ever since in diabolical conditions, contravenes all declarations on human rights, and particularly the rights of a child. So I hope this resolution, in conjunction with the efforts of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charlie Flanagan, and the Irish Government, will convince the Egyptian authorities to resolve this issue and return Ibrahim to Ireland forthwith.

  Lynn Boylan, author.– Mr President, I would first like to welcome Ibrahim’s sisters, Somaia and Omaima, who have campaigned tirelessly on their brother’s behalf, and who I am proud to have had the opportunity to work with over the last two years.

This Resolution rightly condemns the fact that Ibrahim – a juvenile at the time of his arrest – faces a mass trial at which he is unable not only to testify, but even to hear the proceedings. I welcome that it is supported across the political spectrum, and especially by my Irish colleagues. Others have discussed the contents and the case of Ibrahim Halawa, so what I would like instead is to read the most recent note that Ibrahim had smuggled from prison.

‘Today is my 20th birthday, and, for the third time, I spend it alone. On this day, I would like to send my best to all those who believe in freedom and defend humanity; those who light a candle every night to remember the weak and oppressed. I do not know you personally, but I pray every sunset that it is time for your candles to light the path of freedom’.

  Pier Antonio Panzeri, Autore.– Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, Ibrahim Halawa

si trova ad affrontare una condanna molto difficile e dura in un processo di massa, come è stato ricordato, per la sua partecipazione alla manifestazione nel centro del Cairo nell'agosto del 2013 e, nonostante avesse 17 anni e quindi fosse minore al momento dell'arresto, la Corte egiziana non ne ha tenuto conto, violando la Convenzione internazionale dei diritti dell'infanzia a cui l'Egitto ha aderito.

Diverse fonti riportano che Halawa è stato sottoposto a tortura ed altri maltrattamenti durante l'arresto e la detenzione e, se giudicato colpevole, rischia la pena di morte. Nel mese di maggio del 2015 l'Egitto ha condannato a morte cinque persone, una delle quali aveva la stessa età di Ibrahim Halawa. Qualsiasi sentenza di condanna a morte è sbagliata, ma lo è ancor di più se inflitta ad una persona che, nel momento in cui commetteva il reato, aveva diciassette anni ed è chiaro che tutto ciò è incompatibile con gli obblighi internazionali dell'Egitto. Quindi siamo preoccupati e chiediamo la piena liberazione sua e di altri detenuti che hanno manifestato quel giorno.

  Brian Hayes, on behalf of the PPE Group.– Mr President, I join with other colleagues in welcoming this joint motion from all parties. I especially congratulate those who have campaigned tirelessly for Ibrahim Halawa in the course of the last number of years, and I recognise especially the work of Ms Boylan in that regard.

Ibrahim Halawa is not just an Irish citizen: as Ms Harkin said, he is a European Union citizen. The European Union is built on freedom, rights and fundamental human rights, which are inscribed in European law. We expect the European Union to believe in those rights and to apply them, and equally we expect third countries with which we have a relationship to uphold those rights as well.

I ask the Egyptian authorities to take note of the fact that this Parliament is speaking with one voice today. I ask them, especially, to use Law 140 which, as I understand it, requires a presidential decree allowing Ibrahim Halawa to come home to Ireland, and which has been used in other cases.

We need to speak with one voice, and I think the House has done a great service today in highlighting this case.

  Josef Weidenholzer, im Namen der S&D-Fraktion.– Herr Präsident! Ibrahim Halawa ist ein tragischer Fall, weil er zeigt, was einer Einzelperson passieren kann, wenn Menschenrechte und Rechtsstaatlichkeit nicht ernst genommen werden.

Für die ägyptischen Behörden wäre es ein leichtes – in diesem Fall zumindest –, das Gegenbild zu beweisen. Ibrahim Halawa ist aber nicht nur ein Einzelfall, er zeugt von einer systematischen Geringschätzung von Menschenrechten und rechtsstaatlichen Prinzipien in Ägypten, und es schmerzt besonders, dass es in Ägypten passiert, weil Ägypten für die EU ein wichtiger Partner ist, weil wir die Anstrengungen Ägyptens im Kampf gegen den Terror würdigen und weil wir an einem stabilen Ägypten interessiert sind.

Wirkliche Stabilität erreicht man nur, wenn Demokratie und Rechtsstaatlichkeit beachtet werden. Sonst ist es wie mit einem Druckkochtopf: Irgendwann explodiert er.

  Marietje Schaake, on behalf of the ALDE Group.– Mr President, in Egypt human rights, the rule of law, the right to a fair trial and fundamental freedoms are trampled on, and el—Sisi’s oppressive regime has too many victims. Egyptians seeking freedom and democracy say that the repression is now worse than it was under President Mubarak. The EU should not turn a blind eye, because cooperation without addressing human rights gives a false sense of stability and will prove unsustainable.

Do I believe that the Muslim Brotherhood seeks to advance justice, freedom, democracy and pluralism? No. I worry about the dogma and sectarianism of Islamist politics. Yet those Muslim Brotherhood supporters who demonstrated in 2013, as Ibrahim Halawa did, are innocent until proven guilty – or at least they should be. His human rights must be respected. A mass trial cannot be a fair trial.

On Sunday last, as one of the 420 co-defendants was not present, the trial was postponed. The circumstances in Egyptian prisons are notorious. Given the fact that Mr Halawa is Irish and was 17 when he was arrested, we call for his release by presidential decree under Egyptian Law 140.

  Diane James, on behalf of the EFDD Group.– Mr President, the British have a phrase ‘the elephant in the room’ to describe a matter that is completely obvious but which no-one wants to recognise. In the area of breaches of human rights, the European Union has its own elephant in the room and it is called Turkey.

I raise this today because, at every Strasbourg session, we debate human rights abuses and here we are this morning debating Mr Halawa. Yet Turkey is a country which will receive EUR 3 billion to stem the migrant flow, and nothing has been demanded in relation to its human rights abuses and standards. What message does that send?

I should love to see something positive come out of our deliberations and speeches this morning, but I fear it will be more hot air and double standards. Unless we actually resolve the confusion created yesterday in terms of Turkey’s accession to the EU, we will not address the issues or the double standards that this Chamber keeps on applying to cases like that of Mr Halawa and others across Europe.

  Γεώργιος Επιτήδειος ( NI).– Κύριε πρόεδρε, o Ibrahim Halawa είναι ένας νεαρός Ιρλανδοαιγύπτιος που κρατείται από το 2013 σε φυλακή του Καΐρου μαζί με άλλα 493 άτομα, κατηγορούμενος για σωρεία ποινικών αδικημάτων στα οποία περιλαμβάνονται καταστροφή και φθορά δημόσιας περιουσίας αλλά ακόμη και δολοφονίες πολιτών. Σύμφωνα με τα στοιχεία της Ευρωπαϊκής Ενώσεως, έχουν παραβιαστεί τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα του κ. Halawa διότι αυτός κρατείται επί δύο χρόνια χωρίς ακόμη να έχει καθοριστεί η δίκη του, διότι έχει υποστεί βασανιστήρια, διότι του έχει στερηθεί η δυνατότητα λήψης ιατροφαρμακευτικής περιθάλψεως και, τέλος, διότι αντιμετωπίζει τον κίνδυνο της θανατικής ποινής, παρά το γεγονός ότι ήταν μόλις δεκαεφτά ετών όταν συνελήφθη.

Από την πλευρά της, η Αίγυπτος αναφέρει ότι δεν έχουν παραβιαστεί τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα του κ. Halawa, αναφέρει τα αδικήματα στα οποία έχει υποπέσει και αφήνει να εννοηθεί ότι θα τύχει δίκαιης δίκης και ότι, ενδεχομένως, o πρόεδρος της Δημοκρατίας θα τον απαλλάξει από την έκτιση του υπολοίπου της ποινής του όταν ανακοινωθεί το αποτέλεσμα της δίκης. Η υπόθεση Halawa είναι μία από τις πολλές περιπτώσεις παραβιάσεως των ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων σε όλο τον κόσμο. Η άποψή μου είναι ότι η ευαισθητοποίηση και η κινητοποίηση της Ευρωπαϊκής Ενώσεως, σε συνδυασμό με το γεγονός ότι την υπόθεση Halawa παρακολουθούν στενά οι υπάλληλοι του Προξενείου της Ιρλανδίας στο Κάιρο, θα έχει ως αποτέλεσμα την απελευθέρωση του κ. Halawa ασχέτως του αποτελέσματος της δίκης. Άλλωστε, η Αίγυπτος είναι μια απ τις χώρες που έχει στενές οικονομικές και πολιτικές σχέσεις με την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση και δεν θα θελήσει να τις καταστρέψει χάριν του κυρίου Halawa. Εκείνο που πρέπει να μας ενδιαφέρει είναι να βρούμε και να θεραπεύσουμε και να δικαιώσουμε πολλές υποθέσεις ανθρώπων που μοιάζουν με αυτήν του κ. Halawa αλλά δεν είναι ακόμη γνωστές. Τέλος, καλό θα είναι η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση να φροντίσει να μην παραβιάζονται τα δικαιώματα των Ευρωπαίων πολιτών στα κράτη μέλη της, κάτι το οποίο, όπως γνωρίζετε πολύ καλά, έχει συμβεί στην πατρίδα μας την Ελλάδα με θύμα το δικό μας κόμμα.

  Bogdan Brunon Wenta (PPE). – Panie Przewodniczący! Ibrahim Halawa miał 17 lat, kiedy został posądzony, wraz z 494 innymi osobami, o atak na narodowe siły bezpieczeństwa podczas protestów w Kairze. Grozi mu kara śmierci. W ostatnich latach w Egipcie liczba wyroków kary śmierci wyraźnie wzrosła. W tym roku stracono już dwanaście osób. Halawa korzystał z demokratycznego prawa do wolności słowa i pokojowych zgromadzeń. Jego proces był wielokrotnie przekładany. Po ostatnim tego typu orzeczeniu ten młody człowiek rozpoczął strajk głodowy. Jemu i pozostałym oskarżonym należy się sprawiedliwy, otwarty i uczciwy proces zgodny z międzynarodowymi standardami. Ograniczono mu także dostęp do korespondencji w języku angielskim. Istnieją podejrzenia, że mógł być poddany torturom. Apeluję do władz Egiptu o zaprzestanie powszechnego łamania praw człowieka, uniewinnienia Ibrahima Halawy, obywatela Unii Europejskiej. Egipt musi także ratyfikować podpisaną w 1986 r. konwencję w sprawie zakazu stosowania tortur i odejść od stosowania kary śmierci.

  Lidia Joanna Geringer de Oedenberg (S&D). – Panie Przewodniczący! Przypadki łamania praw człowieka w Egipcie budzą ogromny niepokój międzynarodowej opinii publicznej. Władze egipskie ignorują podstawowe swobody obywatelskie, w tym prawo do zgromadzeń, protestów czy wolności słowa. Irlandzki nastolatek Ibrahim Halawa jest przetrzymywany w kairskim zakładzie karnym już ponad dwa lata i jest jednym z pięciuset innych więźniów sumienia. Grozi mu kara śmierci. Oficjalnie proces nie może się rozpocząć ze względów organizacyjnych i logistycznych. Żadna z egipskich sal sądowych nie jest wstanie pomieścić rekordowej liczby oskarżonych.

W dniu aresztowania w sierpniu 2013 roku wojsko i policja szturmem zajęły meczet przy placu Ramzesa, w którym schroniło się kilkuset demonstrantów, zginęło 97 osób, reszta została aresztowana. Potępiając ograniczenie prawa do wolności zrzeszania się obywateli i wolności słowa, wzywamy władze Egiptu do bezzwłocznego uwolnienia wszystkich więźniów skazanych za walkę o swobody obywatelskie i polityczne. Zgodnie z art.10 Powszechnej deklaracji praw człowieka każdy człowiek ma prawo być wysłuchanym sprawiedliwie i publicznie przez niezależny i bezstronny sąd. W Egipcie wciąż brakuje poszanowania dla tej zasady.

Διαδικασία «Catch the Eye»

  Stanislav Polčák (PPE). – Pane předsedající, já vyznávám hodnotu univerzality základních lidských práv, a proto jsem šokován tímto případem, který se skutečně týká irského občana, občana Evropské unie. Chtěl bych připomenout, že naše delegace jezdí velmi často do zahraničí. Myslím si, že bychom měli v rámci těchto našich cest například vyslat i speciální komise, požádat egyptské orgány, aby mohl být navštíven i našimi zástupci přímo tento občan, protože si neumím představit, že budu skutečně v jeho kůži někde ve smrduté kobce egyptského vězení čekat na své základní lidské právo na spravedlivý proces tak dlouho.

Já bych byl velmi rád, kdybychom třeba i naše delegace, které jezdí do zahraničí. směřovali k těm občanům a není to první případ, tento případ Ibrahima Halawy. Dříve jsme probírali případ pobaltského příslušníka, který byl také zadržen ruskými autoritami. Z tohoto důvodu bych byl rád, kdybychom i naše delegace třeba směřovali do těchto zemí, kde dochází k porušování lidských práv.

  Νότης Μαριάς ( ECR).– Κύριε Πρόεδρε, συζητούμε για τον Ιρλανδό υπήκοο Ibrahim Halawa, έναν πολίτη της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης που αντιμετωπίζει δυνητικά τη θανατική ποινή στην Αίγυπτο, για τη συμμετοχή του σε μια διαδήλωση στο Κάιρο. Οι αιγυπτιακές αρχές δεν έχουν προχωρήσει ακόμη στη δίκη του Halawa, αφού αυτή αναβάλλεται συνεχώς, ενώ υπάρχει πιθανότητα, σε περίπτωση καταδίκης, να του επιβληθεί η θανατική ποινή.

Παράλληλα, η κράτησή του έχει διαρκέσει ήδη δύο χρόνια. Καλούμε, λοιπόν, τις αιγυπτιακές αρχές να αφήσουν ελεύθερο τον Ibrahim Halawa και συμπαραστεκόμαστε στον αγώνα των συναδέλφων από την Ιρλανδία, επισημαίνοντας, επιπλέον, κύριε Πρόεδρε, ότι η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση πρέπει να επιδιώξει την κατάργηση της θανατικής ποινής, όπου αυτή εφαρμόζεται και να ζητήσει από τις χώρες που την εφαρμόζουν ακόμη, να συμμορφωθούν προς τα διεθνή πρότυπα.

  Ivan Jakovčić (ALDE). – Gospodine predsjedniče, Ibrahim Halawa je irski državljanin. Državljanin jedne zemlje članice Europske unije i naša je obavza, osim ove rasprave koja je neophodna u ovom Parlamentu, zatražiti od Visoke povjerenice i od našeg Odbora za suradnju s Egiptom da odmah stave na stol raspravu s našim egipatskim prijateljima o tome kako osloboditi gospodina Halawu i kako spriječiti da on doživi ono najgore, a to je smrtna kazna.

Egipat je naš partner, Egipat je naš prijatelj, s Egiptom želimo suradnju, ali Egipat isto tako ima svoje obveze prema nama, naročito kada su te obveze vezane uz naše državljane, državljane naše Irske, naše zemlje članice. Očekujemo od predsjednika al-Sisija da svojim dekretom razriješi ovu situaciju jer bi to bio najbolji način i najbolji pokazatelj da Egipat želi suradnju s Europskom unijom.

  Mairead McGuinness (PPE). – Mr President, listening to this debate I was motivated to speak when I had the opportunity. I rise to thank the House for the cross-party support across Member States with their genuine concern for an Irish citizen, because he is a citizen of the European Union. I hope his family take heart from today’s presentation, but more importantly, I hope the Egyptian authorities understand our concerns, and listen to the words we use.

We have got to work with them to find a resolution, and this is releasing Mr Halawa and sending him home to his family. As we speak he languishes in prison. I can only begin to imagine what that must be like for him. Yesterday at the Sakharov Prize we heard of a similar situation. So thank you to the House. I hope our words resonate. I hope we get the result we all call for.

  Nessa Childers (S&D). – Mr President, I am hoping that the debate today will give at least some comfort to Ibrahim’s family, some of whom are here. I would like to remind everyone that this is not only about the situation with human rights, but also the rights of the child. Ibrahim was 17 when he went to jail, when he was imprisoned. How many others are in prison at that age? How many others have lost their lives? We really have to imagine what it might be like to be a child in those circumstances, if it were our child – and it is, in fact, as Ibrahim is an Irish citizen. I hope the Egyptian authorities are listening to our concerns. I hope they are taking on board the concerns of the European Union. It is a case concerning the rights of the child, as well as the rights of an adult human being.

  Deirdre Clune (PPE). – Mr President, thank you for the opportunity to contribute to this debate. At the outset, I would like to thank all those who supported this motion and particularly to congratulate our colleague Lynn Boylan for her efforts in bringing us to this point. I welcome the family of Ibrahim Halawa, and that they are here today to witness the contributions.

In my view, the most important point in this debate is that this young person, Ibrahim, was a child, just 17 years of age when he was arrested and detained. I think that should be at the forefront in all our deliberations. He has been in prison for some considerable time and is now 20 years of age. I, like others, would appeal to the Egyptian authorities to recognise that he is an Irish citizen and a European citizen, to hear our words today and to release Ibrahim so that he can return to Ireland and to his family. I understand that they have their own systems there, but I think that at this point, for a young man who has been detained for so long without his case reaching trial – the trial has again been deferred this week to Saturday – it is a very difficult situation. He was a juvenile, only 17 years of age, and I think that is a very important consideration.

(Λήξη της διαδικασίας «CatchtheEye»)

  Christos Stylianides, Member of the Commission.– Mr President, of course we are deeply concerned about the possibility that one of our citizens might face the death penalty. Ibrahim Halawa, an Irish-Egyptian citizen, now faces the risk not only of a lengthy sentence but also the death penalty, should he be convicted.

We have closely followed Ibrahim Halawa’s situation since his arrest in 2013. The High Representative/Vice President Federica Mogherini herself has been in regular contact with the Irish and Egyptian authorities concerning his case. While this remains a consular issue, we have aimed to support Irish efforts to achieve the release and improve the detention conditions of Ibrahim Halawa, working in full agreement with Ireland in addressing his case in a coordinated manner. At the same time, we have sought to tackle the case in the context of a broader EU effort to address the human rights situation in Egypt.

Last month we resumed the political and human rights dialogue with Egypt, the first in five years. It is of particular relevance to the case at hand that we urge Egypt to meet international fair trial standards. This includes trials without undue delays and requires that Egypt refrain from mass trials and, consequently, handing down mass sentences. We of course noted our strong opposition to the use of the death penalty under all circumstances. We will be continuing discussions with Egypt on justice in the relevant dialogue, in the framework of the EU-Egypt Association Agreement. We will thus seek further improvements, including on judicial proceedings: not least with regard to minors who are detained with adults, rather than in juvenile detention centres, and who are tried as adults rather than by juvenile court judges. You will be aware that Ibrahim Halawa was 17 years old when arrested.

We also systematically address mass trials, which violate due legal process as they fail to determine individual criminal responsibility by bringing identical charges against groups of accused. In addition, such mass trials bring prolonged detention conditions which are in breach of Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. We are very pleased with the good cooperation with this House in our effort to improve the human rights situation in Egypt and count on your continued support.

(Applause)

PRESIDENZA DELL'ON. DAVID-MARIA SASSOLI
Vicepresidente

  Presidente. – La discussione è chiusa.

La votazione si svolgerà al termine della discussione.

Dichiarazioni scritte (articolo 162)

  Ilhan Kyuchyuk (ALDE), in writing.– The arbitrary detention of Irish citizen Ibrahim Halawa represents a violation of human rights, international and Egyptian law. It is totally unacceptable for people to be detained, tortured and treated in an inhuman manner just because they have exercised their core human rights of freedom of expression and assembly. What is more, Ibrahim Halawa is potentially facing the death penalty for both his ‘crimes’ (freedom of expression and peaceful assembly).

The EU is the leading institutional actor and largest donor to the fight against the death penalty and is committed to abolition of the death penalty worldwide. Having regard to that, we should condemn not only the application of the death penalty in Egypt but also we should call on the country’s authorities for the immediate release of the European citizen Ibrahim Halawa who has faced unfair trial.

Last but not least, the EU should engage in a constructive dialogue with the Egyptian authorities in order to change its low level human rights record. As our common European history teaches us, better human rights record equals development, peace and prosperity. These are things that our partner Egypt needs right now.

  Jiří Maštálka (GUE/NGL), písemně.– Chtěl bych se připojit k těm, kdo vyslovují vážné obavy o osud Ibrahima Halawy. Nečiním tak proto, že je to irský občan, a tudíž i občan Evropské unie. Ani proto, že bych si troufl říci, že je zcela nevinen. Činím tak proto, že pokládám trest smrti, který Ibrahimu Halawovi hrozí, za fatální. Což v podmínkách, kdy se může dodatečně prokázat nevina či menší vina, než uvádí žaloba, nebo kdy se změní politická situace a tedy i politická objednávka, nelze napravit. Myslím, že by si nikdo z nás neměl činit nárok na to posuzovat míru viny v takovýchto situacích. Jsme příliš daleko a doba, kdy k údajnému pružení zákona došlo, byla velmi bouřlivá. Co ale musíme vždy a za všech okolností prosazovat, je právo na spravedlivý proces. A soudní jednání, při němž je najednou posuzována vina téměř pěti set osob najednou, spravedlivý proces neumožňuje. Jisté je, že Egypt a celá oblast MENA, tedy Středního východu a severní Afriky, potřebují stabilizaci, obnovu a nové cesty rozvoje. Zvláště Egypt více než dva roky po vojenském převratu a rok a půl po nových prezidentských volbách by měl hledat cesty k širšímu národnímu dialogu. Ten je velmi důležitý v době, kdy Egypt spolu s námi čelí útokům teroristů. Je čas na gesta smíření.

  Jarosław Wałęsa (PPE), in writing.– The case of Mr Ibrahim Halawa is considered to be in breach of both international law and human rights. Mr Halawa is potentially facing the death penalty. According to the Egyptian authorities Mr Ibrahim Halawa, who is an Irish and Egyptian citizen, is guilty of exercising violence and direct involvement in killing several civilians, and therefore is tried in accordance with the Egyptian law. Moreover, the Egyptian authorities claim that all of the accusations directed at their legal system and the fact that they are breaching international law are invalid and that the Egyptian judiciary is considered to be an independent and just unit.

However, I find this to be not exactly true. Apparently, the defendant is being kept in a court in a soundproof cell, which means that he is denied his right to follow the allegations. Moreover, the potential death penalty is a breach of the right to life and the situation should be handled by people who have respect for human rights. Mr Halawa, even if guilty, should be given a just, unbiased trial by the independent judiciary without a threat of facing the loss of his life.