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Motion for a resolution - B7-0257/2012Motion for a resolution
B7-0257/2012

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Venezuela: possible withdrawal from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

22.5.2012 - (2012/2653(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 122 of the Rules of Procedure

Willy Meyer, Jacky Hénin, Nikolaos Chountis, Inês Cristina Zuber, Sabine Wils, Sabine Lösing, Jürgen Klute, Alfreds Rubiks on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0239/2012

Procedure : 2012/2653(RSP)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
B7-0257/2012
Texts tabled :
B7-0257/2012
Texts adopted :

B7‑0257/2012

European Parliament resolution on Venezuela: possible withdrawal from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

(2012/2653(RSP))

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Principle of Non-Interference foreseen by the UN Charter of 1945,

 

- having regard to Chapter 1, Article 1, part 2 of the UN Charter that states: “To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace”,

 

- having regard to Article 1 in both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which state that “all peoples have the right of self-determination; by virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development”,

 

- having regard to Rule 122(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

 

A. Considering that the possible withdrawal of Venezuela from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) does not constitute a case of violation of human rights,

 

B. Whereas up to date the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela remains as a member of the Inter-American Commission and Court on Human Rights; whereas this matter will be duly considered by the Venezuelan institutions and ultimately by the National Assembly in a sovereign manner,

 

C. Whereas the IACHR is an organ of the Organization of American States (OAS) which mission is to oversee compliance with the American Convention on Human Rights; whereas not all the OAS States have ratified the Convention, such as the United States and Canada, therefore they have never been under jurisdiction of the Inter-American Commission and Court on Human Right;

 

D. Considering that the Unites States` annual contribution to OAS supposes half of its budget;

 

E. Whereas the IACHR not only did not condemn the coup d'état of April 11th 2002 against the democratically elected President Hugo Chávez, but recognized it,

 

F. Considering that the IACHR has admitted complaints unsolved by the Venezuelan judicial system, ignoring the principles of international law and its own statutes that require that remedies under domestic should have been pursued and exhausted;

 

G. Considering that next 7th October presidential elections will be held in Venezuela,

 

H. Whereas Venezuela is and will be fully committed to the protection and defence of Human Rights, and whereas in this sense, is actively involved in the mechanisms of the United Nations Human Rights Council, as it was recently demonstrated during its Universal Periodic Review last March,

 

1. Denounces that the possible withdrawal of Venezuela from the IACHR is brought to the political agenda in the midst of a presidential election campaign with a specific political intention to discredit the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; underlines that this use of double standards by the EU regarding Human Rights harms its international credibility;

 

2. Underlines that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is in full compliance with Human Rights as it was pointed out in the last UN Universal Periodic Review as it accepted and applied most of the recommendations made by the UN Council on Human Rights;

 

3. Stresses that the decision to remove or not from the IACHR is a sovereign right and lies in the full exclusive competence of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and its democratic institutions and therefore the Principle of Non-Interference foreseen in the UN chapter must be respected;

 

4. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the OAS, CELAC and the EUROLAT Assembly.