BETA


2010/2848(RSP) Resolution on human rights in Syria, in particular the case of Haythan Al-Maleh

Progress: Procedure completed

Legal Basis:
RoP 144

Events

2010/09/09
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2010/09/09
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2010/09/09
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 55 votes to 1 with no abstentions a resolution on human rights in Syria, in particular the case of Haythan Al-Maleh.

Mindful of the importance of the political, economic and cultural ties that exist between the EU and Syria, it expresses its deepest concerns about the situation of Mr Haythan Al-Maleh and calls on the Syrian authorities immediately and unconditionally to release him, and to guarantee his physical and psychological well-being under all circumstances. Members recall that Mr Haythan Al-Maleh, an 80 year-old Syrian human rights lawyer, was arrested by officers of the General Intelligence Service on 14 October 2009, held incommunicado until his interrogation by the Military Prosecutor on 20 October 2009, and sentenced by the Second Military Court of Damascus on 4 July 2010 to three years of imprisonment on the grounds of transferring false and exaggerated news that weaken national sentiments under the Syrian Criminal Code, despite the fact that military tribunals should not have competence to try civilians. Members also call on the Syrian Government to reconsider all cases of prisoners of conscience in accordance with the national Constitution and the country's international commitments, and immediately to release all prisoners of conscience, including Mr Muhannad Al-Hassani, Mr Ali Al-Abdullah, Mr Anour Al-Bunni and Mr Kamal Labwani.

Further recalling that, according to reports by trial monitoring missions, the trial of Mr Al-Maleh failed to meet international standards of fairness, including the right to be presumed innocent and the right to defence, Parliament calls on the Syrian authorities to ensure the transparent functioning of the judicial system , with special regard to the Supreme State Security Court. It calls on the Syrian authorities to put an end to any persecution or harassment of human rights defenders and their families, and to ensure that human rights defenders are free to carry out their activities without any hindrance or intimidation.

Parliament sees the prospect of signing the Association Agreement as offering a significant opportunity for addressing ongoing human rights violations and strengthening the reform process in Syria. It calls on the Council and the Commission to make full use of this crucial leverage by adopting a bilateral Human Rights and Democracy Action Plan which clearly set outs the specific human rights improvements it expects from the Syrian authorities. In accordance with Article 218 of the TFEU, Parliament should be fully informed at all stages of the negotiations on international agreements. Members call therefore on the Commission to report back to Parliament on the state of discussions with the Syrian authorities relating to the signing of the Association Agreement. They welcome the continuing dialogue between the European Union and Syria and hope that the ongoing efforts will lead to improvements not only in the economic and social situation in Syria, which is already the case, but also politically and in the field of human rights.

Lastly, Parliament calls on the Syrian authorities to abide by international human rights standards and international commitments which the country freely entered into and which guarantee freedom of opinion and of expression and the right to a fair trial, and to ensure that detainees are well-treated and not subjected to torture or other ill-treatment and are granted prompt, regular and unrestricted access to their families, lawyers and doctors.

Documents
2010/09/09
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2010/09/07
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2010/09/07
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2010/09/07
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2010/09/07
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2010/09/07
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2010/09/07
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2010/09/07
   Joint motion for resolution
Documents

Documents

Activities

History

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

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  • date: 2010-09-09T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=18826&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=20100909&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2010-316 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T7-0316/2010 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
committees
    docs
    • date: 2010-09-07T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B7-2010-511&language=EN title: B7-0511/2010 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    • date: 2010-09-07T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B7-2010-512&language=EN title: B7-0512/2010 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    • date: 2010-09-07T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B7-2010-513&language=EN title: B7-0513/2010 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    • date: 2010-09-07T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B7-2010-514&language=EN title: B7-0514/2010 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    • date: 2010-09-07T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B7-2010-515&language=EN title: B7-0515/2010 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    • date: 2010-09-07T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B7-2010-516&language=EN title: B7-0516/2010 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    • date: 2010-09-07T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=P7-RC-2010-511&language=EN title: RC-B7-0511/2010 type: Joint motion for resolution
    events
    • date: 2010-09-09T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=18826&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
    • date: 2010-09-09T00:00:00 type: Debate in Parliament body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20100909&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament
    • date: 2010-09-09T00:00:00 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=P7-TA-2010-316 title: T7-0316/2010 summary: The European Parliament adopted by 55 votes to 1 with no abstentions a resolution on human rights in Syria, in particular the case of Haythan Al-Maleh. Mindful of the importance of the political, economic and cultural ties that exist between the EU and Syria, it expresses its deepest concerns about the situation of Mr Haythan Al-Maleh and calls on the Syrian authorities immediately and unconditionally to release him, and to guarantee his physical and psychological well-being under all circumstances. Members recall that Mr Haythan Al-Maleh, an 80 year-old Syrian human rights lawyer, was arrested by officers of the General Intelligence Service on 14 October 2009, held incommunicado until his interrogation by the Military Prosecutor on 20 October 2009, and sentenced by the Second Military Court of Damascus on 4 July 2010 to three years of imprisonment on the grounds of transferring false and exaggerated news that weaken national sentiments under the Syrian Criminal Code, despite the fact that military tribunals should not have competence to try civilians. Members also call on the Syrian Government to reconsider all cases of prisoners of conscience in accordance with the national Constitution and the country's international commitments, and immediately to release all prisoners of conscience, including Mr Muhannad Al-Hassani, Mr Ali Al-Abdullah, Mr Anour Al-Bunni and Mr Kamal Labwani. Further recalling that, according to reports by trial monitoring missions, the trial of Mr Al-Maleh failed to meet international standards of fairness, including the right to be presumed innocent and the right to defence, Parliament calls on the Syrian authorities to ensure the transparent functioning of the judicial system , with special regard to the Supreme State Security Court. It calls on the Syrian authorities to put an end to any persecution or harassment of human rights defenders and their families, and to ensure that human rights defenders are free to carry out their activities without any hindrance or intimidation. Parliament sees the prospect of signing the Association Agreement as offering a significant opportunity for addressing ongoing human rights violations and strengthening the reform process in Syria. It calls on the Council and the Commission to make full use of this crucial leverage by adopting a bilateral Human Rights and Democracy Action Plan which clearly set outs the specific human rights improvements it expects from the Syrian authorities. In accordance with Article 218 of the TFEU, Parliament should be fully informed at all stages of the negotiations on international agreements. Members call therefore on the Commission to report back to Parliament on the state of discussions with the Syrian authorities relating to the signing of the Association Agreement. They welcome the continuing dialogue between the European Union and Syria and hope that the ongoing efforts will lead to improvements not only in the economic and social situation in Syria, which is already the case, but also politically and in the field of human rights. Lastly, Parliament calls on the Syrian authorities to abide by international human rights standards and international commitments which the country freely entered into and which guarantee freedom of opinion and of expression and the right to a fair trial, and to ensure that detainees are well-treated and not subjected to torture or other ill-treatment and are granted prompt, regular and unrestricted access to their families, lawyers and doctors.
    • date: 2010-09-09T00:00:00 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
      • 6.10.09 Human rights situation in the world
      New
      6.10.09
      Human rights situation in the world
      procedure/geographical_area/0
      Old
      Syrian Arab Republic
      New
      Syria
      activities
      • date: 2010-09-09T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=18826&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=20100909&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2010-316 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T7-0316/2010 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
      committees
        links
        other
          procedure
          geographical_area
          Syrian Arab Republic
          reference
          2010/2848(RSP)
          title
          Resolution on human rights in Syria, in particular the case of Haythan Al-Maleh
          legal_basis
          Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 135
          stage_reached
          Procedure completed
          subtype
          Urgent debate or resolution
          type
          RSP - Resolutions on topical subjects
          subject
          6.10.09 Human rights situation in the world