BETA


2014/2728(RSP) Resolution on freedom of expression and assembly in Egypt

Progress: Procedure completed

Legal Basis:
RoP 144

Events

2014/07/17
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2014/07/17
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2014/07/17
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the freedom of expression and assembly in Egypt.

The resolution was tabled by the EPP, S&D, ECR, ALDE, GUE/NGL, and Greens/EFA groups.

The European Parliament condemned strongly all acts of violence, incitement, hate speech, harassment, intimidation or censorship against political opponents, protesters, journalists, bloggers, trade unionists, women’s rights activists, civil society actors and minorities and called on the Egyptian authorities to commit to dialogue and non-violence as well as to inclusive governance.

Deeply concerned over a series of recent court decisions in Egypt, including the lengthy jail terms handed down on 23 June 2014 to three Al Jazeera journalists as well as the confirmation of death sentences against 183 people, Parliament condemned the harassment, detention and prosecution of national and international journalists and civil society actors. Overall, it regretted the existence of media and web censorship and the fact that access to some blogs and social networks is limited.

Parliament called on the Egyptian authorities to:

immediately and unconditionally release all those detained, convicted and/or sentenced for peacefully exercising their rights of freedom of expression and association; as well as all human rights defenders; calls on the Egyptian judiciary to ensure that all court proceedings in the country meet the requirements of a free and fair trial and to ensure respect for defendants’ rights; calls on the Egyptian authorities to order independent and impartial investigations into all allegations of ill-treatment and ensure that all detainees have access to any medical attention they may require; repeal or amend the Protest Law 107 and to review the new NGO bill presented by the Ministry of Social Solidarity, in line international standards and the country’s international obligations; ensure that all existing and future legislation in the country is in compliance with the constitution and those standards and obligations; change course and take concrete steps to ensure that the provisions of the new Constitution on fundamental rights and freedoms; reform the judicial authority law to ensure a genuine separation of powers that would lead to the independent and impartial administration of justice.

Members stressed that Egypt’s anti-terrorism law has also been used to bring convictions in a number of trials. They called on the authorities to immediately establish an official moratorium on executions as a first step towards abolition .

LGBT people : Members regretted the fact that, despite a new law on sexual harassment, violence against women has been worsening, especially in the public sphere, with dozens of cases of rape and sexual violence occurring during protests. They urged the Egyptian authorities to cease criminalising LGBT people for expressing their sexual orientation and right of assembly, on the basis of the ‘debauchery law’ and to release all LGBT people arrested and imprisoned under that law.

Improving rights and freedoms : Parliament reaffirmed that freedom of the press and media are vital elements for democracy and an open society, and that as such they should be among the focal points of EU action concerning Egypt. Once again, it urged the Council, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) and the Commission to work actively on the basis of the principle of conditionality (‘ more for more ’), and taking account of the serious economic challenges faced by Egypt, in the Union’s bilateral relations with and financial support for the country.

Moreover, Parliament called on the VP/HR to:

clarify the status of: (i) the planned justice Reform programme; (ii) the EU budget support programmes; (iii) the trade and domestic enhancement programme; and (iv) Egypt’s participation in EU regional programmes such as Euromed Police and Euromed Justice; muster EU support in favour of a resolution on the situation in Egypt at the next session of the UN Human Rights Council, which would initiate an international investigation into the killings of protesters and allegations of torture.

Documents
2014/07/17
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2014/07/15
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2014/07/15
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2014/07/15
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2014/07/15
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2014/07/15
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2014/07/15
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2014/07/15
   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: 2014-07-17T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20140717&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2014-0007 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T8-0007/2014 body: EP type: Debate in Parliament
committees
    docs
    • date: 2014-07-15T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B8-2014-0007&language=EN title: B8-0007/2014 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    • date: 2014-07-15T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B8-2014-0008&language=EN title: B8-0008/2014 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    • date: 2014-07-15T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B8-2014-0009&language=EN title: B8-0009/2014 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
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    events
    • date: 2014-07-17T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=24666&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
    • date: 2014-07-17T00:00:00 type: Debate in Parliament body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20140717&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament
    • date: 2014-07-17T00:00:00 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=P8-TA-2014-0007 title: T8-0007/2014 summary: The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the freedom of expression and assembly in Egypt. The resolution was tabled by the EPP, S&D, ECR, ALDE, GUE/NGL, and Greens/EFA groups. The European Parliament condemned strongly all acts of violence, incitement, hate speech, harassment, intimidation or censorship against political opponents, protesters, journalists, bloggers, trade unionists, women’s rights activists, civil society actors and minorities and called on the Egyptian authorities to commit to dialogue and non-violence as well as to inclusive governance. Deeply concerned over a series of recent court decisions in Egypt, including the lengthy jail terms handed down on 23 June 2014 to three Al Jazeera journalists as well as the confirmation of death sentences against 183 people, Parliament condemned the harassment, detention and prosecution of national and international journalists and civil society actors. Overall, it regretted the existence of media and web censorship and the fact that access to some blogs and social networks is limited. Parliament called on the Egyptian authorities to: immediately and unconditionally release all those detained, convicted and/or sentenced for peacefully exercising their rights of freedom of expression and association; as well as all human rights defenders; calls on the Egyptian judiciary to ensure that all court proceedings in the country meet the requirements of a free and fair trial and to ensure respect for defendants’ rights; calls on the Egyptian authorities to order independent and impartial investigations into all allegations of ill-treatment and ensure that all detainees have access to any medical attention they may require; repeal or amend the Protest Law 107 and to review the new NGO bill presented by the Ministry of Social Solidarity, in line international standards and the country’s international obligations; ensure that all existing and future legislation in the country is in compliance with the constitution and those standards and obligations; change course and take concrete steps to ensure that the provisions of the new Constitution on fundamental rights and freedoms; reform the judicial authority law to ensure a genuine separation of powers that would lead to the independent and impartial administration of justice. Members stressed that Egypt’s anti-terrorism law has also been used to bring convictions in a number of trials. They called on the authorities to immediately establish an official moratorium on executions as a first step towards abolition . LGBT people : Members regretted the fact that, despite a new law on sexual harassment, violence against women has been worsening, especially in the public sphere, with dozens of cases of rape and sexual violence occurring during protests. They urged the Egyptian authorities to cease criminalising LGBT people for expressing their sexual orientation and right of assembly, on the basis of the ‘debauchery law’ and to release all LGBT people arrested and imprisoned under that law. Improving rights and freedoms : Parliament reaffirmed that freedom of the press and media are vital elements for democracy and an open society, and that as such they should be among the focal points of EU action concerning Egypt. Once again, it urged the Council, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) and the Commission to work actively on the basis of the principle of conditionality (‘ more for more ’), and taking account of the serious economic challenges faced by Egypt, in the Union’s bilateral relations with and financial support for the country. Moreover, Parliament called on the VP/HR to: clarify the status of: (i) the planned justice Reform programme; (ii) the EU budget support programmes; (iii) the trade and domestic enhancement programme; and (iv) Egypt’s participation in EU regional programmes such as Euromed Police and Euromed Justice; muster EU support in favour of a resolution on the situation in Egypt at the next session of the UN Human Rights Council, which would initiate an international investigation into the killings of protesters and allegations of torture.
    • date: 2014-07-17T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
    links
    other
      procedure/legal_basis/0
      Rules of Procedure EP 144
      procedure/legal_basis/0
      Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 135
      procedure/subject
      Old
      • 6.10.08 Fundamental freedoms, human rights, democracy in general
      New
      6.10.08
      Fundamental freedoms, human rights, democracy in general
      activities/0/docs/0
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      type
      Debate in Parliament
      title
      Debate in Parliament
      activities/0/docs/1/text
      • The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the freedom of expression and assembly in Egypt.

        The resolution was tabled by the EPP, S&D, ECR, ALDE, GUE/NGL, and Greens/EFA groups.

        The European Parliament condemned strongly all acts of violence, incitement, hate speech, harassment, intimidation or censorship against political opponents, protesters, journalists, bloggers, trade unionists, women’s rights activists, civil society actors and minorities and called on the Egyptian authorities to commit to dialogue and non-violence as well as to inclusive governance.

        Deeply concerned over a series of recent court decisions in Egypt, including the lengthy jail terms handed down on 23 June 2014 to three Al Jazeera journalists as well as the confirmation of death sentences against 183 people, Parliament condemned the harassment, detention and prosecution of national and international journalists and civil society actors. Overall, it regretted the existence of media and web censorship and the fact that access to some blogs and social networks is limited.

        Parliament called on the Egyptian authorities to:

        • immediately and unconditionally release all those detained, convicted and/or sentenced for peacefully exercising their rights of freedom of expression and association;
        • as well as all human rights defenders; calls on the Egyptian judiciary to ensure that all court proceedings in the country meet the requirements of a free and fair trial and to ensure respect for defendants’ rights; calls on the Egyptian authorities to order independent and impartial investigations into all allegations of ill-treatment and ensure that all detainees have access to any medical attention they may require;
        • repeal or amend the Protest Law 107 and to review the new NGO bill presented by the Ministry of Social Solidarity, in line international standards and the country’s international obligations;
        • ensure that all existing and future legislation in the country is in compliance with the constitution and those standards and obligations;
        • change course and take concrete steps to ensure that the provisions of the new Constitution on fundamental rights and freedoms;
        • reform the judicial authority law to ensure a genuine separation of powers that would lead to the independent and impartial administration of justice.

        Members stressed that Egypt’s anti-terrorism law has also been used to bring convictions in a number of trials. They called on the authorities to immediately establish an official moratorium on executions as a first step towards abolition.

        LGBT people: Members regretted the fact that, despite a new law on sexual harassment, violence against women has been worsening, especially in the public sphere, with dozens of cases of rape and sexual violence occurring during protests. They urged the Egyptian authorities to cease criminalising LGBT people for expressing their sexual orientation and right of assembly, on the basis of the ‘debauchery law’ and to release all LGBT people arrested and imprisoned under that law.

        Improving rights and freedoms: Parliament reaffirmed that freedom of the press and media are vital elements for democracy and an open society, and that as such they should be among the focal points of EU action concerning Egypt. Once again, it urged the Council, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) and the Commission to work actively on the basis of the principle of conditionality (‘more for more’), and taking account of the serious economic challenges faced by Egypt, in the Union’s bilateral relations with and financial support for the country.

        Moreover, Parliament called on the VP/HR to:

        • clarify the status of: (i) the planned justice Reform programme; (ii) the EU budget support programmes; (iii) the trade and domestic enhancement programme; and (iv) Egypt’s participation in EU regional programmes such as Euromed Police and Euromed Justice;
        • muster EU support in favour of a resolution on the situation in Egypt at the next session of the UN Human Rights Council, which would initiate an international investigation into the killings of protesters and allegations of torture.
      activities/0/docs
      • url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2014-0007 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T8-0007/2014
      procedure/stage_reached
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      Awaiting Parliament 1st reading / single reading / budget 1st stage
      New
      Procedure completed
      activities/0/type
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      Debate in plenary scheduled
      New
      Debate in Parliament
      procedure/title
      Old
      Freedom of expression and assembly in Egypt
      New
      Resolution on freedom of expression and assembly in Egypt
      activities
      • date: 2014-07-17T00:00:00 body: EP type: Debate in plenary scheduled
      committees
        links
        other
          procedure
          geographical_area
          Egypt
          reference
          2014/2728(RSP)
          title
          Freedom of expression and assembly in Egypt
          legal_basis
          Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 135
          stage_reached
          Awaiting Parliament 1st reading / single reading / budget 1st stage
          subtype
          Urgent debate or resolution
          type
          RSP - Resolutions on topical subjects
          subject
          6.10.08 Fundamental freedoms, human rights, democracy in general