BETA


2009/2580(RSP) Resolution on support for the Special Court for Sierra Leone

Progress: Procedure completed

Legal Basis:
RoP 144

Events

2009/04/24
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2009/04/24
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2009/04/24
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 381 votes to 4 with 7 abstentions a resolution on support for the Special Court for Sierra Leone. The resolution had been tabled by the EPP-ED, PES, Greens/ALE, GUE/NGL, UEN and ALDE groups. It recalls that the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) the mandate of the SCSL will end in 2010, and the Government of Sierra Leone has indicated that it is not in a position to enforce the sentences of the persons convicted by the SCSL. Other tribunals and courts, such as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia are likely to face the same problem. The SCSL has concluded agreements with states including UK, Sweden and Austria to ensure that some of the convicted persons serve their sentences in these countries, and more agreements are needed to ensure that all persons already convicted, and those that are standing trial and may face convictions, actually serve their sentences.

Parliament welcomes the progress made by international courts and tribunals in bringing to trial those responsible for atrocities committed, and believes that these trials send a clear message to leaders around the world and to other war criminals that egregious human rights abuses will no longer be tolerated with impunity. It calls on the Council and the Member States to find a solution together with the SCSL in order to ensure that the persons convicted serve their sentences, since without such a solution the effort of the SCSL and the credibility of the international community, including the Union, will be severely undermined.

The resolution calls on all Member States to increase their contribution to the work of the international courts and tribunals as they seek to finalise a sustainable solution for the enforcement of sentences, whether by concluding agreements directly with the said institutions for the enforcement of sentences in the Member States' jurisdictions or by helping them to find alternative solutions to ensure the enforcement of sentences in the regions themselves.

It also calls on Member States and other international institutions to provide further financial assistance to the SCSL with a view to enabling those convicted by the SCSL to serve out their sentences in countries that have the capacity to enforce sentences in accordance with international standards but lack the financial means to do so. Parliament considers that a lack of assistance and support will put the work of international courts and tribunals at great risk as they will not be able to ensure that the persons convicted serve the sentences imposed.

Lastly, it calls for a comprehensive study evaluating the work done by international criminal tribunals, drawing lessons from it and putting forward recommendations on how to improve their functioning and future financing.

Documents
2009/04/24
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2009/04/22
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2009/04/22
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2009/04/22
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2009/04/22
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2009/04/22
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2009/04/22
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2009/04/22
   Joint motion for resolution
Documents

Documents

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

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Decision by Parliament
body
EP
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url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-6-2009-0310_EN.html title: T6-0310/2009
summary
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2009-04-24T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
docs
url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-6-2009-0310_EN.html title: T6-0310/2009
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activities
  • date: 2009-04-24T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=17256&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20090424&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2009-310 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T6-0310/2009 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
committees
    docs
    • date: 2009-04-22T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B6-2009-242&language=EN title: B6-0242/2009 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    • date: 2009-04-22T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B6-2009-243&language=EN title: B6-0243/2009 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    • date: 2009-04-22T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B6-2009-244&language=EN title: B6-0244/2009 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    • date: 2009-04-22T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B6-2009-245&language=EN title: B6-0245/2009 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    • date: 2009-04-22T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B6-2009-253&language=EN title: B6-0253/2009 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    • date: 2009-04-22T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B6-2009-255&language=EN title: B6-0255/2009 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    • date: 2009-04-22T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=P6-RC-2009-242&language=EN title: RC-B6-0242/2009 type: Joint motion for resolution
    events
    • date: 2009-04-24T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=17256&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
    • date: 2009-04-24T00:00:00 type: Debate in Parliament body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20090424&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament
    • date: 2009-04-24T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2009-310 title: T6-0310/2009 summary: The European Parliament adopted by 381 votes to 4 with 7 abstentions a resolution on support for the Special Court for Sierra Leone. The resolution had been tabled by the EPP-ED, PES, Greens/ALE, GUE/NGL, UEN and ALDE groups. It recalls that the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) the mandate of the SCSL will end in 2010, and the Government of Sierra Leone has indicated that it is not in a position to enforce the sentences of the persons convicted by the SCSL. Other tribunals and courts, such as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia are likely to face the same problem. The SCSL has concluded agreements with states including UK, Sweden and Austria to ensure that some of the convicted persons serve their sentences in these countries, and more agreements are needed to ensure that all persons already convicted, and those that are standing trial and may face convictions, actually serve their sentences. Parliament welcomes the progress made by international courts and tribunals in bringing to trial those responsible for atrocities committed, and believes that these trials send a clear message to leaders around the world and to other war criminals that egregious human rights abuses will no longer be tolerated with impunity. It calls on the Council and the Member States to find a solution together with the SCSL in order to ensure that the persons convicted serve their sentences, since without such a solution the effort of the SCSL and the credibility of the international community, including the Union, will be severely undermined. The resolution calls on all Member States to increase their contribution to the work of the international courts and tribunals as they seek to finalise a sustainable solution for the enforcement of sentences, whether by concluding agreements directly with the said institutions for the enforcement of sentences in the Member States' jurisdictions or by helping them to find alternative solutions to ensure the enforcement of sentences in the regions themselves. It also calls on Member States and other international institutions to provide further financial assistance to the SCSL with a view to enabling those convicted by the SCSL to serve out their sentences in countries that have the capacity to enforce sentences in accordance with international standards but lack the financial means to do so. Parliament considers that a lack of assistance and support will put the work of international courts and tribunals at great risk as they will not be able to ensure that the persons convicted serve the sentences imposed. Lastly, it calls for a comprehensive study evaluating the work done by international criminal tribunals, drawing lessons from it and putting forward recommendations on how to improve their functioning and future financing.
    • date: 2009-04-24T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
    links
    other
      procedure/legal_basis/0
      Rules of Procedure EP 135
      procedure/legal_basis/0
      Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 135
      procedure/subject
      Old
      • 6.10.08 Fundamental freedoms, human rights, democracy in general
      New
      6.10.08
      Fundamental freedoms, human rights, democracy in general
      activities
      • date: 2009-04-24T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=17256&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20090424&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2009-310 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T6-0310/2009 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
      committees
        links
        other
          procedure
          legal_basis
          Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 135
          reference
          2009/2580(RSP)
          title
          Resolution on support for the Special Court for Sierra Leone
          geographical_area
          Sierra Leone
          stage_reached
          Procedure completed
          subtype
          Urgent debate or resolution
          type
          RSP - Resolutions on topical subjects
          subject
          6.10.08 Fundamental freedoms, human rights, democracy in general