Activites

• 2009/09/17 Results of vote in Parliament
  • Results of vote in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
  • T7-0024/2009 summary

    Following the debate that took place on the same day, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on Syria: the case of Muhannad Al-Hassani.The text adopted in plenary had been tabled as a joint resolution by the EPP, S-D, ALDE, Greens/ALE and ECR groups.Parliament recalls that Muhannad al-Hassani, a leading human rights lawyer and President of the Syrian Human Rights Organisation (Swasiah), was arrested by the Syrian authorities on 28 July 2009. He was interrogated and formally charged with "weakening national sentiments" and "spreading false news" in a closed session to which his lawyer was not allowed access. Parliament expresses its deepest concern about Mr al-Hassani's detention, which seems to aim at sanctioning his human rights activities and it calls on the Syrian authorities to release him immediately and to guarantee in all circumstances his physical and psychological integrity.It is confident that Syria, which could play an important role of pacification in the region, will improve and support human rights and freedom of expression in the country. Parliament calls on the Syrian authorities to:put an end to this policy of persecution and harassment of human rights defenders;release immediately all prisoners of conscience, human rights defenders, including Anwar al-Bunni and Kamal Labwani, and peace activists;ensure the transparent functioning of the judicial system, with special regard to the Supreme State Security Court;comply strictly with the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment;ensure that detainees in Syrian prisons are well treated and not subjected to torture or other ill-treatment and are given prompt, regular and unrestricted access to their families, lawyers and doctors.Lastly, convinced that the promotion of human rights is one of the pillars upholding EU-Syria relations, Parliament calls on the Swedish Presidency, the Council and the Commission to adopt a roadmap, prior to the signing of the Association Agreement, which clearly articulates the specific human rights improvements it expects from the Syrian authorities.

Documents

• Results of vote in Parliament: Results of vote in Parliament
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T7-0024/2009

History

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