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Förfarande : 2019/2564(RSP)
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Ingivna texter :

RC-B8-0111/2019

Debatter :

PV 14/02/2019 - 8.3
CRE 14/02/2019 - 8.3

Omröstningar :

PV 14/02/2019 - 10.3

Antagna texter :

P8_TA(2019)0117

Fullständigt förhandlingsreferat
Torsdagen den 14 februari 2019 - Strasbourg

8.3. Kvinnorättsförsvarare i Saudiarabien
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  Der Präsident. – Als nächster Punkt der Tagesordnung folgt die Aussprache über sieben Entschließungsanträge zu Frauenrechtsaktivisten in Saudi-Arabien (2019/2564(RSP)).

 
  
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  Charles Tannock, author. – Mr President, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman has been keen to market himself as a progressive visionary since coming to power: ushering in headline-grabbing reforms, such as removing the ban on women driving, and allowing cinemas to operate freely in the country.

On other fundamental issues, however, we see little changing, particularly for women as they continue to be subject to the harsh guardianship laws imposed by the Saudi authorities. These laws and the repressive culture surrounding them are making the everyday lives of Saudi women unbearable. These measures are often defended by the authorities as being rooted in Wahhabi religious norms, yet when we look at neighbouring countries in the Gulf, such as the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain, it’s plain for all to see that the laws in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are significantly more restrictive.

I’d also like to take the opportunity to raise again the case of Jamal Khashoggi. The investigation into the torture and murder of Mr Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul remains inconclusive, and I continue to be deeply concerned about the many reports which allege links at the highest levels of the Saudi state.

 
  
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  Ernest Urtasun, autor. – Señor presidente, tengo que decir que se vuelve insoportable algunas veces la doble vara de medir que tenemos en relación con nuestra acción exterior. En estos momentos tenemos relaciones, y muchos Estados miembros tienen relaciones con lo que es una auténtica teocracia, que tiene un sistema institucionalizado de discriminación hacia las mujeres y que, encima, detiene a sus activistas y mantiene un sistema de tutela masculina hacia ellas que es absolutamente incompatible con cualquier valor democrático.

Y por ello, creo que este Parlamento y el Servicio Europeo de Acción Exterior tienen que ser mucho más contundentes en la denuncia de las violaciones de derechos humanos que se producen en Arabia Saudí.

Queremos un pronunciamiento claro en defensa de las activistas. Que se pida su liberación, que cesen las torturas, que cesen los abusos sexuales cuando son detenidas y también, más globalmente, en relación con las relaciones que tenemos con Arabia Saudí, debemos exigir que los países cumplan a rajatabla el código de conducta de exportación de armamento y que cesen de una vez nuestras relaciones comerciales en materia armamentística con este país.

Por lo tanto, es urgente replantear nuestras relaciones exteriores con lo que es una auténtica teocracia.

 
  
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  Pier Antonio Panzeri, autore. – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, al di là dei tentativi di bin Salman di presentare nel mondo il volto di una Arabia Saudita sulla strada delle riforme, la realtà va da tutt'altra parte, e ancora una volta dobbiamo denunciare la grave situazione dei diritti umani.

Due casi destano preoccupazione. Il primo sono le notizie sulle torture subite in prigione da attiviste per i diritti delle donne, che sono detenute dal maggio 2018. La seconda riguarda l'andamento del processo di Israa Al-Ghomgham, suo marito, e altri quattro attivisti arrestati nel 2015 per aver partecipato ad una protesta pacifica a sostegno della minoranza sciita. Questi ultimi sono processati davanti alla Corte penale specializzata, concepita per i reati di terrorismo, come probabilmente avverrà anche per alcune attiviste arrestate nel maggio 2018.

Chiediamo la liberazione, chiediamo che sostanzialmente tutte queste persone siano rilasciate. Abbiamo richiesto anche, nello stesso tempo, nella risoluzione, che una delegazione del Parlamento europeo, formata dalla sottocommissione per i diritti dell'uomo e dalla commissione per i diritti della donna, possa recarsi in Arabia Saudita.

Infine, sollecitiamo la Commissione ad uscire da una sorta di letargo, nella quale sembra piombata nel rapporto con Riyadh, e agisca con più forza e con più determinazione, perché i diritti umani comincino ad affermarsi in quel paese.

 
  
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  Ignazio Corrao, autore. – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, il paese più misogino e oscurantista del mondo continua a far parlare di sé. Un paese dove odio, intolleranza e discriminazione continuano a guidare la mano e offuscare le menti di quelli al potere.

Per rifare il trucco a una società medievale il generoso e avanguardistico principe bin Salman ha concesso alle donne di guidare e di partecipare ad eventi sportivi, come se i problemi di questo paese fossero la guida e il calcio. La fine del divieto di guida è stata purtroppo una vittoria di Pirro per le donne attiviste, a fronte delle decine di casi di presunte torture in detenzione, abusi sessuali, aggressioni, privazione del sonno e di assistenza legale. Il coraggioso attivismo di queste donne contro un establishment che le considera alla stregua di animali viene barbaramente punito e represso, perché se non conti nulla non puoi chiedere nulla.

È per questo motivo che continuo a chiedervi come possa un paese campione di violazioni dei diritti umani come l'Arabia Saudita occupare un posto nello Human Rights Council. La sua permanenza nel Consiglio, infatti, è totalmente incompatibile e intrinsecamente contraddittoria con i valori e la missione di questo organo e va immediatamente sospesa.

 
  
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  Marie-Christine Vergiat, auteure. – Monsieur le Président, en juin 2018, les femmes ont enfin obtenu le droit de conduire en Arabie Saoudite. Immense victoire? Non, «mesurette».

L’Arabie Saoudite a régressé de la 138e à la 141e place, sur 144, au classement mondial sur l’écart entre les sexes. Les femmes sont sous la tutelle des hommes; pour le moindre acte de leur vie quotidienne, elles sont considérées comme inférieures, victimes d’innombrables violences.

Pire, une application mise en ligne par le gouvernement saoudien, Absher (le prédicateur), accessible via Google et Apple, permet au mari de contrôler son épouse, notamment s’il lui vient à l’idée de tenter l’exil seule, ce qui est le cas de mille Saoudiennes, chaque année.

D’ailleurs, les hommes et les femmes dont nous parlons aujourd’hui, toutes et tous des militants des droits des femmes, sont des symboles. Arrêtés au moment même de l’instauration du permis de conduire, torturés, fouettés, électrocutés, et risquant de très longues peines de prison.

Alors, ne soyons pas dupes de l’agenda dit progressiste de MbS (Mohammad bin Salman Al Saoud), pas plus chez lui qu’au Yémen, agissez enfin.

 
  
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  Marietje Schaake, author. – Mr President, all the promises of reform that came with the appointment of Mohammed bin Salman and his lofty vision 2030, and that were met with much wishful thinking all around the world, have been definitively crushed by actions such as the systematic violations of women’s rights and human rights and by the lack of basic freedoms that people face. Women are effectively second-class citizens in Saudi Arabia, and that is unacceptable. More specifically, now, the arrests and torture of the brave women’s rights activists – and we name all of them in this resolution – are absolutely appalling. Their families are being intimidated and are facing travel restrictions because their passports have been revoked. This is absolutely appalling.

We need to condemn, at the highest European level, these actions by Mohammed bin Salman and all the Saudi authorities involved. More importantly, however, these actions and the violations of human rights in Saudi Arabia have to have consequences. We need a European Magnitsky Act to hold perpetrators of human-rights violations to account individually, and we need to stop the export of the very surveillance technologies, built in Europe, which are used for repression in countries like Saudi Arabia.

It is high time that we responded, in our treatment of Saudi Arabia, not to the beautiful words that they say, but to the ugly deeds that must have consequences.

 
  
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  Michaela Šojdrová, Autorka. – Pane předsedající, mnoho žen a mužů se momentálně v Saudské Arábii nachází ve vězení jenom proto, že hájí rovné postavení žen a mužů. Například ženy v Saudské Arábii dodnes musí mít mužské opatrovníky, bez jejichž souhlasu se nemohou ucházet o zaměstnání anebo o vyšší vzdělání. Je pro nás nepřijatelné, aby ženy měly stále v této době podřadné postavení. Do jisté míry to můžeme vnímat jako kulturně podmíněnou záležitost, ale při veškerém respektu ke kultuře a k náboženství nemůžeme zavírat oči před příklady jasného porušování lidských práv a pošlapávání lidské důstojnosti.

Jako křesťanku mě velmi trápí to, že v Saudské Arábii jsou také křesťané občany druhého řádu a nemohou praktikovat svou víru, jinak jsou zastrašováni. Naše zpráva uvádí jisté příklady pozitivního vývoje, např. právě v možnosti pro ženy řídit, získat řidičský průkaz. Ale je to všechno za cenu velkého utrpení a věznění.

 
  
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  Seán Kelly, on behalf of the PPE Group. – Mr President, equality between men and women is one of the basic pillars of the European Union. But even in the European Union we haven’t full equality as we often have debates here, for instance, last month in relation to getting more women on boards. Also in relation to pay, there isn’t full equality, but at least we are working towards it: far different to what happens in many third countries, where, as Marietje Schaake said, women are treated as second-class citizens, and this is obviously not good enough, and Saudi Arabia is one example.

While they have made some progress in relation to allowing women to drive cars – big deal – they are far from being prepared to give equality. Especially, putting women’s rights defenders into jail and torturing them is just not good enough, and we have to raise our voices until we actually see equality between men and women all around the globe.

 
  
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  Soraya Post, on behalf of the S&D Group. – Mr President, to the Saudi authorities: shame on you. You arrest and torture women just because they defend their human rights. How come you don’t look at women as human beings? We women across the world request that you release these women immediately. The male guardianship system has to be abolished and all forms of gender-based violence, including genital mutilation, marital rape, sexual assault and harassment, has to be criminalised. Stop this cruelty to human beings. We look forward to positive changes and actions. We know that you can do better.

 
  
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  Ángela Vallina, en nombre del Grupo GUE/NGL. – Señor presidente, Arabia Saudí, que es socio preferencial para muchos Estados miembros, es tristemente conocido por ser uno de los países donde la represión contra los defensores y las defensoras de derechos humanos es feroz, llegando a encarcelar y a ejecutar a sus activistas.

Tratan de ofrecernos una imagen moderna y continúan anclados en una estructura feudal, machista y misógina, marcada por la tutela legal de los hombres sobre las mujeres en todos los ámbitos. Por ello exigimos a las autoridades saudíes que terminen su campaña de terror y liberen a todos los defensores y defensoras de los derechos humanos encarcelados y que ratifiquen todos los instrumentos internacionales sobre derechos humanos.

A ustedes que tanto les exigen a algunos países, nunca se les oye exigir eso mismo para Arabia Saudí. Por último, pedir al Consejo que respete la Posición Común y que todos los Estados miembros efectúen un embargo de armas a Arabia Saudí de manera inmediata. Le recuerdo, señora comisaria, que la propia Comisión ha metido a Arabia Saudí en la lista de países con riesgo de financiación de terrorismo y blanqueo de financiación.

 
  
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  Jill Seymour, on behalf of the EFDD Group. – Mr President, we are all too aware of the atrocious treatment of women in Saudi Arabia. I will say that there have been some token relaxations of their situation, such as the right to drive, but women are still second—class citizens, deprived of even the most basic control of their lives. This is completely and utterly unacceptable. There have even been reports of right—to—drive activists being tortured.

It is an absolute travesty that we have to stand here, in the 21st century, discussing such medieval treatment of women and the denial of their basic rights. If the Saudi Government wishes to have a good working relationship with the Western countries, including the UK, then they need to treat women by the internationally recognised standards.

 
  
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  Josef Weidenholzer (S&D). – Herr Präsident! Die Situation der Menschenrechte in Saudi-Arabien beschäftigt uns nicht zum ersten Mal. Wir sollten uns öfter damit auseinandersetzen, und es braucht deutliche Signale in Richtung Riad.

Die stetigen Beteuerungen der Saudis, sie wären bereit, sich modernen Standards zu unterwerfen, sind nichts wert, wenn sie einem Realitätscheck nicht standhalten. Vieles entspricht so gar nicht der offiziellen Schönfärberei, nicht nur die allen zivilisatorischen Normen Hohn sprechende Ermordung von Jamal Khashoggi oder die regelmäßig stattfindenden öffentlich zelebrierten Hinrichtungen oder die Anwendung körperlicher Gewalt als Strafmittel oder die immer noch nicht beendete Inhaftierung unseres Sacharow-Preisträgers Raif Badawi.

Die systematische Verachtung der Menschenrechte für Frauen ist der Nährboden, auf dem sich derartiges Denken überhaupt entwickeln kann. Wollen wir langfristig etwas ändern, dann müssen wir hier ansetzen. Solange Frauen als Menschen zweiter Kategorie betrachtet werden, unter männliche Vormundschaft gestellt und körperlicher Gewalt ausgesetzt sind, solange wird auch kein Bewusstsein für Menschenrechte entstehen. Die vielen Frauen, die sich in Saudi-Arabien gegen diesen Zustand auflehnen, verdienen unsere ganze Unterstützung.

 
  
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  Ana Gomes (S&D). – Senhor Presidente, o mundo não pode continuar a ignorar o que se passa na Arábia Saudita. O regime de Mohammad Bin Salman prende Raif Badawi, laureado Sakharov, ativistas como Loujain al-Hathloul raptada nos Emirados. É o regime dos guardiões opressores das mulheres, que esquarteja críticos como Jamal Khashoggi, oprime o povo no país e países vizinhos como o Bahrein, provoca na Síria, Iraque e Irão, conduz uma guerra de extermínio no Iémen e promove o proselitismo extremista no mundo.

É inaceitável que os Estados-Membros da União Europeia não apliquem ainda um embargo de armas em conformidade com a posição comum. É criminoso que políticos e organizações europeias se deixem comprar pelo regime saudita, incluindo neste Parlamento e até no Colégio da Europa.

Sanções direcionadas, incluindo o congelamento de ativos, são indispensáveis contra cabecilhas deste regime.

Governos, bancos e entidades obrigadas estão agora sob um intenso escrutínio para aplicar a decisão da Comissão Europeia de incluir a Arábia Saudita na lista de países terceiros de alto risco no branqueamento de capitais e no financiamento de terrorismo.

As corajosas mulheres, que se batem pelos direitos humanos na Arábia Saudita, os delas e de toda a gente, e para tirar o país desta ditadura …

(O Presidente retira a palavra à oradora)

 
  
 

Spontane Wortmeldungen

 
  
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  Jiří Pospíšil (PPE). – Pane předsedající, já jsem strašně rád za tu debatu, která zde probíhá, protože opravdu je absurdní, co se děje v Saudské Arábii ve vztahu k aktivistům, kteří bojují za ženská práva. Je třeba ještě k té debatě říci, že je zde závažné podezření, že ti aktivisté jsou zavřeni nezákonně proto, protože bojovali za práva žen řídit motorové vozidlo. Určitě posluchači, kteří dnes sledují toto naše vystoupení, budou považovat za zcela absurdní to, že zkrátka ženy donedávna nemohly v Saudské Arábii řídit motorová vozidla, a ti, co bojovali za toto zcela banální právo žen, byli takto vězněni, týráni a nezákonně trestáni.

Takže já vyzývám paní komisařku, opravdu je to tak hanebné, že zde musíme udělat maximum pro to, abychom vůči Saudské Arábii radikálně vystoupili přes všechny ekonomické a jiné zájmy, zkrátka opravdu není možné považovat za partnera EU zemi, která popírá banální, základní lidská práva žen.

 
  
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  Pina Picierno (S&D). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, è ormai emerso con assoluta chiarezza come le donne siano oggetto, in Arabia Saudita, di violenze terribili. L'ultimo caso, quello che ha destato l'interesse del mondo, è stato appunto il trattamento terribile che è stato riservato alle attiviste che manifestavano per diritti di base fondamentali, come per esempio il diritto alla guida. Queste donne sono state torturate, colleghi, con l'elettroshock, sono state molestate sessualmente, sono state oggetto di torture terribili.

Allora, tutto questo è assolutamente inaccettabile. E non basta, lo voglio dire alla Commissaria, una proposta di risoluzione comune, che pure è necessaria. Noi abbiamo bisogno di passi ben più forti e ben più decisi, come per esempio praticare immediatamente l'embargo delle armi verso questo paese che non rispetta minimamente i diritti degli esseri umani.

 
  
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  Νότης Μαριάς (ECR). – Κύριε Πρόεδρε, η καταπίεση των ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων στη Σαουδική Αραβία είναι, δυστυχώς, μια θλιβερή πραγματικότητα, και οι γυναίκες είναι αυτές που υφίστανται τη μεγαλύτερη καταπίεση. Μέχρι πριν λίγο καιρό δεν μπορούσαν καν να οδηγήσουν αυτοκίνητο. Και φυσικά, όσοι —και κυρίως όσες γυναίκες— αντιστέκονται και παλεύουν για τα δικαιώματα των γυναικών αντιμετωπίζονται σκληρά από το καθεστώς της Σαουδικής Αραβίας, εκεί όπου ισχύει ακόμη και εκτελείται η θανατική ποινή. Ένα καθεστώς που σφάζει αμάχους στην Υεμένη, ένα καθεστώς που χρηματοδοτεί τρομοκρατία. Νομίζω ότι ήρθε η ώρα να ληφθούν μέτρα συγκεκριμένα κατά της Σαουδικής Αραβίας και να επιβληθεί εμπάργκο πώλησης όπλων, διότι μόνον έτσι μπορεί να καταλάβουν ότι η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση έχει μια ισχυρή φωνή στο θέμα αυτό και θα αναγκαστούν και θα υποχρεωθούν να σεβαστούν και να τηρήσουν τα δικαιώματα των γυναικών και γενικώς τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα στη Σαουδική Αραβία.

 
  
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  José Inácio Faria (PPE). – Mr President, this Parliament cannot keep on ignoring the harsh reality that women in Saudi Arabia face in their daily life to promote equal rights. Since May 2018, the authorities in Saudi Arabia have arrested more than a dozen women activists without charge and kept most of them in prison without any hope of release.

Just last week, at the EU—League of Arab States Summit in Brussels, Saudi Arabia committed itself to a more progressive agenda on gender equality, but its actions show quite the opposite. Israa al-Ghomgham is the first woman to be sentenced to death simply for participating in protests. Exposed to gender-based violence and for challenging traditional notions of family and gender roles in society, women like Israa, are being, as we speak, treated by the Saudi authorities as agents of embassies and therefore dealt with as a real threat to religion, honour and culture, which implies undeserved punishment.

Madam Commissioner, we cannot turn a blind eye to the reality in Saudi Arabia. We must condemn these arbitrary trials and urge the Saudi authorities to immediately release these activists. Europe must take a clear stand against this repression and act accordingly.

 
  
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  Stanislav Polčák (PPE). – Pane předsedající, jedno přísloví říká a myslím, že je velmi pravdivé: „Strom poznáte po ovoci“. Korunní princ bin Salmán se snažil vyvolat určité naděje, zdání, že strom je zelený a bude plodit dobré ovoce. A co namísto toho vidíme? Jaké je skutečné ovoce reforem v Saudské Arábii? Vidíme vraždění, zatýkání, netoleranci, diskriminaci, zatýkání aktivistů dokonce za to, že prosazují to, aby mohly ženy řídit. A svoboda projevu je v zásadě nula.

Já si myslím, že takovýto stát nemůže být respektovaným, důvěryhodným partnerem EU. My máme určité hodnoty, které musíme chránit, a nemůžeme se tvářit, že stát, který není schopen respektovat základní demokratická práva, se tváří jako náš důvěryhodný partner. Toto není strom, který nese dobré ovoce.

 
  
 

(Ende der spontanen Wortmeldungen)

 
  
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  Cecilia Malmström, Member of the Commission. – Mr President, human rights represent an important aspect of the EU’s engagement with Saudi Arabia and we regularly address this as part of our comprehensive dialogue with the Saudi Government. The situation of human right defenders, a longstanding priority, including the situation of women rights activists, is central in this endeavour.

Since last May, the EU has been engaging with the Saudi authorities raising our concerns and seeking clarification on the circumstances surrounding the arrests of human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia. We have also inquired about torture allegations of activists.

In a constructive approach, we have encouraged Saudi Arabia to extend an invitation to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders to visit that country. Unfortunately, apart from the notice of the opening of an investigation by the Bureau of the Saudi Public Prosecutor and by the Saudi Human Rights Commission on the allegation of mistreatment of the detained women, reported by international press, there has not been any enlightenment as to the specific criminal charges they are facing. This is a source of increasing disquiet at EU level.

I would like to recall that in all our efforts to reach out towards the Saudi authorities we have always reiterated the relevance of the work of human rights defenders and civil society groups in relation to the process of reform which Saudi Arabia is pursuing. We’ve also repeatedly stressed the importance of respecting due process for the individuals arrested.

A successful implementation of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, the cornerstone of Saudi reforms, holds an important role for women. Their greater empowerment would bring enormous benefits socially and economically. We will continue in the European Union to follow with grave concern several other cases of activists allegedly facing the risk of imminent execution on charges related to the exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms, including freedom of association, of speech and of religion. Also, as some of you said, the European Union has in the Khashoggi case still a lot of questions, of course, and we have called for a full, credible and transparent investigation on that case.

Let me conclude that it is in the interests of all to foster a more transparent dialogue. There has been an intensification of this dialogue in the past weeks, and we trust that this will continue and allow for substantive progress on these very important files.

 
  
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  Der Präsident. – Die Aussprache ist geschlossen.

Die Abstimmung findet im Anschluss an die Aussprache statt.

(Die Sitzung wird um 11.48 Uhr bis zum Beginn der Abstimmung unterbrochen.)

 
  
  

IN THE CHAIR: MAIREAD McGUINNESS
Vice-President

 
Senaste uppdatering: 13 oktober 2020Rättsligt meddelande - Integritetspolicy