Human rights: Venezuela, Syria, Sudan

At the end of this week's session Parliament adopted three resolutions on human rights, democracy and the rule of law. MEPs criticised the Venezuelan Government's decision not to renew the licence of Radio Caracas Televisión, highlighted the situation of political prisoners in Syria and condemned the harsh sentences imposed by the courts in Sudan. A resolution on the position of World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz was not adopted.



TV station in Venezuela under threat

Freedom of speech is the central issue in a resolution which condems the decision by the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, not to renew the broadcasting licence of one of the country's leading television and radio stations, Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV). The current licence expires on 27 May 2007.

MEPs were divided over some aspects of this issue, with rival resolutions coming from the EPP-ED, ALDE and UEN groups on the one hand, and the PES, Greens/EFA and GUE/NGL on the other. The former was adopted by 43 votes to 22 with 0 abstentions.

The adopted resolution states that non-renewal of the licence "will deprive a large section of the public of a pluralist source of information, thus undermining the right of the press to criticise the authorities". According to the Venezuelan government itself, Radio Caracas Televisión is the only media organ whose licence is not being renewed.

Venezuela government's legal obligations to protect free speech

The EP points out that Venezuela's Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, communication and information and that Venezuela is a signatory to various international pacts which underpin civil and political rights. MEPs believe that if there is any substance to accusations which have been made by the authorities against the RCTV management, these could be tested through "ordinary legal proceedings".

The government is urged, in the name of "the impartiality of the state", to ensure "equal treatment under the law for all media, whether privately or publicly owned and irrespective of all political or ideological considerations".

MEPs also call for "a dialogue between the Venezuelan Government and the country's private media" and they deplore "the government's total unwillingness to engage in dialogue in general, notably in the case of RCTV".

In order to keep up the pressure, the resolution concludes by calling on the relevant delegations and committees of Parliament to examine this issue.


* * *

Syrian political activists in the spotlight

In a resolution on Syria, Parliament expresses concern at recent verdicts against political prisoners and human rights activists in Syria, which it says affect every political strand of the opposition.

MEPs are "deeply concerned at the restrictions imposed on, and the charges made against, Mahmoud Issa, Fayek El Mir, Aref Dalila, Kamal al Labwani, Anwar Al Bunni, Michel Kilo, Suleiman Al-Shamar and Khalil Hussein for exercising their democratic rights and engaging in peaceful activities". The resolution refers briefly to the activities of each of these individuals.

Parliament urges the Syrian authorities to comply strictly with international human rights law and to respect freedom of opinion and the right to a fair trial. More specifically, it calls on the authorities to ensure that "the detainees are well treated and not subjected to torture or other ill‑treatment" and that "detained or imprisoned persons are given prompt and regular access to their lawyers, doctors and families".

In fact, says the resolution, the relevant Syrian bodies should "reverse the judgments, drop the charges still pending in the Military Court of Damascus and release all the abovementioned prisoners of conscience and political prisoners".

EU support for democracy campaigners in Syria

More broadly, Parliament calls on the European Union "to provide all necessary support to Syrian civil society activists through the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) and the newly adopted European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), including by implementing without delay the so-called ad hoc measures dedicated to human rights defenders".

It also asks Syria, which could play an important role in promoting peace in the region, to improve and support human rights and freedom of expression in the country generally. MEPs would like Syria to support the setting up of "a penal tribunal with an international character" after the Judge Brammertz inquiry in Lebanon into the 2005 assassination of Rafiq Hariri.

* * *


Death sentences in Sudan

The resolution on Sudan highlights the cases of two women sentenced to death by stoning for committing adultery and two teenagers condemned to be hanged for murder and robbery.

Two women sentenced to stoning

In the first case, a judge sentenced Amouna Abdallah Daldoum and Sadia Idries Fadul, on 6 March and 13 February 2007 respectively, to death by stoning for adultery. On appeal, according to a letter from the Sudanese Embassy in Brussels, the death sentences have been quashed and the case is to be reviewed.

MEPs welcome the quashing of the death sentence – if confirmed – and call on the Sudanese Government "to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Sadia Idris Fadul and Amouna Abdallah Daldoum". They also point out that "stoning is a cruel and inhuman punishment, and severe punishment of adultery violates the basic human rights and international obligations subscribed to by Sudan".

Minors condemned to be hanged

In the second case, on 3 May the Criminal Court of Nyala in South Darfur sentenced Zakaria Mohamed and Ahmed Abdullah Suleiman, both aged 16, to death by hanging on murder and robbery charges.

Parliament's resolution "strongly reminds the Government of Sudan that the use of the death penalty against child offenders is prohibited under international law". Indeed, Sudan has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, under which it has undertaken not to carry out executions of anyone under 18 years of age.

MEPs therefore call on the Sudanese Government "to repeal the death sentences against, and guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of, Abdelrahman Zakaria Mohamed and Ahmed Abdullah Suleiman".

Sudan's international obligations

On 14 March 2007 the European Commission announced an additional €45 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan (bringing the total so far for 2007 to €85), demonstrating the EU’s commitment to the people of Sudan but Parliament's resoluton stresses that, under the Cotonou Agreement, EU cooperation with ACP countries is subject to respect for human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law. Moreover, the Sudanese Government has signed up to a range of international agreements on human rights, which it should respect.

EU action

The EU institutions can play a role by bringing pressure to bear. The resolution therefore calls on the Commission, Council and Member States "to condemn the use of the death penalty, flogging and other corporal, cruel or degrading punishments" and to promote women’s rights and human rights in general in their relations with the Sudanese authorities.

Lastly, the resolution calls on the Sudanese Government to revise its judicial system and to ratify the Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Aiming at the Abolition of the Death Penalty. The government is also urged to accede to the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, as well as the Protocol of the Court of Justice of the African Union.