WRITTEN QUESTION E-3550/03 by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission. Zimbabwe — Censorship and repression.
Date: 2003-11-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Zimbabwe, censorship, freedom of the press, independence of the judiciary, political opposition, political situation

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/467

such a trial. Holding the trial there thus constitutes a violation of the Fifth and Sixth Amendments to the
US Constitution. They were convicted without any evidence. On the basis of this information, 105 British
MPs signed a motion calling for a review of the case. In addition, the wives of two of those convicted who
have already been in prison for five years (Gerardo Hernández and Rene González) have, to date, been
denied the right to visit their husbands. Amnesty International has already condemned the denial of
visiting rights.

Is the Commission aware of the above? Will the Commission bring this matter to the attention of the US
Administration in the context of its relations with the USA?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(15 January 2004)

The Union has taken no position with regard to the specific case referred to by the Honourable Member.
As a general rule, the Union does not intervene in individual cases except where the death penalty is
invoked, and where the case falls under the guidelines established by the Council’s Common Position of
29 June 1998.

(2004/C 88 E/0481)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3550/03

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(28 November 2003)

Subject: Zimbabwe (cid:1) Censorship and repression

In the last few weeks, the ZANU-PF Government of President Mugabe closed down Zimbabwe’s only
independent daily newspaper (cid:1) The Daily News (cid:1) and stepped up repression of political opponents and
dissidents. The newspaper’s lawyers went to the local Administrative Court seeking the revocation of the
in which it was
decision to close the paper, which they were granted by the ruling of 24 October,
acknowledged that the government’s Committee for the Media and Information had no legitimate right to
stop the publication of the newspaper.

After a single edition appeared, the police closed the paper again, on the basis of a government appeal to
the Supreme Court, which suspended the effects of the previous ruling. Zimbabwe’s Supreme Court,
currently presided over by Judge Godfrey Chidyausiku, a former Mugabe minister, may take years to
consider this appeal.

Given the climate of violence and intimidation, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) opposition
party has apparently already reorganised itself in such a way as to enable it to operate clandestinely.

John Makumbe, professor of political science at Harare’s University of Zimbabwe, claims that the next
target will be NGOs, given that the Zimbabwean Parliament is drafting legislation demanding that such
organisations be registered, and providing for possible suspension of their senior personnel.

The Commission:

(cid:1) what information does it have about this fresh wave of human rights violations in Zimbabwe;

(cid:1) what steps has it taken or will it take to bring pressure to bear on the Zimbabwean authorities to

cease carrying out action of this kind;

(cid:1) can it confirm the imminent promulgation of laws infringing the freedom and independence of the

press and the non-governmental organisations operating in Zimbabwe;

(cid:1) what approaches has it made recently to civil society and the opposition in Zimbabwe, with a view to
ascertaining and promoting the best way of tackling the current political and social situation there?

C 88 E/468

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(9 January 2004)

The Commission is aware of the facts mentioned by the Honourable Member and follows events in
Zimbabwe with concern and very closely. The Union has reacted promptly to the latest attacks against
fundamental rights made by the Government of Zimbabwe.

Being deeply worried about the deterioration of the current situation with regard to the above, the
Commission has fully supported the last two Declarations issued by the Presidency on behalf of the Union
related to these matters: on 18 September 2003, a declaration on Freedom of Press in Zimbabwe by which
the Union has condemned the closure of the Daily News and, recently, on 28 November 2003, a
declaration expressing concern on the current situation in Zimbabwe, calling on the Government of
Zimbabwe to respect fundamental rights and urging it to engage in active and meaningful dialogue with
internal stakeholders as a way forward to solve the current crisis.

The Commission cannot confirm the information as referred to by the Honourable Member on the
imminent promulgation of laws infringing the freedom and independence of the press and the non-
governmental organisations (NGO’s) operating in Zimbabwe.

The Commission intends to pursue its assistance to civil society actors in order to support human rights
and democratisation projects/activities and to allow them to enhance their capacity to promote internal
dialogue.

(2004/C 88 E/0482)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3560/03

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(1 December 2003)

Subject: Al-Qa’ida (cid:1) international funding networks

The Financial Times (UK) of 11 November 2003 reported that a UN report had revealed that despite
‘considerable progress’, al-Qa’ida and those funding it continue to operate on the international financial
markets.

The international system set up to stop the flow of funds to al-Qa’ida is seriously endangered by the
inadequate cooperation of many countries, legislative loopholes and the lack of political will to tackle this
extremely serious problem.

The UN report makes particular reference to Youssef Nada and Ahmed Idris Nasreddin, administrators of
the al-Taqwa financial Group, which the USA views as the most significant canvasser of funds for al-
Qa’ida. European and North American researchers see the Group as the core of multiple terrorist activity
funding networks, all benefiting from the collaboration of various Islamic financial and even charitable
organisations.

The two men in question allegedly continue to have interests and property in Switzerland and Italy, despite
their being classified as ‘terrorist financiers’, and their bank accounts being frozen.

Use of offshore financial centres and trusts appears to be the most common way of disguising the
ownership and source of these financial flows.

Youssef Nada apparently travelled to Liechtenstein in January to change the registration of two companies
linked to the al-Taqwa group, in violation of the UN-imposed ban.