2013/2147(INI) | [ParlTrack]

Draft opinion
Recital A

A. whereas women in Saudi Arabia continue to face many forms of discrimination and segregation in private and public life and must obtain permission from a male guardian for most basic life decisions, in particular for certain medical procedures;

Amendment 10 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Regrets, however, that the law protecting women against domestic violence, adopted on 26 August 2013, requires the consent and support of the legal guardian in order for victims to be able to complain;

Amendment 11 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Stresses the importance of strengthening the political, economic and social rights of women, especially in the context of family law (for example, with regard to marriage, divorce, child custody, parental rights, nationality, heritage, legal capacity, etc.), in compliance with international instruments;

Amendment 12 #

Mariya GABRIEL

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Welcomes the information campaign launched by the national authorities, in collaboration with civil society organisations, to raise awareness among women about their rights and the measures put in place to protect them; draws attention to the need to target such awareness-raising campaigns at men, too, so that they too are aware of women's rights and of the overall repercussions on society if those rights are not respected; stresses the fact that this information should also reach rural areas and areas that are isolated from the rest of the country;

Amendment 13 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Calls on the Saudi Government to establish policies promoting women and their role in civil society, business and political activities and encouraging female education;

Amendment 14 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. ~~Calls~~Recognises the efforts made by the Saudi authorities in drawing up legislation in favour of women and encouraging the debates which have recently been opened on such matters; calls, however, on the Saudi Government to abolish the restrictions on the free movement of women, notably the ban on driving, and on their employment opportunities, legal personality and representation in judicial processes;

Amendment 15 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Welcomes the decisions of the Ministry of Labour, in collaboration with the Human Development Fund, to expedite and promote the recruitment of women in various private sectors, and calls on the ministry to take action to ensure that the measures in question are effectively implemented and followed up;

Amendment 16 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls on the Saudi authorities to fight against forced and early marriages, which constitute a violation of human rights, causing social unrest and a barrier to development of gender equality;

Amendment 17 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls on the Saudi authorities to fight against forced and early marriages, which constitute a violation of human rights, a form of torture and a barrier to development;

Amendment 18 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls on the Saudi authorities to fight against the tradition of forced and early marriages, which constitute a violation of human rights and a barrier to development;

Amendment 19 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Calls on the Saudi Arabian government to address reports that execution by stoning with and without legal proceedings has allegedly occurred in Saudi Arabia which contravenes the UN Commission on the status of Women who identify it as a barbaric form of torture;

Amendment 2 #

Laurence J.A.J. STASSEN

Draft opinion
Recital A

A. whereas women in Saudi Arabia continue to face many forms of discrimination ~~and~~, segregation and violence in private and public life and must obtain permission from a male guardian for most basic life decisions; whereas it is primarily Islam or Islamic legislation that is responsible for this;

Amendment 20 #

Lívia JÁRÓKA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Calls on the Saudi Government to review and reform women's education in order to increase their economic participation, to ensure greater focus on fostering entrepreneurship competencies and furthermore to address gender- specific challenges in the regulatory environment to improve women´s access to government business licensing services;

Amendment 21 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Highlights and welcomes the training programme established with the National Organisation for Joint Training, aimed at preparing girls to enter the labour market, and underlines the efforts of the Saudi authorities in improving the status of girls in relation to training and expanding their opportunities in new, usually male, sectors;

Amendment 22 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Stresses the importance acquired over recent years by the practice of blogging and the use of the internet and social networks, particularly among women;

Amendment 23 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Reminds the Saudi Government of its commitments under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child and those which are incumbent upon it also under the United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/53/144 adopting the Declaration on human rights defenders; regrets, therefore, the recent sentencing of two Saudi women activists to 10 months in prison and a ban on leaving the country for two years, for having rescued a woman who was a victim of domestic violence;

Amendment 24 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Reminds the Saudi Government of its commitments under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child and thus to unequivocally sanction the principle of equality between men and women and the prohibition of any form of discrimination or violence against women and girls;

Amendment 25 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Regrets that LGBT persons rights are unrecognised by the Saudi Arabian government, and expresses its deep concern that human rights abuses have been reported against presumed or actual LGBT persons;

Amendment 26 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Urges the Saudi authorities to ~~tackle the issue of~~ensure that the legal measures recently adopted with regard to the protection of domestic workers are fully and effectively implemented and to pay special attention to female migrant domestic workers suffering abuse and living in conditions amounting to forced labour or slavery;

Amendment 27 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Calls on the Saudi Government to use its influence as one of the leaders in the Islamic and Arab world to defend and promote the integrity, dignity and fundamental rights ~~and~~, freedoms of women and girls. and equal value of both gender in every day society;

Amendment 28 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Calls on the Saudi Government to use its influence as one of the leaders in the Islamic and Arab world to take more targeted and effective action to defend and promote the integrity, dignity and fundamental rights and freedoms of women and girls.;

Amendment 29 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Calls on the EU in its human rights dialogues with Saudi Arabia to promote the prevention, investigation and prosecution of violence against women, and asks that Saudi Arabia promotes the importance of human rights dialogue with other third countries in the Middle East and in North Africa.

Amendment 3 #

Draft opinion
Recital A

A. whereas women in Saudi Arabia continue to face ~~many~~various forms of discrimination and segregation in private and public life and must obtain permission from a male guardian for some of their most basic life decisions;

Amendment 30 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Stresses the importance of the debate opened among Islamic women scholars with a view to interpreting religious texts from the perspective of women’s rights and equality;

Amendment 31 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 b (new)

8b. Any negotiations on an EU free trade agreement that includes Saudi Arabia must first provide for strict obligations that safeguard the protection of women and girls.

Amendment 32 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 b (new)

8b. Encourages the Saudi Government to support forms of partnership, exchanges of good practice and networks – including international ones – involving artistic and professional women in the culture, media and journalism sectors;

Amendment 33 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 c (new)

8c. Encourages the Saudi Government to support and promote forms of intercultural and interreligious dialogue, especially among women.

Amendment 4 #

Draft opinion
Recital A a (new)

Aa. whereas the Saudi Government has recently made efforts to promote and defend the rights of women, particularly in education, decision-making and employment issues;

Amendment 5 #

Draft opinion
Recital A a (new)

Aa. whereas the World Bank report on 'Women, Business and the Law 2014 – Removing Restrictions to Enhance Gender Equality'1 places Saudia Arabia as the first in the list of countries whose laws limit the economic potential of women; 1 http://wbl.worldbank.org/~/media/FPDK M/WBL/Documents/Reports/2014/Women -Business-and-the-Law-2014-Key- Findings.pdf

Amendment 6 #

Mariya GABRIEL

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Encourages the commitments made by Saudi Arabia in favour of women (the right to vote and stand as candidates in the municipal elections of 2015; nomination of women to the Shura Council; the introduction of a law to protect women, children and domestic workers from abuse; the granting of licenses allowing women to practice law); encourages the Saudi authorities to ensure that measures taken in support of women's rights are implemented in both urban and rural areas; asks the EU to pursue a dialogue with Saudi Arabia in support of further reforms for better gender equality and welfare for women;

Amendment 7 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Encourages the commitments made by Saudi Arabia in favour of women (the right to vote and stand as candidates in the municipal elections of 2015; nomination of women to the Shura Council; the introduction of a law to protect women, children and domestic workers from abuse; the granting of licenses allowing women to practice law); asks the EU to pursue a dialogue with Saudi Arabia in support of further reforms for better gender equality and welfare for women and encourages the presence of women at negotiating tables for bilateral agreements;

Amendment 8 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Encourages the commitments made by Saudi Arabia in favour of women (the right to vote and stand as candidates in the municipal elections of 2015; nomination of 30 women to the Shura Council – 20% of the total number of members of this Council; the introduction of a law to protect women, children and domestic workers from abuse; the granting of licenses allowing women to practice law); asks the EU to pursue a dialogue with Saudi Arabia in support of further reforms for better gender equality and welfare for women;

Amendment 9 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Encourages the commitments made by Saudi Arabia in favour of women (the right to vote and stand as candidates in the municipal elections of 2015; nomination of women to the Shura Council; the introduction of a law to protect women, children and domestic workers from abuse; the granting of licenses allowing women to practice law); asks the EU to pursue a dialogue with Saudi Arabia in support of further reforms for better gender equality, empowering women and welfare for women;

source: PE-521.469

2014/01/08 AFET 168 amendments...

Amendment 1 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 20 a (new)

- having regard to the visit of the European Parliament’s Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights on behalf of President Martin Schulz to Saudi Arabia from 24-25 November 2013,

Amendment 10 #

Motion for a resolution
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 some 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 obligation and their implementation; whereas despite this track record, on 12 November 2013 Saudi Arabia has been elected as member to the UN Human Rights Council;

Amendment 100 #

Motion for a resolution
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)

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)

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

13. 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;deleted

Amendment 104 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. RTakes note of the election of the KSA as Member of the Human Rights Council in November 2013; 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 105 #

Motion for a resolution
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)

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)

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)

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)

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 11 #

Motion for a resolution
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 ~~some~~modest 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 110 #

Motion for a resolution
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)

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 112 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Welcomes the first licences issued to women lawyers~~, but deplores the fact that the legal system is in the hands of male judges of religious background~~ and asks for their further advancement in the judicial system; 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; asserts the crucial importance of securing judicial independence and adequate legal training for judges;

Amendment 113 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Welcomes the first licences issued to women lawyers, but deplores the fact that the ~~legal~~justice 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 114 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Welcomes the first licences issued to women lawyers, but deplores the fact that the legal system is in the hands of male judges of religious background; takes note of the gradual codification of the Sharia aimed at assuring equal application of law in all courts 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; asserts the crucial importance of securing judicial independence and adequate legal and professional training for judges;

Amendment 115 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Welcomes the first licences issued to women lawyers, but ~~deplo~~regrets the fact that the legal 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; asserts the crucial importance of securing judicial independence and adequate legal training for judges;

Amendment 116 #

Motion for a resolution
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 117 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)

14a. Welcomes the recent decision of the Ministry of Labour to accelerate the recruitment of women in various private- sector spheres, which has led to an increase of the number of Saudi women working in the private sector from 55.600 in 2010 to about 100.000 in 2011 and 215.840 at the end of 2012. Welcomes the decision of the Ministry of Labour in conjunction with the Human Resources Development Fund to introduce programmes to promote women’s employment;

Amendment 118 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)

14b. Encourages the efforts of KSA in promoting women higher education, which is developing new education trends in the Kingdom; notes while in 2011, the number of women enrolled in institutions of higher education amounted to 473.725 (429.842 males) whereas in 1961 only 4 women were enrolled, and the number of women graduating from these institutions amounted to 59.948 (55.842 males); the percentage of female students at all school levels increased from 33 % in 1974–75 to 81% percent in 2013; welcomes the international scholarship programme which allowed the number of female scholarship students abroad to stand at 24.581;

Amendment 119 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 c (new)

14c. Encourages the national campaign engaged by Government entities and civil society organizations to raise women’s awareness of the laws and measures in place to protect their rights, particularly with respect to, inter alia, social welfare services and personal status procedures for the registration of marriages, divorces and births;

Amendment 12 #

Motion for a resolution
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 some reforms have been implemented in KSA since 2001, but are not still 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 obligation and their implementation;

Amendment 120 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 d (new)

14d. Welcomes the adoption by KSA of a law that criminalises domestic violence: the ‘Protection from harm act’ approved on 26 August 2013, which is aimed at protecting particularly women and children from ‘all forms of abuse’, offering them shelter as well as ‘social, psychological, and medical aid’ and penal action against the perpetrators of violence; welcomes the launching of a public campaign against domestic violence, by the King Khalid Foundation; strongly encourages all awareness campaigns regarding the implementation of these Laws as well as the independent monitoring of the results of these new Acts and Campaigns;

Amendment 121 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. CExpresses its concern and calls on the authorities to improve the working conditions and treatment of immigrant workers, with special attention to the situation of women working as domestic helpers, who often find themselves in conditions of virtual slavery; ~~welcomes recent efforts to~~notes the recent introducetion of national labour laws ~~in order to~~and hopes that they provide standardised protection for domestic workers and ensure the prosecution of employers responsible for sexual, physical and labour rights abuses;

Amendment 122 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Calls on the authorities to improve the working conditions and treatment of ~~immigrant~~foreign workers, with special attention to the situation of women working as domestic helpers~~, who often find themselves in conditions of virtual slavery~~; welcomes recent efforts to introduce national labour laws in order to provide standardised protection for domestic workers and ensure the prosecution of employers responsible for sexual, physical and labour rights abuses;

Amendment 123 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Calls on the authorities to improve the working conditions and treatment of immigrant workers, with special attention to the situation of women working as domestic helpers, who often find themselves in conditions of virtual slavery; encourages the Saudi government to continue the reforms of the labour laws and notably to fully abolish the sponsorship (‘Kafala’) system and welcomes the recent appeal by the National Society for Human Rights to the government to recruit foreign workers instead under a Labour Ministry agency; welcomes recent efforts to introduce national labour laws in order to provide standardised protection for domestic workers and ensure the prosecution of employers responsible for sexual, physical and labour rights abuses;

Amendment 124 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Calls on the authorities to improve the ‘Kalafa’ sponsorship system, the working conditions and treatment of immigrant workers, with special attention to the situation of women working as domestic helpers, who are at particular risk of sexual violence and who often find themselves in conditions of virtual slavery; welcomes recent efforts to introduce national labour laws in order to provide standardised protection for domestic workers and ensure the prosecution of employers responsible for sexual, physical and labour rights abuses;

Amendment 125 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)

15a. Calls on the Saudi authorities to stop the recent violent attacks against migrant workers and to release the thousands who have been arrested and are being kept in makeshift centres reportedly often without adequate shelter, or medical attention and urges the home countries to cooperate with the Saudi authorities in order to organize the workers’ return home as humanely as possible;

Amendment 126 #

Motion for a resolution
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)

15b. Takes note of the fact that KSA has recently rejected a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council;

Amendment 128 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Rejects the zero-sum game logic as a paradigm for international relations in the Middle East, since it fuels distrust, sectarian hatred and the arms race in the region, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; in this connection, deplores the destabilising effects of arms sales by some EU Member States to KSA and other countries in the region; bBelieves that the solution to the region’s escalating security problems lies in establishing a common security framework, from which no country is excluded and in which the legitimate security interests of all countries are taken into consideration;

Amendment 129 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

Amendment 13 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

Ca. whereas the death penalty is still applied in KSA for a wide variety of crimes and at least 82 people were executed in 2011, including minors and foreigners; whereas public executions take place and those executed can be crucified and publicly displayed;

Amendment 130 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Rejects the zero-sum game logic as a paradigm for international relations in the Middle East, since it fuels distrust, sectarian hatred and the arms race in the region, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; in this connection, dDeplores the destabilising effects of arms sales by some EU Member States to KSA and other countries in the region; believes that the solution to the region’s escalating security problems lies in establishing a common security framework, from which no country is excluded and in which the legitimate security interests of all countries are taken into consideration; in this connection, deplores the destabilising effects of arms sales by some EU Member States to KSA and other countries in the region;

Amendment 131 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Rejects the zero-sum game logic as a paradigm for international relations in the Middle East, since it fuels distrust, sectarian hatred and the arms race in the region, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; in this connection, ~~deplores the destabilising effects of arms sales by some EU Member States to KSA and other countries in the region;~~ believes that the solution to the region’s escalating security problems lies in establishing a common security framework, from which no country is excluded and in which the legitimate security interests of all countries are taken into consideration;

Amendment 132 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Rejects the zero-sum game logic as a paradigm for international relations in the Middle East, since it fuels distrust, sectarian hatred and the arms race in the region, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; in this connection, deplores the destabilising effects of arms sales by some EU Member States to KSA and other countries in the region; deplores the involvement of Spain, which increased arms sales from EUR 14 million in 2011 to EUR 21.3 million in 2012 and recalls the close and publicly notorious relationship between the Spanish royal family and the Al Saud dynasty and their shared interests; believes that the solution to the region’s escalating security problems lies in establishing a common security framework, from which no country is excluded and in which the legitimate security interests of all countries are taken into consideration;

Amendment 133 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)

16a. Welcomes the contribution of the KSA for the establishment of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre;

Amendment 134 #

Motion for a resolution
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 135 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)

16a. Calls on KSA to play a leading role and set the right example in the Middle East, promoting freedom, equality and democratisation, with special attention for Bahrain and other GCC countries;

Amendment 136 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)

16b. Calls on KSA to take a leading responsibility in ending the proliferation of violent extremist groups throughout the Middle East and North Africa;

Amendment 137 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 c (new)

16c. Calls on Saudi Arabia to provide more transparency regarding its financial support of external groups;

Amendment 138 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Is concerned that KSA’s financial and political support for religious and political groups in North Africa may result in reinforcing fundamentalist and obscurantist forces that undermine efforts to create 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;deleted

Amendment 139 #

Cristian Dan PREDA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

Amendment 14 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)

Cb. whereas women's rights are being violated in KSA, as they are considered inferior to men and are under the control of a male member of their family rather than having the freedom to make their own decisions on matters such as going out or travelling; whereas Saudi women do not have the right to vote and are prohibited from driving and are therefore discriminated against in public life and public space;

Amendment 140 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

Amendment 141 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. ~~Is concerned that KSA’s~~Stresses the importance of continued cooperation with the KSA authorities on counter-terrorism measures which have implications far beyond the Middle East; is concerned that financial and political support for religious and political groups in North Africa may result in reinforcing fundamentalist and obscurantist forces that undermine efforts to create 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~~such support is also undermining the efforts of the EU to promote a peaceful and inclusive political solution to the Egyptian crisis;

Amendment 142 #

Motion for a resolution
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 ~~creat~~nurture 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 143 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Is concerned that KSA’s financial and political support for religious and political groups notably in North Africa, Pakistan, Chechnya and Dagestan may result in reinforcing fundamentalist and obscurantist forces that undermine efforts to create 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 144 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Is concerned that KSA’s financial and political support for religious and political groups in North Africa may result in reinforcing fundamentalist and obscurantist forces that undermine efforts to create 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~~Egyptian authorities is undermining the efforts of the EU to promote a peaceful and inclusive political solution to the Egyptian crisis;

Amendment 145 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Is concerned that KSA’s financial and political support for religious and political groups in North Africa may result in reinforcing fundamentalist and obscurantist forces that undermine efforts to create 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 146 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)

17a. Recognises the efforts of KSA to combat terrorism and extremism in Saudi Arabia and worldwide; welcomes the establishment in 2011 of the UNCCT (United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre) to promote international peace and security especially in the global fight against terrorism, through a voluntary contribution of the Government of Saudi Arabia of $100 million; acknowledges in this regard, that KSA, while working with international partners has taken a leading role in developing coordinated strategies to defeat terrorists either at home and abroad, to thwart extremist advancements and to engage and rehabilitate at-risk populations; welcomes the fact that KSA has also supported numerous regional and international initiatives in this regard;

Amendment 147 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Calls on the KSA authorities to ~~act~~work with the EU and internationally to stop Salafi movements supporting the anti- state activities of the military rebels in Mali, which are leading to the destabilisation of the entire region; ~~condemns any form of direct and indirect interference;~~

Amendment 148 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Calls on the KSA authorities to act to stop Salafi movements supporting the anti- state activities of the military rebels in Mali, which are leading to the destabilisation of the entire region; condemns any form of direct and indirect interference in the region from either Saudi Arabia or the European Union;

Amendment 149 #

Motion for a resolution
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 the more active involvement of KSA in humanitarian relief for victims of the Syrian civil war;deleted

Amendment 15 #

Motion for a resolution
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 150 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. ~~Calls~~Welcomes the contribution of the KSA to the ‘Friends of Syria Group’ and the assistance the KSA provided to the Syrian people and refugees; calls however 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 the more active involvement of KSA in humanitarian relief for victims of the Syrian civil war;~~

Amendment 151 #

Motion for a resolution
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~~Stresses that KSA is a key member of the ‘Friends of Syria Group’; calls on KSA to contribute ~~instead~~ to a peaceful, inclusive solution, notably through support for the Geneva II talks, without preconditions; calls also for the more active involvement of KSA in humanitarian relief for victims of the Syrian civil war;

Amendment 152 #

Motion for a resolution
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~~contribute to a peaceful, inclusive solution to the Syrian conflict, notably through support for the Geneva II talks, without preconditions; calls also for the more active involvement of KSA in humanitarian relief for victims of the Syrian civil war;

Amendment 153 #

Motion for a resolution
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 ~~the~~a more active ~~involvemen~~support of KSA infor humanitarian relief for victims of the Syrian civil war;

Amendment 154 #

Motion for a resolution
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 the more active involvement of KSA in humanitarian relief for victims of the Syrian civil war; calls on KSA to end its financial, military and political support of Syrian extremist groups and to encourage other countries to do the same;

Amendment 155 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)

19a. Condemns the intervention in Bahrain by the armed forces of KSA in 2011 and the supply of military equipment to the Bahraini authorities, facilitating repression of the Bahraini population and its right to freedom of expression and assembly;

Amendment 156 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Reiterates its condemnation of KSA's military intervention to suppress the popular protests in Bahrain in 2011; in this regard, urges KSA to abstain from taking this kind of action and reiterates its call on KSA to contribute constructively and to mediate in the interests of peaceful reforms and national dialogue in Bahrain;

Amendment 157 #

Motion for a resolution
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 158 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Reiterates its call on KSA to continue 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

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 16 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

Ca. whereas the KSA continues to commit widespread violations of basic human rights despite its declared acceptance of numerous recommendations of the 2009 Universal Periodic Review before the UN Human Rights Council such as to reform its criminal justice system, which violates the most basic international standards and detainees routinely face systematic violations of due process, because there is no written penal code which clearly defines what constitutes a criminal offence and judges are free to rule according to their interpretations of Islamic law and prophetic traditions; whereas the current Minister of Justice has emphasised his intent to codify Shari’a and to issue sentencing guidelines;

Amendment 160 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Calls on the KSA authorities to engage in a peaceful dialogue with Iran over bilateral relations and the future of the region; welcomes on this respect, the position of KSA on the Geneva Agreement of the Group ‘3+3’ and Iran, regarding the Iranian nuclear program on 24 November 2013, as a primary step towards a comprehensive solution to the Iranian nuclear program;

Amendment 161 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Calls on the KSA authorities to engage in peaceful dialogue with Iran over bilateral relations and the future of the region; further welcomes the 24 November statement of the KSA Government on the outcome of the Geneva Agreement with Iran;

Amendment 162 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)

21a. Urges the KSA, as a member of the Friends of Syria Group, to play a full and active role in reaching a peaceful solution to the conflict in Syria and to providing all possible humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people affected by the fighting;

Amendment 163 #

Motion for a resolution
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 164 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)

21a. Welcomes The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia commitment to maintain the stability of the global oil market;

Amendment 165 #

Motion for a resolution
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 166 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)

21b. Calls on the EU and KSA to work together to combat extremism and terrorism in the world, particularly in the Middle East and North of Africa;

Amendment 167 #

Motion for a resolution
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 Prince~~H.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.

Amendment 168 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission (HR/VP), the Council, the Commission, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Government and Consultative Council of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Secretary-General of the Centre for National Dialogue of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Amendment 17 #

Motion for a resolution
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 18 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)

Cb. whereas UN human rights experts have expressed long-standing concerns about overly broad counter-terrorism measures, involving secret detention, which have also exposed peaceful dissidents to detention and imprisonment under terrorism charges; whereas international human rights organisations have urged King Abdullah to reject the counterterrorism law adopted by the Council of Ministers on 16 December, because of its overly broad definition of terrorism imposing unfair restrictions on free speech by potentially criminalising any speech critical of the Saudi Arabian government or society;

Amendment 19 #

Motion for a resolution
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 2 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is an influential political, economic and religious actor in the Middle East and the Islamic world, the world´s leading oil producer, and a founder and leading member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and of the G-20 group; whereas the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an important partner for the EU;

Amendment 20 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C c (new)

Cc. whereas Saudi Arabia is one of the rare countries to still maintain public executions, including in 2011 for a case of ‘sorcery’, whereas some 80 people have reportedly been executed in KSA in 2012 and the figures are on the increase for 2013;

Amendment 21 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C d (new)

Cd. whereas Saudi Arabia continues to try children who have reached the age of puberty as adults, despite the promise of reform in the 2009 UPR, and is one of the very last remaining countries to still execute juvenile offenders; whereas corporal punishment (amputation and particularly flogging) continues to be widely used as a sentence for crime;

Amendment 22 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C e (new)

Ce. whereas the KSA is the only country in the world in which women are not allowed to drive and although there is no official law banning women from driving, a ministerial decree in 1990 formalized an existing customary ban and women who attempt to drive face arrests;

Amendment 23 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas ~~freedom of religion is not guaranteed in KSA, since~~KSA needs to improve the Laws on Religion Practices, particularly those regarding public practice of anyd religio~~n but Islam is forbidden; 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~~us minorities, enshrined by the true values of the Islamic religion based on tolerance and acceptance of others.;

Amendment 24 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas freedom of religion is ~~not guarante~~violated in KSA, since public practice of any religion but Islam is forbidden; 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 25 #

Motion for a resolution
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 26 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)

Ea. whereas the so-called kafala (‘sponsorship’) system, despite the stated intention of the current Labour Minister to abolish it, continues to create conditions for abuse and labour exploitation of migrant workers, sometimes amounting to forced labour, including through rules requiring a worker to obtain permission from his or her employer to change jobs or leave the country; whereas these rules leave foreign workers with little option for redress in cases of exploitation and often force them into the illegality;

Amendment 27 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)

Ea. whereas freedom of expression and freedom of the press and media, both online and offline, are crucial preconditions and catalysts for democratisation, reform and are essential checks on power;

Amendment 28 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E b (new)

Eb. whereas over one million Ethiopians, Bangladeshis, Indians, Filipinos, Pakistanis and Yemenis have been sent home in the last months after a labour law reform was introduced to reduce the high number of migrant workers with the aim to combat unemployment among Saudi citizens and whereas the accelerated influx of huge numbers of returnees put an extraordinary strain on the often poor and fragile countries of origin;

Amendment 29 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas KSA plays a leading role in disseminating and promoting worldwide a particularly rigorous Salafi/Wahhabi interpretation of Islam; whereas the most extreme manifestations of Salafism/Wahhabism have inspired terrorist organisations such as Al-Qaeda and pose a global security threat, including for KSA itselfhas taken decisive action and severe measures to combat terrorism and financial activities linked to terrorism. Whereas KSA has promulgated a number of legislative acts and regulations to counter this type of criminal activity and has launched an ongoing national awareness campaign to combat terrorism and extremist ideology through dialogue and elucidation of the true values of the Islamic religion based on tolerance, moderation, justice and acceptance of others. Whereas KSA has supported numerous regional and international initiatives in this regard; whereas KSA has developed a system to control financial transactions to ensure that no funds are being channelled into terrorist organisations~~, but no such control can be guaranteed regarding private charities or entities operating outside KSA~~;

Amendment 3 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)

Aa. Whereas EU is Saudi Arabia main trading partner with 15% of the global trade and KSA is the 11th largest trade partner for the EU. Whereas large number of EU companies are investors in the Saudi economy, especially in the country’s petroleum industry and Saudi Arabia is an important market for the export of EU industrial goods in areas such as Defence, Transportation, Automotive, Medical and Chemical exports;

Amendment 30 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

Amendment 31 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas KSA plays a leading role in financing, disseminating and promoting worldwide a particularly rigorous Salafi/Wahhabi interpretation of Islam; whereas the most extreme manifestations of Salafism/Wahhabism have inspired terrorist organisations such as Al-Qaeda and pose a global security threat, including for KSA itself; whereas KSA has developed a system to control financial transactions to ensure that no funds are being channelled into terrorist organisations, but no such control can be guaranteed regarding private charities or entities operating outside KSA;

Amendment 32 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)

Fa. whereas the 2012 Gender Inequality Index (GII from PNUD) ranks Saudi Arabia 145 out of 148 countries, making it one of the world’s most unequal countries; whereas the Global Gender Gap Report 2012 (World Economic Forum) ranks the women labour market participation in KSA as one of the weakest in the world (133 out of 135 countries);

Amendment 33 #

Motion for a resolution
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 34 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)

Fa. whereas the Saudi Government has recently implemented several measures and actions to promote and enhance women’s rights, particularly in education, decision-making and employment issues;

Amendment 35 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)

Fa. whereas the imports of goods from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the EU, and the exports of goods from the EU to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have increased considerably from 2010 to 2012;

Amendment 36 #

Motion for a resolution
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 37 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F b (new)

Fb. whereas the opening of a dialogue between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the EU on human rights could provide a very useful opportunity to enhance mutual understanding and promote further reforms in the country;

Amendment 38 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F c (new)

Fc. whereas a number of gradual judicial reforms were initiated in 2007 by King Abdullah when he approved the plan for new judicial system, including the establishment of a Supreme Court and special commercial, labour and administrative courts;

Amendment 39 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F d (new)

Fd. whereas on 12 November 2013 the United Nations General Assembly elected the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to serve a three-years term, beginning on 1 January 2014, on the Human Rights Council;

Amendment 4 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)

Ab. Whereas EU and Saudi Arabia face common challenges that are global in origin and impact, such as a rapidly changing economy, migration, energy security, international terrorism, the spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and environmental degradation;

Amendment 40 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F e (new)

Fe. whereas in 2011, through a voluntary contribution of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Nations Secretariat was able to launch the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre;

Amendment 41 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Recognises the interdependence between the EU and KSA in terms of regional stability, relations with the Islamic world, the fate of the transitions in the Arab Spring countries, the Israel-Palestine peace process, counter-terrorism, stability of the global oil and financial markets, trade, investment and global governance issues, especially through the G-20 framework;

Amendment 42 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Recognises the interdependence between the EU and KSA in terms of regional stability, relations with the Islamic world, the fate of the transitions in the Arab Spring countries, the Israel-Palestine peace process, the war in Syria, improving relations with Iran, stability of the global oil and financial markets, and global governance issues, especially through the G-20 framework;

Amendment 43 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Recognises the interdependence between the EU and KSA in terms of regional stability, relations with the Islamic world, the fate of the transitions in the Arab Spring countries, the Israel-Palestine peace process, stability of the global oil and financial markets, and global governance issues, especially through the World Bank, the International Monetary Funds and the G-20 framework;

Amendment 44 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Stresses again that the objective is a strategic partnership with the GCC and its member states; underlines that its geopolitical environment makes the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the other GCC member states a focus of security challenges that have global and regional implications;

Amendment 45 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Recognises that continued EU-Saudi trade and investment partnerships will benefit the economies of both sides; further recognises the importance of the Saudi energy sector in particular to EU markets; further calls for efforts to conclude a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council;

Amendment 46 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Takes note that on October 18 2013 Saudi Arabia turned down its two year rotating seat in the UN Security Council with the argument that the UN Security Council first needs reform in order to enable it to effectively and practically carry out its duties and responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security, also criticizing the UN Security Council for failing to address the Syrian crisis and the Palestinian issue, as well as neglecting to make the Middle East region free of weapons of mass destruction;

Amendment 47 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Shares some of the concerns expressed by the KSA, but urges the government to actively and constructively engage with the international community; welcomes in this context notably the agreement between the United States and Russia on ridding Syria of chemical weapons while avoiding a military confrontation which could easily have enticed the whole region in an open conflict;

Amendment 48 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 c (new)

1c. Equally appeals to the KSA to actively support the recent interim agreement between the E3+3 and Iran and to help secure a diplomatic resolution of outstanding nuclear issues in a more comprehensive agreement within the next 6 months in the interest of peace and security for the whole region;

Amendment 49 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. ~~Underlines the European interest in a peaceful and orderly evolution and political reform proc~~Deplores the EU policy of double standards demonstrated in the hypocritical and preferential treatment of KSA, motivated by the EU's economic and geostrategic interests ~~in KSA, as a key factor for long-term peace, stability and development in the region~~and its dependence on oil; condemns European complicity which allows and encourages the sale of arms to said government;

Amendment 5 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas the changing political and strategic context in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region ~~necessitates a reassessment of~~underlines the importance of strong, positive EU- KSA relations;

Amendment 50 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Welcomes the contribution agreement to launch the United Nations Counter- Terrorism Centre signed by the United Nations and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 19 September 2011, and the decision of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to fund it for three years;

Amendment 51 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Calls on the KSA authorities to allow the work of human rights organisations by facilitating the registration of their license; regrets the harassment of human rights activists and their detention without charges;

Amendment 52 #

Motion for a resolution
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 53 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Believes that being a member of the UN Human Rights Council raises worldwide expectations to show particular respect for human rights and democracy and appeals to the KSA to increase its reform efforts; expects Human Rights Council members to fully cooperate with its special procedures and to allow unhampered visits by all UN Special Rapporteurs, notably to accept the visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;

Amendment 54 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. Expresses grave concern that human rights violations such as arbitrary arrests and detention, torture, travel bans, judicial harassment and unfair trials continue to be widespread; is particularly concerned that alleged counter-terrorism measures are being increasingly used as a tool to arrest human rights defenders and impunity for human rights violations are reportedly increasing; calls on the Saudi government to urgently act upon the recommendations of the 2009 UPR, including by continuing and intensifying its reform of the judicial system ;

Amendment 55 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 c (new)

3c. Welcomes the engagement of the KSA with the UN human rights system through the Human Rights Council and the universal human right conventions it has ratified so far; calls, however, on the KSA to sign and ratify the other core UN human rights treaties and agreements such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights and the Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families;

Amendment 56 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Calls on the KSA authorities to ensure freedom of expression for all its 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; stresses the importance of the practice of social media and the use of internet, acquired over recent years, particularly among young population;

Amendment 57 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. ~~Calls~~Notes that the KSA has reportedly the highest ratio of twitter users in the World indicating the strong role of internet based social networks in the country; calls therefore even more urgently on the KSA authorities to ensure freedom of expression 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 58 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Calls on the KSA authorities to ~~ensure~~allow independent press and media and freedom of expression 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 59 #

Motion for a resolution
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 6 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas the changing political and strategic context in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region ~~necessitates a reassessment of~~carries the chance and the need to further develop the EU-KSA relations;

Amendment 60 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Calls on the KSA authorities to ensure freedom of expression 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; emphasises that freedom of the press and media, both online and offline, is essential in a free society and forms a crucial check on power;

Amendment 61 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Calls on the KSA authorities to allow freedom of association and assembly; regrets the repression of activists and protesters when they peacefully manifest;

Amendment 62 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Calls on the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to honour its commitments to several human rights instruments, including the Arab Human Right Charter, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention against Torture, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women;

Amendment 63 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. Calls on the KSA authorities to improve their Shari’a-based criminal justice system in order to meet the international standards governing procedures for arrest, detention and trials, as well as prisoners’ rights;

Amendment 64 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on the KSA authorities to ~~speed up~~release 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 operat~~ion~~e and ability to operate legally;

Amendment 65 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on the KSA authorities to speed up implementation of the new legislation on NGOs ensuring their freedom of operation and notably providing them with the required licenses in order to make it easier in particular for human rights organisations to operate;

Amendment 66 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Calls on the EEAS to actively support civil society groups who work in favour of enhancing human rights and democracy in Saudi Arabia and calls on the EU delegation in Riyadh to pursue an active human rights agenda in following law suits as observers and in enacting prison visits;

Amendment 67 #

Motion for a resolution
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 68 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Reiterates its call for the universal abolition of torture, corporal punishment, and the death penalty and calls for an immediate moratorium on the carrying out of death sentences in KSA; regrets that KSA continues to apply the death penalty for a wide variety of crimes, including drug offences, apostasy, sorcery and witchcraft;

Amendment 69 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

Amendment 7 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas KSA is a hereditary, feudal, 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, mostly from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Egypt and Yemen, and 10 million aged under 18; whereas some 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~~alarming, particularly with regard to discrimination against women, lack of democratic rights and the existence of corporal punishment and the death penalty, with fundamental gaps between its international obligation and their implementation;

Amendment 70 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

Amendment 71 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Reiterates its call for the universal abolition of the death penalty and calls for an immediate moratorium on the carrying out of death sentences in KSA; regrets that KSA continues to apply the death penalty for a wide variety of crimes, including drug offences, apostasy, sorcery and witchcraft; equally calls on the Saudi authorities to reform the justice system in order to eliminate all forms of corporal punishment; welcomes in this context that Saudi Arabia has recently passed legislation making domestic abuse a crime;

Amendment 72 #

Motion for a resolution
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)

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 74 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. ~~Regrets that there is no freedom of religion in KSA; e~~Encourages the authorities of KSA to foster moderation ~~and tolerance~~, tolerance and mutual understanding 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, through dialogue and explanation of the true values of the Islamic religion based on tolerance and acceptance of others; welcomes in this respect the Sakina Campaign for Dialogue, supported by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs;

Amendment 75 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. ~~Reg~~Deplorets th~~at there is no~~e 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 76 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. ~~Regrets that there is no~~Calls on the authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to respect freedom of religion ~~in KSA~~; encourages the authorities to 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 77 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. ~~Regrets~~Welcomes the establishment of the ‘Kind Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue’ (KAICIID) in Vienna for encouraging dialogue among followers of different religions and cultures around the world, regrets however that there is no freedom of religion in KSA; encourages the authorities to 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 78 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Welcomes the establishment in Vienna of the ‘King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue’ (KAICIID) in 2012, initiated and promoted by KSA; stresses that the Centre has major objectives of enabling, empowering and encouraging dialogue among different religions and cultures around the world. The Founding States of the Centre are the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Republic of Austria and the Kingdom of Spain, being the Holy See a Founding Observer. The Board of Directors comprises high-level representatives of the major world religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism) and cultures;

Amendment 79 #

Motion for a resolution
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 againstall religious minorities; calls on the authorities to make greater efforts to ensure tolerance and coexistence among all religious groups; urges them to ~~purge~~continue reviewing the education system ~~of derogatory and~~, in order to eliminate possible existing discriminatory references to believers in other religions or ~~members of minority Islamic group~~beliefs;

Amendment 8 #

Motion for a resolution
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 s~~ome~~everal reforms have been implemented in KSA since 2001, but ~~are not institutionalised and can thus be easily rever~~not all of them are institutionalised; whereas the country’s record in the field of human rights ~~remains dismal, with fundamental gaps between its international obligation and their implementation~~needs to improve;

Amendment 80 #

Motion for a resolution
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 minorities~~in 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 ~~purge~~remove from the education system ofall derogatory and discriminatory references to believers in other religions or members of minority Islamic groups;

Amendment 81 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Deplores the fact that despite KSA's ratification in October 2004 of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), in practice Saudi women are still discriminated against in many ways, in their personal lives, in matters of employment, participation in public life, submission to men, widespread domestic violence, or by restrictions on their rights to free movement and on the freedom to choose their partner; condemns the criminalisation of women who are victims of rape and sexual exploitation, who are not protected as victims but rather condemned as prostitutes;

Amendment 82 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. ~~Welcom~~Notes the King’s appointment in 2013 of the first women to serve in the Consultative Assembly (Shura council) of KSA, occupying 30 seats out of 150;

Amendment 83 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Welcomes the King’s appointment in 2013 of the first women to serve in the Consultative Assembly (Shura council) of KSA, occupying 30 seats out of 150 and is looking forward to further develop the contacts and institutional links between the European Parliament and the Shura Council;

Amendment 84 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. WStrongly welcomes the King’s appointment in 2013 of the first women to serve in the Consultative Assembly (Shura council) of KSA, occupying 30 seats out of 150;

Amendment 85 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Welcomes the King’s appointment in 2013 of the first women to serve in the Consultative Assembly (Shura council) of KSA, occupying 30 seats out of 150; expects the implementation of the King’s declaration that women will be allowed to vote and stand for office in the next municipal elections, to be held in 2015, and that they will subsequently be allowed to vote and stand for office in all other elections;

Amendment 86 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Expects the implementation of the King’s declaration that women will be allowed to vote and stand for office in the next municipal elections, to be held in 2015, and that they will subsequently be allowed to vote and stand for office in all other elections;deleted

Amendment 87 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Welcomes the great number of female university graduates who nowadays outnumber male graduates and encourages the government to continue and intensify their efforts to invest in women’s education;

Amendment 88 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

~~11. Awaits the lifting of the ban on women driving;~~deleted

Amendment 89 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

~~11. Awaits the lifting of the ban on women driving;~~deleted

Amendment 9 #

Motion for a resolution
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 some 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~~; whereas there are fundamental gaps between its international obligations in the field of human rights and their implementation;

Amendment 90 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. ~~Awaits the~~Welcomes the global campaign in support of lifting of the ban on women driving; awaits the lifting of this ban;

Amendment 91 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Awaits the lifting of the ban on women driving; calls on the authorities to stop exercising pressure on those who campaign for the right of women to drive;

Amendment 92 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)

11a. Recognises that women are playing an increasing role in aspects of Saudi life; welcomes the growth in the number of women participating in higher education, including those who have the opportunity to study abroad;

Amendment 93 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. ~~Urges the authorities to revoke the medieval male guardianship system, and~~Recognises the recent efforts made by the Saudi authorities in drawing up legislation in favour of women rights and encouraging the debates which have recently been opened on such matters; urges the authorities to take further steps aimed at ~~lifting restrictions on~~enhance women’s rights, including ~~freedom of~~ movement, employment opportunities, legal personality ~~and~~, representation in judicial processes, and the eliminati~~ng all~~on of all other forms of discrimination against women in private and public life and promoting their participation in the economic, social, cultural and political spheres;

Amendment 94 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Urges the KSA authorities to revoke the ~~medieval~~ male guardianship system, and to take further steps ~~aimed at lifting restrictions on women’s rights, including freedom of movement, employment opportunities, legal personality and representation in judicial processes, eliminating~~to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women in private and public life ~~and promoting their~~in order to allow them to participat~~ion~~e fully in ~~the~~all economic, social, cultural and political spheres;

Amendment 95 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Urges the KSA authorities to revoke the ~~medieval~~ male guardianship system, and ~~to take further steps aimed at lifting~~lift 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 96 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Urges the authorities to revoke the medieval male guardianship system, and to take further steps aimed at lifting restrictions on women’s rights, including freedom of movement, health, education, marriage, employment opportunities, legal personality and representation in judicial processes, eliminating all forms of discrimination against women in the family law and in private and public life and promoting their participation in the economic, social, cultural and political spheres;

Amendment 97 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Urges the authorities to revoke the medieval male guardianship system, and to take further steps aimed at lifting restrictions on women’s 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 and political spheres, and lifting the ban on women driving;

Amendment 98 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12a. Regrets the high unemployment rates for women and young people; stresses that ending absolute gender segregation is necessary for an efficient labour market;

Amendment 99 #