European Parliament resolution on the arrest of seven journalists and freedom of expression in Pakistan
Date: 2001-02-15
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Pakistan, censorship, freedom of expression, freedom of religious beliefs, freedom of the press, government violence, human rights, political situation

C 276/284

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

1.10.2001

Thursday 15 February 2001

18. Human rights: Nigeria

B5-0109, 0119, 0127, 0138 and 0148/2001

European Parliament resolution on human rights in Nigeria

The European Parliament,

(cid:1) having regard to the CFSP statement of 30 January 2001 on corporal punishment in Zamfara state

(Nigeria),

A. deeply concerned by the case of the young girl, Bariya Ibrahim Magazu, who was sentenced to a
hundred lashes on 19 January 2001 at the Higher Sharia court of Tsafe, in the state of Zamfara,
Nigeria, for having sexual relations outside of marriage,

B. whereas since 1999 eight northern states of Nigeria have introduced Islamic law, creating severe prob-

lems in relations between the different communities in those states,

C. whereas the Nigerian Constitution adopted in 1999 guarantees total freedom of belief,

1.
Condemns the flogging of an underage girl, sentenced under Zamfara state legislation, and stresses
that she received this punishment while an application for leave to appeal was still pending before the
courts;

Considers flogging a cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment which contravenes the Nigerian Con-

2.
stitution and the international conventions on human rights to which Nigeria is party;

Urges the authorities to allow defendants sentenced to corporal punishment to exercise their full

3.
rights of appeal to higher courts and not to obstruct their attempts to do so on procedural grounds;

Stresses the peaceful and legal action taken by both Muslim and Christian human rights groups in

4.
Nigeria on these issues;

5.
Calls on the European Union to improve the dialogue with Nigeria, with a view to strengthening the
existing processes in Nigeria towards the consolidation of democracy and respect for human rights and
religious freedoms;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Nigerian

6.
Government and Parliament.

19. Human rights: Freedom of expression in Pakistan

B5-0110, 0120, 0129, 0139 and 0149/2001

European Parliament resolution on the arrest of seven journalists and freedom of expression in
Pakistan

The European Parliament,

A.

expressing deep concern at news that seven journalists face the death penalty for blasphemy after
Pakistan’s military regime closed down an English-language newspaper for publishing a reader’s letter,

B. whereas hundreds of protesters from a right-wing Islamic party set fire to the printing presses of the

‘Frontier Post’ in the Peshawar newspaper’s offices,

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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Thursday 15 February 2001

C. whereas the staff of this newspaper are being held under Pakistan’s blasphemy law, which demands

the death penalty for such cases,

D. whereas the record on freedom of the press in Pakistan, particularly since the 1999 coup which

brought General Musharraf to power, is extremely poor,

E. whereas Pakistan, which is characterised by extreme poverty and severe social inequality, is continuing

to suffer the effects of a long period of political instability,

1.

Calls on the Pakistani authorities to release the accused journalists;

Urges the Pakistani military junta to take urgent steps to re-establish the rule of law and democratic

2.
liberties in Pakistan and to abolish the death penalty;

Calls on the Musharraf government to revoke the Provisional Constitution Order that suspends the

3.
constitution and undermines the independence of the judiciary;

Calls for all Pakistani citizens to enjoy equality of treatment and the right to the secure exercise of

4.
freedom of religion and with regard to religion;

5.

Points out that the existing blasphemy laws in Pakistan are prone to manipulation and misuse;

Expresses strong dissatisfaction with President Musharraf’s statement publicly condemning the news-

6.
paper before any investigation was carried out;

Calls on the Commission to establish cooperation programmes that actively support local human

7.
rights NGOs and civil society groups;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of

8.
the Member States, the Government of Pakistan, the SAARC and the UN.

20. Situation in Chechnya

B5-0097, 0111, 0121, 0128, 0132, 0140 and 0150/2001

European Parliament resolution on the situation in Chechnya

The European Parliament,

(cid:1) having regard to its resolutions of 7 October 1999 (1), 18 November 1999 (2), 20 January 2000 (3),

17 February 2000 (4), 16 March 2000 (5) and 13 April 2000 (6),

(cid:1) having regard to Council of Europe Recommendation 1444 (2000) of 27 January 2000 on restoration

of the rule of law, respect for human rights and democracy in Chechnya,

(cid:1) having regard to Council of Europe Recommendation 1456 (2000) of 6 April 2000 on the implemen-

tation by Russia of Recommendation 1444 (2000),

(cid:1) having regard to the visit of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, to the Rus-

sian Federation, Dagestan, Ingushetia and Chechnya,

(cid:1) having regard to the conclusion of the OSCE summit in Istanbul,

(1) OJ C 107, 13.4.2000, p. 102.
(2) OJ C 189, 7.7.2000, p. 243.
(3) OJ C 304, 24.10.2000, p. 205.
(4) OJ C 339, 29.11.2000, p. 277.
(5) OJ C 377, 29.12.2000, p. 358.
(6) OJ C 40, 7.2.2001, p. 420.