WRITTEN QUESTION E-2255/03 by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission. Detention of three Westerners and four Laotian citizens.
Date: 2003-07-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU national, EU relations, Laos, democratisation, diplomatic relations, foreign national, human rights, international convention, political cooperation, right to justice

26.2.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 51 E/233

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(22 August 2003)

In response to the question raised by the Honourable Member, the Commission confirms that unsolicited
commercial e-mail or ‘spam’ has reached a point where it creates a major problem for individuals and
businesses and, indeed, for the development of e-commerce and e-services.

The answer given on the same issue to Written Questions No E-1997/03 by M. Papayannakis and E-2085/
03 by G. Watson (1) will indicate to the Honourable Member what measures have been taken so far, in
particular via Directive 2002/58/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 2002 concerning the
processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communications sector (2),
which has to be transposed by the end of October 2003.

The Commission also expects a Communication on spam to be adopted in the Autumn 2003. The
Member of the Commission responsible for Enterprise and Information Society has recently outlined what
concrete action was planned to combat spam on the legal, technical, awareness, and international fronts (3).
The proposed measures will be first discussed with Member States and interested parties through a
workshop to be convened in October 2003.

(1) See page 178.
(2) OJ L 201, 31.7.2002.
(3) See IP/03/1015.

(2004/C 51 E/253)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2255/03

by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission

(8 July 2003)

Subject: Detention of three Westerners and four Laotian citizens

On 4 June 2003 the Laotian authorities arrested the Belgian journalist Thierry Falise,
the French
photographer and cameraman Vincent Reynaud, the American national Naw-Karl Mua, and four Laotian
nationals whose identities have not been released. The seven people arrested were in the province of
Xhieng Khouang, to the north of Vientiane, working on a report on the Hmong, a people that has suffered
cruel repression by the authorities of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic for many years. The charges
against the seven detainees have yet to be made public. Moreover, the French, Belgian and American
nationals were only able to meet French diplomats nearly two weeks after their arrest, a flagrant violation
of the international conventions in force. The trial of Mr Falise, Mr Reynaud and Mr Mua, which according
to diplomatic sources should have begun on 27 June, has already been put back to Monday, 30 June. It is
supposed to take place in Phonesavanh, in a relatively inaccessible region more than ten hours’ drive from
the capital. The defendants risk heavy prison sentences. As for the four Laotian nationals, the authorities in
Vientiane only acknowledged their arrest on 20 June, and no information has been given about the
charges against them or about their whereabouts and conditions of detention.

What measures has the Commission taken to make its indignation clear to the authorities in Vientiane in
the wake of yet another violation of the basic rights of Laotian and foreign nationals and of the
international conventions on the right of access of diplomats to arrested persons?

What measures has the Commission taken to ensure that the legal proceedings brought against the seven
persons arrested will take place in compliance with the recognised international rules regarding the right to
a fair trial? What steps does the Commission intend to take to ensure that the four Laotian nationals
arrested with the Western journalists do not suffer the fate of ‘disappearance’, as has already happened to
many victims of the violent repression of the anti-democratic Laotian regime, including the five student
leaders of the 26 October 1999 Movement?

C 51 E/234

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

26.2.2004

In the face of the continuing oppression of the whole Laotian people and of the even crueller oppression
of the Hmong people, does the Commission not agree that the European Union should inform the
authorities in Vientiane of its intention to suspend all its cooperation programmes if the authorities do not
introduce substantial democratic reforms as a matter of urgency?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(1 August 2003)

The Commission is fully committed to emphasising the need to strengthen respect for human rights in
Laos,
including freedom of expression, assembly, association and religion as well as the adherence to
international human rights conventions.

As regards the recent trial against the two European journalists, their American interpreter and three
Laotian Hmong, the Commission is of the view that the trial itself was not up to international standards
the accused was surprisingly harsh considering the evidence presented. The
and the sentencing of
Commission is, nevertheless, happy that a diplomatic solution was found to enable the release of the three
Westerners.

As regards the overall human rights situation in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), the Commission
has raised several concerns, including the question of the five leaders of the ‘26 October movement’, with
the Government of Laos on numerous occasions, unfortunately with limited results so far. The
Commission will be examining all aspects of the human rights situation in Laos,
including possible
responses from the Community side, in view of the next Commission-Laos Joint Committee scheduled for
this autumn and will report back to the Parliament when appropriate.

In the meantime, the Commission maintains a cohesive policy of constructive political dialogue with the
Laotian Government, paired with continued support to the Laotian population through Community-
assisted development programmes, which aims to support and accelerate the democratisation process in
the country.

The suspension of aid until basic human rights are respected should be considered as a last resort, as it
would be likely to impact badly on the populations whose rights are violated.

(2004/C 51 E/254)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2273/03

by Pietro-Paolo Mennea (NI) to the Commission

Subject: 2006 Turin Winter Olympics (cid:1) ice rink (cid:1) asbestos

(7 July 2003)

According to reports published in Italian national newspapers, asbestos has been found near Turin, on the
site of the future ice rink, a sports facility to be built for the 2006 Winter Olympics. The noxious mineral
is buried just 30 centimetres deep and mixed with crushed stone and fragments of glass and metal.

Tests carried out by the appropriate bodies have confirmed the presence of asbestos (chrysotile, crocidolite,
and amosite), and,
indeed, the councillor to whom responsibility for the Winter Olympics has been
delegated has said that asbestos has been found in the neighbourhood of Lingotto, where the ice rink is
shortly to be built. The public prosecutor’s office to which the case has been assigned has opened an
investigation.

In the light of the foregoing, will the Commission take steps to ascertain whether the above information is
true and whether the quantity of asbestos detected exceeds the limits allowed by the laws in force and
could harm the public? Furthermore, will it check whether the appropriate bodies are decontaminating the
area concerned and determine which parties, if any, are to blame?