JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
26.10.2005
- –Albert Jan Maat and Simon Coveney, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group
- –Pasqualina Napoletano and Bernadette Bourzai, on behalf of the PSE Group
- –Ona Juknevičienė, on behalf of the ALDE Group
- –Bart Staes and Cem Özdemir, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
- –Eva-Britt Svensson and Roberto Musacchio, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group
- –Marcin Libicki and Anna Elzbieta Fotyga, on behalf of the UEN Group
- –PSE (B6‑0563/2005)
- –Verts/ALE (B6‑0564/2005)
- –PPE-DE (B6‑0569/2005)
- –ALDE (B6‑0572/2005)
- –GUE/NGL (B6‑0573/2005)
- –UEN (B6‑0579/2005)
European Parliament resolution on Uzbekistan
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on the Central Asian Republics and Uzbekistan, particularly that of 9 June 2005,
– having regard to its resolution of 28 April 2005 on 'Human rights in the world (2004) and the EU's policy',
– having regard to its resolution of 24 February 2005 on 'Human rights (Geneva 14 March to 22 April 2005)',
– having regard to the OSCE/ODIHR report on the events in Andijan,
– having regard to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part, which entered into force on 1 July 1999,
– having regard to the conclusions of the General Affairs and External Relations Council of 23 May, 13 June, 18 July and 3 October 2005,
– having regard to the Commission’s Central Asia Strategy Paper 2002-2006,
– having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the Government of Uzbekistan has not yet allowed any independent inquiry into the events of 13 May 2005 in Andijan; whereas, according to reports by human rights organisations, an indeterminate number of civilians - several hundred, according to some witnesses - were shot dead and an even greater number wounded by 'government security forces',
B. whereas international human rights organisations have denounced the arrest of thousands of people in order to cover up the truth, whereas people in detention are at serious risk of being subjected to torture and other ill-treatment and whereas many have been charged with capital offences and risk being sentenced to death following an unfair trial,
C. whereas most independent local journalists and human rights activists are being intimidated by the security services or have been driven out of the country,
D. whereas the Uzbek authorities decided to postpone the 6th EU-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee meeting with an EP delegation which wished to travel to Andijan and to meet with nongovernmental organisations and people involved in the event,
E. whereas fifteen men are at present on trial in Tashkent, accused of trying to overthrow the government and establish an Islamic state while leading the armed unrest in Andijan,
F. whereas Leandro Despouy, UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, has expressed his doubts about the fairness of the trial and called for access to the defendants,
G. whereas a group of 439 Uzbek refugees fleeing to the Kyrgyz border after the uprising of 13 May have been transferred to a UN camp in Romania; whereas the situation of the remaining refugees remains unclear,
H. whereas the development of civil society is a basic step to provide the country with a functioning democracy, stability and social cohesion, which is essential to effectively fight any risk of religious extremism,
I. whereas civil society in Uzbekistan, as well as in neighbouring countries, demands a more open society, where individual freedoms and human rights are fully respected, as well as real progress towards democracy,
1. Urges the Commission to place the annual European Union budget for 'national projects and institution-building' in Uzbekistan in the reserve, without prejudice to humanitarian aid;
2. Condemns the refusal by the Government of Uzbekistan to provide transparency and its withdrawal from external contact, and stresses how important it is for an international committee of inquiry to have the opportunity to clarify immediately the circumstances surrounding the events of May 2005 in the Andijan region and to freely attend the trials which are under way;
3. Reiterates the importance of EU-Uzbekistan relations and continued dialogue, and recognises the crucial role of Uzbekistan in the Central Asia region, but stresses that those relations must be based on mutual respect for the principles of democracy, the rule of law and human rights as clearly laid down in the EU-Uzbekistan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement;
4. Welcomes and supports the decision taken at the General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting on 3 October 2005 to introduce an embargo on the export of arms and military equipment and other equipment that might be used for internal repression to Uzbekistan, to implement restrictions on admission to the EU of Uzbek individuals directly responsible for the Andijan events and to suspend sine die all scheduled technical meetings under the PCA and the Commission’s reorientation and reduction of its TACIS programme in order to support an increased focus on the needs of the population, democracy and human rights as well as fostering links with Uzbek civil society;
5. Urges the Government of Uzbekistan to release all human rights activists, journalists and political opposition members who are still in detention and allow them to work freely and without fear of persecution and to put an end to the harassment of NGOs;
6. Calls for freedom of the press to be restored, which entails the abandonment of the judicial measures taken against national media and NGOs which wish to promote diversity of information; condemns all obstacles to citizens' freedom of expression;
7. Urges that the trial of the individuals accused of plotting to overthrow the Uzbek government fully comply with international law and be open to independent observers, who should be allowed complete access to the proceedings; takes note of the decision of the Uzbek authorities to allow OSCE observers to attend these trials;
8. Expects the Uzbek authorities to facilitate a visit to Andijan and meetings between Members taking part in the 6th EU-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee and the opposition, NGOs and the independent media;
9. Calls on the Kyrgyz authorities not to deport arrested refugees as long as the Uzbek Government cannot guarantee an independent and fair trial and grant humanitarian organisations access to those under arrest;
10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the EU Special Representative for Central Asia, the President, Government and Parliament of Uzbekistan, the Secretary General of the OSCE and the Secretary General of the United Nations.