Activities of Ana GOMES related to 2013/2147(INI)
Plenary speeches (3)
Saudi Arabia (A7-0125/2014 - Ana Gomes) (vote)
Saudi Arabia (A7-0125/2014 - Ana Gomes) (vote)
Saudi Arabia (A7-0125/2014 - Ana Gomes) (vote)
Reports (1)
REPORT on Saudi Arabia, its relations with the EU and its role in the Middle East and North Africa PDF (209 KB) DOC (108 KB)
Amendments (41)
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas KSA is a hereditary absolute monarchy without an elected parliament; whereas it faces the challenge of royal succession; whereas KSA has a population of 28 million, including 9 million foreigners and 10 million aged under 18; whereas somemodest and gradual reforms have been implemented in KSA since 2001, but are not institutionalised and can thus be easily reversed; whereas the country’s record in the field of human rights remains dismal, with fundamental gaps between its international obligations and their implementation;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas Saudi Arabia’s first-ever municipal elections in 2005 constituted the first electoral process in the history of the country, and whereas in 2015 only half of the members of the municipal councils will be elected, while the other half will still be appointed by the King;
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. whereas only this year 30 women were appointed for the first time, to the consultative Shura Council, and whereas only in 2015 will women be allowed to vote in municipal elections;
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C c (new)
Recital C c (new)
Cc. whereas the death penalty is carried out in Saudi Arabia and at least 24 individuals have been executed in 2013; at least 80 people were executed in 2011 and a similar number in 2012 – more than triple the figure of at least 27 in 2010;
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas freedom of religion is not guaranteed in KSA, since public practice of any religion but Islam is forbidden; whereas KSA plays an important role as custodian of the Two Holy Mosques of Islam in Mecca and Medina; whereas minority Islamic groups, such as Shias and Sufis, are targets of discrimination and prejudice which are often condoned by the country´s religious establishment;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas KSA has a lively community of online activists and the highest number of twitter users in the Middle East; whereas dissident bloggers are routinely harassed, fined and arrested;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F b (new)
Recital F b (new)
Fb. whereas the negotiations on a free trade agreement between the EU and the GCC, which were opened 20 years ago, are still not concluded;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Recalls that KSA’s human rights record was assessed under the Universal Periodic Review of the UN Human Rights Council in February 2009, and that the KSA authorities formally accepted a significant number of the recommendations put forward by EU Member States during the review, including, for example, those calling for abolition of male guardianship and those aimed at limiting the application of the death penalty and corporal punishment; awaits more substantive progress in implementing these recommendations and urges KSA to adopt a constructive approach with regard to the recommendations presented in the context of the on-going 2013 Universal Periodic Review;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the KSA authorities to ensure freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly for all inhabitants of KSA, and stresses that the peaceful advocacy of basic legal rights or making critical remarks using social media, are expressions of an indispensable right, as Parliament has stressed in its report on digital freedom;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the KSA authorities to speed uprelease prisoners of conscience, to end judicial and extra-judicial harassment of human rights defenders and speed up the implementation of the new legislation on NGOs, ensuring their registration, freedom tof operatione and ability to operate legally;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Reiterates its call for the universal abolition/moratorium of the death penalty and, calls for an immediate moratorium on the carrying out of death sentences in KSA, as a first step, and in particular urges banning public executions; regrets that KSA continues to apply the death penalty to nationals and non-nationals for a wide variety of crimes, including drug offences, apostasy, sorcery and witchcraft and also regrets that it hands down death penalty sentences including on juveniles aged under 18 at the time of their alleged crimes;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Deplores that last January a Sri Lankan domestic worker, Rizana Nafeek, was beheaded in Saudi Arabia for a crime she allegedly committed while still a child - a clear violation of the Convention of the Rights of the Child, which specifically prohibits capital punishment of persons under 18 at the time of the offense;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Calls on the KSA authorities to ensure that all allegations of torture and other ill- treatment are thoroughly and impartially investigated, that all alleged perpetrators are prosecuted, and that any statement that may have been extracted under torture is not used as evidence in criminal proceedings;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. RegDeplorets that there is noe absence of freedom of religion in KSA; encourages the authorities to improve inter-religious dialogue, foster moderation and tolerance of religious diversity at all levels of the education system, including in religious establishments, as well as in the public discourse of officials and civil servants;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Emphasises the need to respect the fundamental rights of Shias and other minorities, including the right to full participation in political life and governance; calls on the KSA authorities to attach safeguards to the anti-terrorist legislation so that it is not used against minoritiesin a discriminatory manner against minorities or peaceful government critics, as well as to repeal provisions in its latest legislation and long-standing cybercrime laws that are contrary to its obligation under international human rights law; calls on the authorities to make greater efforts to ensure tolerance and coexistence among all religious groups; urges them to purgeremove from the education system ofall derogatory and discriminatory references to believers in other religions or members of minority Islamic groups;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Urges the KSA authorities to revoke the medieval male guardianship system, and to take further steps aimed at liftinglift all restrictions on women’s human rights, including freedom of movement, employment opportunities, legal personality and representation in judicial processes, eliminating all forms of discrimination against women in private and public life and promoting their participation in the economic, social, cultural, civic and political spheres; awaits the lifting of the de facto ban on women driving;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Calls on the KSA authorities to unlock the professional and personal potential held by women who, despite making up 70% of those enrolled in universities, due to existing limitations represent only 5% of the workforce; urges the removal of all obstructions to their access to the job market and any professional activities;
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12b. Awaits the lifting of the de facto ban on women driving;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 c (new)
Paragraph 12 c (new)
12c. Considers that a campaign to promote awareness regarding violence against women in Saudi Arabia, especially domestic violence, should be introduced as a matter of urgency;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 d (new)
Paragraph 12 d (new)
12d. Expresses its grave consternation at the fact that KSA is one of the countries in the world still practicing lapidation; calls on the KSA authorities to pass legislation outlawing the practice of lapidation, which constitutes a gross violation of a number of international human rights instruments to which KSA is a party to;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Calls on KSA to ratify the International Bill of Human Rights, made up of the two key human rights covenants, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR – ratified by 160 UN Member States) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR – ratified by 167 UN Member States);
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13b. Calls on KSA to sign and ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC);
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 c (new)
Paragraph 13 c (new)
13c. Welcomes that KSA ratified four UN human rights treaties, namely: Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW, ratified in 2000), the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT, 1997), Convention on the Rights of the Child (1996), and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1997); but regrets the several reservations attached and calls for their withdrawal;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 d (new)
Paragraph 13 d (new)
13d. Welcomes KSA ratification of some of the main ILO conventions (namely, Convention No. 182 concerning elimination of the worst forms of child labour), albeit not Convention No. 87, concerning Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize; applauds its accession to the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children (Palermo Protocol); expects that legal and political reforms be implementation so as to ensure enaction of all those international treaties;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 e (new)
Paragraph 13 e (new)
13e. Regrets that the KSA authorities have not extended an invitation to UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, despite the recommendation of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for all States to extend official invitations to UN Special Rapporteurs;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 f (new)
Paragraph 13 f (new)
13f. Calls on the KSA authorities to enable its National Human Rights Association to operate with independence and to comply with the UN standards on national human rights institutions (Paris principles);
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 g (new)
Paragraph 13 g (new)
13g. Calls on the KSA authorities to define a minimum age for marriage and take steps to ban child marriage in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which were both ratified by KSA;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the first licences issued to women lawyers, but deplores the fact that the legaljustice system is in the hands of male judges of religious background; takes note of the gradual codification of the Sharia and urges that it be speeded up, since lack of codification and the judicial precedent tradition often result in considerable uncertainty in the scope and content of the country’s laws and in miscarriages of justice; remains concerned that newly codified laws continue to criminalise basic freedoms; asserts the crucial importance of securing judicial independence and adequate legal training for judges;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Deplores that, despite of ratification of the International Convention against Torture, confessions obtained under duress or as a result of torture are common cases; urges the KSA authorities to ensure a complete eradication of torture from the Saudi justice and prison system;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Deplores that implementation of labour laws is often not conducted in line with international standards and unjustified violence is used against irregular migrants, such as in the crackdown occurred in November 2013 which ended with 3 Ethiopian citizens killed, 33.000 persons detained and around 200.000 irregular migrants deported;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15b. Takes note of the fact that KSA has recently rejected a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Underlines the critical importance that the EU-KSA cooperation could have in countering terrorism and fundamentalism, but questions if it is actually being effective, especially when carried out at the expense of basic human rights and civil liberties; calls on KSA authorities to improve control over the funding of the radical militant groups abroad by Saudi citizens and charities;
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Is concerned that KSA’s financial and political support for some religious and political groups in North Africa, Middle East, in Asia and in particular in South Asia (namely Pakistan and Afghanistan), may result in reinforcing fundamentalist and obscurantist forces that undermine efforts to creatnurture democratic governance and oppose the participation of women in public life; is further concerned that the unconditional political and financial support offered to the leaders of the military coup in Egypt is undermining the efforts of the EU to promote a peaceful and inclusive political solution to the Egyptian crisis;
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls on KSA to refrain from acting on the basis of a narrow sectarian-based zero- sum game logic regarding the Syrian conflict, and to contribute instead to a peaceful, inclusive solution, notably through support for the Geneva II talks, without preconditions; calls also for thea more active involvemensupport of KSA infor humanitarian relief for victims of the Syrian civil war;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Recalls the grave concern it expressed at the presence of Saudi troops under a GCC banner in Bahrain in 2011; reiterates thus its call on KSA to contribute constructively and to mediate in the interests of peaceful reforms and national dialogue in Bahrain;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls on the KSA authorities to engage in peaceful dialogue with Iran over bilateral relations and the future of the region; notes with alarm that hostile rivalry between both countries results in increased insecurity for their peoples, for the whole region and for the world, globally; thus, calls on the EU, and the international community, to develop all efforts towards encouraging sustainable and cooperative dialogue between Riyadh and Tehran;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Calls for EU and KSA to collaborate effectively with a view to bring about a just and sustainable outcome for ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)
Paragraph 21 b (new)
21b. Urges the EU institutions to increase their presence in the region and to strengthen working relations with KSA, by increasing resources to the Delegation in Riyadh and by planning regular visits to the Kingdom, namely by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy;
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice- President of the European Commission, the European External Action Service, the UN Secretary General, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Crown PrinceH.M. King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Secretary-General of the Centre for National Dialogue of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.