Przewodniczący. – Kolejnym punktem porządku dnia jest debata nad sześcioma projektami rezolucji w sprawie Pakistanu, w szczególności sytuacji obrońców praw człowieka i stosowania kary śmierci(2017/2723(RSP)).
Branislav Škripek, author. – Mr President, I am very glad that this debate is taking place. The situation regarding human rights in Pakistan is very difficult. Ethnic and religious minorities experience huge difficulties if they are different from – or think differently to – the government or the majority of the Pakistani people. Several minority people have been killed or persecuted because they were not protected by the government.
One issue I want to highlight in particular is the so—called blasphemy laws. I would like to ask the High Commissioner to urge the Government of Pakistan to review these laws or, even better, to abolish them. These laws are wide open to misuse as tools for setting personal vendettas and oppressing minorities. The Pakistani Government therefore also should make sure that, until the laws are revised, people will not suffer as a result of them for false purposes.
Soraya Post, author. – Mr President, these days many of us have written something on social media that we have later come to regret. That can be a worry – not least if you are a politician. In some places, however, it can mean that you put your life at stake. A man has just been sentenced to death in Pakistan for insulting the prophet on Facebook. Of 50 Muslim-majority countries around the world, only 13 – including Pakistan – have a death penalty for blasphemy. Islam is a religion of peace, not of death. We welcome the Pakistani Government’s decision to adopt the Human Rights Action Plan; we call on them to repeal capital punishment for blasphemy and immediately release all prisoners held under these charges. Only a country that allows people to speak out freely can truly be called righteous.
Jozo Radoš,autor. – Gospodine predsjedniče, smrtna kazna i zakon o blasfemiji u Pakistanu osobito pogađaju, naravno, novinare i borce za zaštitu ljudskih prava i jednako tako pripadnike manjina. Posebno zabrinjava da su među žrtvama takve politike i tih odredbi zakona u Pakistanu maloljetnici, dakle, osobe koje nisu punoljetne.
Želim posebno naglasiti, skrenuti pozornost i izraziti zabrinutost zbog pritiska pakistanskih vlasti prema internetskim platformama, Facebooku i Twitteru, da se otkrije identitet korisnika tih platformi kako bi se moglo progoniti ljude zbog blasfemije i eventualne prijetnje smrtnom kaznom.
Pozdravljam donošenje Akcijskog plana za ljudska prava u Pakistanu i nadam se da će taj Akcijski plan pomoći da se poboljša stanje ljudskih prava u Pakistanu i riješi pitanje smrtne kazne i zakona o blasfemiji.
Miguel Urbán Crespo, Autor. – Señor presidente, desde el trágico atentado de diciembre de 2014, en el que murieron más de cien personas —la mayoría niños y niñas—, el Gobierno de Pakistán ha activado el Plan de acción nacional para combatir el terrorismo. Entre otras cosas, este plan incluye la ejecución de sentencias de muerte para encausados por terrorismo.
Por desgracia, hemos podido comprobar cómo, dentro del paraguas de la acusación de terrorismo, el Gobierno de Pakistán está incluyendo todo tipo de casos, sobre todo para perseguir a la oposición política y social. Especialmente significativo es el caso del activista Baba Jan y otros doce manifestantes pacíficos, condenados a cadena perpetua en 2014 por el Tribunal Antiterrorista. Desde aquí les mandamos un fuerte saludo y abrazo.
Esta situación es un claro paso atrás desde la moratoria de 2008, que alivió parcialmente la ejecución de civiles. Pero desde comienzos de 2015 esta moratoria ha finalizado completamente para todos los sentenciados por delitos capitales.
Desde aquí queremos exigir no solo juicios justos y con garantías y la libertad para los activistas políticos encarcelados de manera injusta en Pakistán como Baba Jan, sino que queremos levantar nuestra voz por la abolición global de la pena de muerte.
En nuestra opinión, esta situación muestra, una vez más, las vergüenzas de una Unión Europea y, en particular, de la Comisión que permiten que Pakistán sea uno de los ocho países que se benefician del Sistema Generalizado de Preferencias —el SPG—, por el que se obtienen tarifas preferenciales a cambio del compromiso de respetar los derechos humanos, que Pakistán no respeta.
A día de hoy, el sistema de monitoreo y el propio SPG quedan claramente en entredicho, una vez más. Seguramente, este sistema ha contribuido mucho a impulsar muchos negocios. Sabemos, por ejemplo, que muchas empresas europeas importan productos textiles manufacturados de Pakistán y seguramente se benefician de este marco.
Lo que es intolerable es que a cambio de esto, de esos negocios, la Comisión haya mirado a otro lado ante la violación sistemática de los derechos humanos en Pakistán. Esto no puede seguir así.
Tunne Kelam, author. – Mr President, Pakistan is an important partner for the EU. However, this Parliament is seriously concerned about the human rights situation, especially about the number of executions after Pakistan reinstated the death penalty. Most alarming is the use, or rather misuse of the so-called blasphemy law, which carries a mandatory death penalty. On 10 June 2017, the Pakistani court passed a death sentence to Taimoor Raza for committing blasphemy on Facebook.
We call on the Pakistani authorities to introduce some immediate measures that could reverse this present trend, first on all executions on any offense other than intentional killing. Second, stop executing juvenile offenders. Third, provide a moratorium on executions on those whose appeals are pending. Fourth, reinstate a moratorium on all executions as soon as possible and provide also maximum state guarantees for normal work of journalists, NGOs and human rights defenders.
Jiří Pospíšil, za skupinu PPE. – Já chci velmi výrazně podpořit toto usnesení, které kritizuje to, jak je trest smrti zneužíván v Pákistánu.
Já jsem celoživotní odpůrce trestu smrti a jsem velmi rád, že EU má tuto filozofii a kritizuje využívání a zneužívání trestu smrti v jednotlivých státech celého světa. Je třeba říci nejen to, že Pákistán odstoupil od moratoria z roku 2015 a trest smrti opět využívá. On ho původně chtěl využívat pouze proti nejzávažnějším trestům, jako je terorismus, vraždy atd., ale již moji předřečníci jasně řekli, že v tuto chvíli je tento trest zneužíván, a to v zásadě za i politické činy, jako je tzv. rouhačství.
Je třeba kritizovat vedle trestu smrti zákon proti rouhačství, který zde také byl několikrát zmiňován. Je to jasně zaměřeno, trest smrti, proti svobodě projevu, svobodě slova a my bychom měli Pákistánu jasně říci, že pokud chce být do budoucna partnerem EU a mít privilegované postavení, tak nemůže takto zneužívat trest smrti a nemůže takto ohýbat lidská práva ve své zemi.
Neena Gill, on behalf of the S&D Group. – Mr President, in 2014 the EU allowed Pakistan access to GSP+, an exceptional tool to help kick-start the economy, and which, crucially, encourages progress on improving human rights. It has proved its value in many countries, but I question whether this is the case in Pakistan. A Parliament delegation visited Pakistan in April and, from our meetings with government officials and civil society, it became glaringly clear that a lack of the rule of law permeates Pakistani society, and human rights are violated instead of advanced. In March 2017, military courts that can try civilians were reinstated for two more years. The basic rights of foreigners brought to trial are trampled on, with no access to consular rights. People who work for NGOs face harassment, arrest or, worse, death. How many people are on death row under the vague blasphemy laws? We do not know, because there is no transparency. Anyone going about their business can be accused of blasphemy and then lynched by mobs. Those who belong to vulnerable groups like the Ahmadis live their lives in fear, with no democratic rights, yet the government fails to protect them. It is high time to see real progress on human rights and the strengthening of the civil judiciary in Pakistan. If not, GSP+ has to be reviewed.
Sajjad Karim, on behalf of the ECR Group. – Mr President, our non-legislative and non—binding resolutions quite often lead to complaints from third countries of factual inaccuracies. Today, I intend to concentrate only on one aspect of what is in the resolution and do not in any way seek to take away from some of the very accurate comments that have been made by colleagues, whilst recognising that there are various inaccuracies as well.
Any consideration by an independent and informed eye of this resolution actually betrays an acceptance that external and externally sponsored internal actors in Pakistan are facilitating the terrorist targeting of innocent civilians. The people of Pakistan have carried a very heavy burden on behalf of the international community for a very long time – sometimes on very weak shoulders. But it remains the case that our EU policy to support Pakistan and the people of Pakistan in facing the challenges of terrorism remains the right approach.
(The speaker agreed to take a blue-card question under Rule 162(8))
Maria Grapini (S&D), întrebare adresată în conformitate cu procedura „cartonașului albastru”. – Stimate coleg, mă bucur că ați vorbit de poporul pakistanez, pentru că, de foarte multe ori, noi confundăm cetățenii dintr-o țară cu deciziile unor lideri. Însă această rezoluție consider că este necesară și vă întreb: se poate pune ceva în balanță cu viața oamenilor? Avem acolo încă pedeapsa cu moartea. Sunteți de acord să existe în Pakistan încă pedeapsa cu moartea și să riscăm ca oameni nevinovați să ajungă să își piardă viețile, pentru o decizie a unor temporari conducători?
Sajjad Karim (ECR), blue-card answer. – When a certain mind-set of individuals attack, maim and kill European citizens in Paris we all say that is wrong, but I say this to you, colleagues: when that mind-set of individuals attack us, they attack us for our values, and it is that same mind-set that then attacks innocent children in Peshawar. If we have the right to stand by our values, we must also stand by those innocent children when they are attacked.
Fabio Massimo Castaldo, a nome del gruppo EFDD. – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, come sappiamo ormai in Pakistan è finita la moratoria sulla pena di morte da tempo e il Pakistan si ritrova ad avere una delle più importanti popolazioni al mondo nel corridoio della morte, oltre 8 000 persone. Contestualmente, ancora esiste l'articolo 295 del Codice penale, la famosa legge sulla blasfemia, che in realtà, molto spesso, è invocata per punire questioni tutt'altro che religiose e invece per perseguitare innocenti e addirittura per tenere sotto schiaffo le minoranze religiose dissidenti e organizzazioni non governative.
Il bando dei social media è oltretutto un'ulteriore pagina nera nella storia del paese, da quando il premier Nawaz Sharif ha ordinato alle autorità di rimuovere tutti i contenuti blasfemi dalle pagine Internet e assicurare i responsabili alla giustizia, con uno studente di giornalismo di ventitré anni, Mashal Khan, che si è ritrovato addirittura ad essere linciato da parte dei suoi compagni di università per aver offeso l'Islam durante una discussione.
Il Pakistan è per noi un partner commerciale fondamentale e deve comportarsi come tale. Chiediamo quindi che si ritorni finalmente alla moratoria sulla pena di morte e che venga finalmente rivista una legislazione sulla blasfemia che ha troppi buchi e troppe pagine nere.
Γεώργιος Επιτήδειος (NI). – Κύριε Πρόεδρε, το Πακιστάν είναι μία από τις χώρες με τις οποίες συνομιλεί και συνεργάζεται η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση στα πλαίσια ενός πενταετούς σχεδίου. Επίσης, η χώρα έχει περιληφθεί στο ενισχυμένο Σύστημα Γενικευμένων Προτιμήσεων. Παρ’ όλα αυτά, η κυβέρνηση της χώρας παραβιάζει τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα, διώκει τους υπερασπιστές τους, διάφορες ΜΚΟ, δημοσιογράφους, συντάκτες ιστολογίων και, γενικώς, καθέναν που την επικρίνει. Ακόμη χειρότερο, έχει στη νομοθεσία της τη θανατική ποινή, την οποία εφαρμόζει μετά και από προβληματικές ακόμη δίκες και σε εφαρμογή του νόμου περί βλασφημίας. Το Πακιστάν έχει το θλιβερό προνόμιο να είναι η χώρα εκείνη στον κόσμο που έχει τις περισσότερες θανατικές καταδίκες. Δυστυχώς, εκτελεί ακόμη και ανηλίκους και ανθρώπους διανοητικά ανάπηρους. Αυτή η κατάσταση είναι απαράδεκτη. Η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση οφείλει να πιέσει την κυβέρνηση του Πακιστάν να αφαιρέσει από τη νομοθεσία της τη θανατική καταδίκη και να σέβεται τα ανθρώπινα και τα εργασιακά δικαιώματα. Οφείλει να της επισημάνει ότι, αν δεν συμμορφωθεί και αν δεν εφαρμόσει τις 27 διεθνείς συνθήκες, όπως έχει δεσμευτεί, και τις αρχές της σωστής διακυβερνήσεως, θα της αφαιρεθεί το δικαίωμα να συμμετέχει στο καθεστώς του ενισχυμένου Συστήματος Γενικευμένων Προτιμήσεων.
Pavel Svoboda (PPE). – O situaci v Pákistánu jsme zde již hovořili několikrát. Vždy jsme museli konstatovat, že ochrana lidských práv v Pákistánu je ve velmi špatném stavu a jejich obránci čelí pronásledování, nespravedlivým soudům nebo jsou dokonce zabíjeni či mizí.
Tolikrát kritizované obnovení trestu smrti trvá, stejně jako zákon o rouhání, jehož obětí je již také 7 let uvězněná Asia Bibi, která je odsouzena k trestu smrti. Za její případ jsme také několikrát intervenovali. Naposledy jsem žádal, aby byl pozastaven 5letý akční plán ve vztahu k Pákistánu, nebude-li Asia Bibi propuštěna. V listopadu se konalo vyhodnocení tohoto plánu a zdá se, že se v něm bude pokračovat přesto, že jsou lidská práva v Pákistánu stále pošlapávána a dokonce jsou zde i snahy o zrušení nevládních organizací.
Žádám proto znovu, dokud nebude Asia Bibi propuštěna, dokud nebude na znovu zavedený trest smrti uvaleno moratorium, neuzavírejme tento akční plán s Pákistánem znovu.
Doru-Claudian Frunzulică (S&D). – Mr President, even though I understand the Pakistani position and Pakistan’s peculiar situation, I still believe that the current situation is not acceptable. The death penalty is a cruel and inhumane punishment that fails to act as a deterrent, and risks irreversible miscarriages of justice. I strongly support the call for the universal abolition of capital punishment, and the call on Pakistan to reinstate a full moratorium on the death penalty.
The Pakistani authorities should also launch an investigation into the credible concerns of individuals with mental or intellectual disabilities or disorders who have been sentenced to the death penalty. I support the creation of a public prosecutor to investigate and prosecute attacks against journalists in Pakistan. Finally, I believe the Pakistan authorities should grant access to international observers and human rights organisations to monitor their inappropriate use of military courts. Last, but not least, I would like to mention – and also to underline – the importance of EU relations with Pakistan.
Amjad Bashir (ECR). – Mr President, the urgent resolution on Pakistan is regrettable, misguided and misleading. I stand against abuse of human rights, wherever it may arise, but such grave allegations as these should be based on fact, not fantasy. The despicable crimes detailed are just that: crimes, against the law of the land. They are repugnant to the majority of Pakistani people and condemned by the government.
To suggest that the State is behind them, has condoned them or turns a blind eye to them is simply not true. And this Parliament will demean itself if it supports the resolution. Interestingly, the text makes no mention of the delegation of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) to Pakistan last April, when we were welcome to raise any thorny issue we chose in the presence of senior government authorities, opposition parties, NGOs, think tanks and civilians, unlike similar trips to India.
Pakistan relies on our help to deliver on human rights and the rule of law, as a genuine ally and economic partner of the EU and the West. This resolution sends the wrong signals altogether.
(The speaker agreed to take a blue-card question under Rule 162(8))
Maria Grapini (S&D), întrebare adresată în conformitate cu procedura „cartonașului albastru”. – Domnule președinte, stimate coleg, o să fiu foarte scurtă. Nici nu folosesc cele 30 de secunde. Scurt: dumneavoastră considerați o fantezie faptul că există pedeapsa cu moartea și că sunt oameni care sunt pedepsiți să li se ia viața? Considerați asta o fantezie? Pentru că ați spus că rezoluția este o fantezie.
Amjad Bashir (ECR), blue-card answer. – I am against the death penalty. But if you mention the death penalty, how many times have you criticised one of the biggest proponents of the death penalty: the United States of America?
Zgłoszenia z sali
José Inácio Faria (PPE). – Senhor Presidente, caros Colegas, há três dias o paquistanês Taimoor Raza foi condenado à pena de morte por ter publicado diversos comentários no Facebook, nos quais terá blasfemado o profeta Maomé e as suas mulheres.
Desde que o Governo aprovou a abolição da moratória sobre a execução da pena de morte, há três anos, o Paquistão tornou-se num dos países que atualmente mais a aplicam. Mas esta é a primeira vez que ela recai sobre um acusado de cometer blasfémia nas redes sociais. Esta condenação representa também mais um triste exemplo da total instrumentalização da lei da blasfémia para a repressão das minorias religiosas, para o silenciamento de intelectuais e defensores dos direitos humanos e para o incentivo da vingança violenta contra os acusados e contra as suas famílias e defensores.
O linchamento de Mashal Khan, há dois meses, pelos seus colegas universitários mostra-o bem. A onda crescente de repressão no país, incluindo a exercida contra os grupos de ajuda humanitária e organizações não-governamentais, não pode ser ignorada pela União Europeia na próxima cimeira bilateral e deve condicionar os progressos na implementação do plano de cooperação estratégica.
Nicola Caputo (S&D). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, in Pakistan, oltre ad una vera e propria emergenza umanitaria – dal 2014 sono morti 1 340 bambini a causa della malnutrizione –, ci troviamo di fronte anche ad una grave e compromessa situazione sotto il profilo del rispetto dei diritti umani.
Il Pakistan, secondo un rapporto di Amnesty International, è uno dei cinque paesi al mondo dove si comminano più condanne a morte. Nel paese sono sempre più sotto attacco attivisti, avvocati e tutti coloro che difendono i diritti umani, permangono leggi odiose, come quella sulla blasfemia, e non si sono fatti passi in avanti riguardo alla moratoria della pena di morte.
È chiaro che l'Europa non ha fatto tutto quello che poteva. È però giunto il momento di fare maggiori pressioni su paesi come il Pakistan, affinché pongano fine alla repressione nei confronti di tutti quelli che sono impegnati contro la pena di morte e per la difesa dei diritti fondamentali.
Bas Belder (ECR). – Ik heb een concrete vraag aan de Commissie. Mij bereikte uitvoerige documentatie over intolerantie in het Pakistaanse onderwijssysteem: haatpreken tegen minderheden en vooral tegen christenen. Mijn vraag is: is u dat bekend? En bovenal: gaan er Europese financiën naar het Pakistaanse onderwijssysteem, wat zou betekenen dat het publiek onderwijssysteem en vooral de islamitische madrassa's, in feite christenen discrimineren en eigenlijk wegzetten? Ik wil graag hier de invloed van de EU duidelijk maken via de Commissie. Graag een reactie.
Stanislav Polčák (PPE). – Já nejsem obecně příznivcem toho, aby EU vyvážela celý svůj katalog práv. Naše pojetí charty je poměrně široké a myslím si, že je určeno pro náš prostor, ale pokud jde o trest smrti – to patří do železného základu katalogu lidských práv a tento je skutečně nepřijatelný.
Myslím si, že bychom měli trvat na tom moratoriu, které bylo donedávna platné, a má-li být naše politika účinná a nemá-li být tedy bezzubá, tak by skutečně Pákistán měl reagovat na naše zásadní připomínky.
Takže já bych byl velmi rád, kdyby se nám podařilo i díky činnosti Komise protlačit jak moratorium na trest smrti, tak samozřejmě i zrušení zákona o rouhačství nebo jeho nejpalčivějších částí. Rovněž by bylo dobré, aby každý z nás ve svém vlastním přístupu reagoval na tu situaci, tzn. v rámci fair trade nenakupoval zboží, které prostě jde z těchto oblastí, kde se zásadním způsobem porušují lidská práva. Je to i o každém z nás, o našem osobním přístupu.
Jean-Paul Denanot (S&D). – Monsieur le Président, chers collègues, on ne connaît que trop bien les erreurs dramatiques qui ont pu découler de l’utilisation de la peine de mort. Or, non seulement le Pakistan a recours à la peine de mort, mais en plus, il en fait une utilisation dénuée de tout encadrement.
On ne peut tolérer qu’une telle sentence soit utilisée contre des mineurs, et il est inacceptable qu’elle soit mise en pratique avant même que soit prononcé un jugement définitif. Il y a eu des cas d’exécutions effectuées avant que le procès ne soit terminé.
L’absence de garde-fou total à un instrument aussi dangereux et inhumain fait peser une menace terrible sur tous les citoyens, la peine de mort étant d’ailleurs prononcée pour des infractions qui, dans d’autres pays, ne font pas l’objet d’une telle qualification. Le cas du blasphème, qui a été évoqué à plusieurs reprises, en est un exemple.
Nous devons donc fermement condamner les dérives du gouvernement pakistanais et exiger qu’il cesse d’avoir recours à une telle sentence. La coopération de l’Union européenne avec le Pakistan nous y oblige.
Marijana Petir (PPE). – Gospodine predsjedniče, problem kršćana posljednjih godina je u stalnom porastu kao i broj zemalja u kojima se događa. Vijesti o novim progonima sada dobivamo sa svih kontinenata. Već drugu godinu za redom, kršćani su najprogonjenija skupina na svijetu. Tragična je činjenica da je preko 100 000 ljudi život izgubilo zbog svoje gorljive vjere u Krista u samo godinu dana u 2016. godini.
Postoje države koje se ne nalaze tako daleko od sigurnosti naših europskih domova, a gdje je biti kršćanin najopasnija stvar na svijetu. Jedno od takvih mjesta je i Pakistan. Naime, Pakistan je prema Ustavu islamska država koja islam smatra načinom života i kaznenim zakonom predviđa smrt optuženih i osuđenih za blasfemiju, što postaje oružje novih kako bi prstom uprli upravo u kršćane.
Optužbe, kao i osude za blasfemiju, su najčešće arbitrarne i zlonamjerne, a posljedice tragične. Kršćani cijelog svijeta, a posebno u Pakistanu, posebno na Bliskom istoku, u potpunosti će biti istrijebljeni ukoliko udruženim snagama ne stanemo u njihovu obranu.
(Koniec zgłoszeń z sali)
Elżbieta Bieńkowska,Member of the Commission. – Mr President, we consider Pakistan as a key player in the region and we are committed to strengthening our dialogue on many issues. I could just mention they are areas as diverse as peace and security, the rule of law, good governance, human rights, migration, trade and investment, sustainable development, climate change, energy, education, culture, science and technology.
This is the reason why we aim at deepening our partnership with Pakistan through a strategic engagement plan which is currently under preparation. Still, despite some progress made in the GSP+ process, the gap between the institutional human rights framework and the situation on the ground in Pakistan continues to be significant.
In all its contacts with Pakistan the EU continues to stress the importance of reintroducing the moratorium on executions. The number of executions has been reduced in the second half of 2016 and the first half of this year. We hope that this trend will lead to a definitive stop of executions and hope that this will set a direction towards finally abolishing the death penalty and towards the full respect of all international human rights obligations by Pakistan.
Yet, the extension of the military courts for another two years really constitutes a worrying element and the EU has been repeatedly calling for a comprehensive judicial reform. We are equally very concerned about the situation of human rights defenders in Pakistan. Apart from pressure and intimidation by the authorities, human rights defenders are also subject to threats, violence and even murder by extremist militant groups, and an even more worrisome trend is that allegations of blasphemy are being used to silence human rights defenders.
Yet Pakistan has established a national commission for human rights. It has adopted a human rights action plan and introduced legislation for the protection of women and children. However, there are big differences among the provinces of Pakistan as well as strong resistance against any change from religious political parties.
The EU is supporting several projects to improve human rights awareness and protection in Pakistan with a total amount of EUR 97 million. We therefore encourage Pakistan to improve its human rights record and we stand ready to continue working together with Pakistan in addressing this challenge, and of course, I will pass all of your questions to the Vice-President/High Representative Ms Mogherini.
Przewodniczący. – Zamykam debatę.
Głosowanie odbędzie się w czwartek 15 czerwca 2017 r.
Oświadczenia pisemne (art. 162)
Mara Bizzotto (ENF), per iscritto. – In Pakistan, il governo sta attuando una politica di repressione gravissima. Sono all'ordine del giorno persecuzioni, intimidazioni e torture, nei confronti di difensori dei diritti umani, oppositori politici e membri delle minoranze religiose. La pena di morte è tra gli strumenti più usati dalle autorità pakistane, per mettere a tacere veri e presunti oppositori, e tutti coloro che sono accusati di blasfemia. Di fronte a questa situazione, sono molto preoccupata per la vita di tutte quelle persone innocenti ,che subiscono la repressione del governo di Islamabad. Come può l'Unione europea tollerare questa situazione? Ricordo che l'azione dell'Unione europea con i paesi terzi, si fonda proprio sull'opposizione alla pena capitale e sul rispetto dei diritti umani.
Per questi motivi, la Commissione ha il dovere di sollecitare il Pakistan, ad abolire la pena di morte e a ripristinare uno stato di democrazia e rispetto dei diritti della popolazione pakistana. Ritengo fondamentale che l'Unione europea faccia particolare attenzione nei negoziati presenti e futuri con il Pakistan, per non scendere a compromessi sul rispetto dei diritti umani da parte del governo di questo popoloso paese asiatico, che conta quasi 200 milioni di persone.
Luigi Morgano (S&D), per iscritto. – Ho votato in favore della risoluzione sulla situazione dei diritti umani e della pena di morte in Pakistan, poiché l'UE non può rimanere indifferente alle violazioni dei diritti umani e a chi li difende. In particolare, nella risoluzione è riportato il drammatico caso di Asia Bibi: a tale riguardo ritengo doveroso che l'UE esorti con fermezza il governo pakistano a risolverlo, e a non consentire che possa ripetersi. Asia Bibi, la donna pakistana cristiana che nel 2010 era stata dichiarata colpevole di blasfemia, da un tribunale pakistano e condannata a morte per impiccagione, nonostante la sospensione dell'esecuzione, si trova tutt'ora in carcere e la sua famiglia costretta a vivere in un luogo nascosto. Peraltro, in caso di esecuzione della sentenza, Asia Bibi sarebbe la prima donna a essere giustiziata "legalmente" in Pakistan, per blasfemia. Sono convinto che il governo del Pakistan, dovrebbe fare tutto il possibile, per garantire la sicurezza di Asia Bibi e della sua famiglia, anche alla luce del trattamento riservato "storicamente" alle vittime di accuse di blasfemia e ai loro difensori, come nel caso dell'assassinio del ministro delle minoranze cristiane Shahbaz Bhatti e del politico musulmano Salmaan Taseer.
Rolandas Paksas (EFDD), raštu. – Pagarba žmogaus teisėms ir teisinės valstybės principams turi būti kiekvienos valstybės prioritetas. Todėl labai svarbu, kad Pakistanas darytų konkrečią pažangą ir laiku bei tinkamai įgyvendintų savo priimtą Veiksmų planą žmogaus teisių srityje. Atkreiptinas dėmesys į tai, jog šalyje stiprėja religinė netolerancija. Šventvagystės įstatymas stiprina diskriminaciją bei kursto neapykantą ir prievartos taikymą. Be to, mirties bausmės už šventvagystę taikymas pažeidžia tarptautinius Pakistano įsipareigojimus gerbti ir ginti žmogaus teises, įskaitant tikėjimo ir žodžio laisvę. Atsižvelgiant į tai, labai svarbu, kad Pakistano vyriausybė nedelsiant imtųsi veiksmų, kad nacionalinių teisės aktų nuostatos dėl mirties bausmės būtų suderintos su tarptautine teise ir standartais ir būtų padaryta matoma pažanga šioje srityje.