Resolution on Sudan
The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Sudan. The resolution was tabled by the EPP, S&D, ECR, ALDE, Greens/EFA, and GUE/NGL groups.
Members strongly condemned the excessive use of force by the Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) during ongoing popular protests against price increases, cuts in subsidies on basic commodities and fuel shortages. They noted that in mid-December the Government of Sudan announced an end to subsidies on staple goods in response to spiralling inflation, which now stands at around 122 %, the second highest in the world. The ongoing repression by the authorities in Sudan continues to target activists and human rights defenders, as well as lawyers, teachers, students and doctors.
Parliament called on the Sudanese Government to put a stop to the deadly use of force, arbitrary arrests and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Sakharov Prize laureate Salih Mahmoud Osman and all human rights defenders, journalists, and political opposition leaders currently in detention without charge or trial.
It reiterated its demand that President al-Bashir comply with international law in accordance with the conventions and treaties to which his government is party. Members noted with concern that President al-Bashir seeks to amend the Sudanese Constitution in order to obtain a life mandate. He is the only sitting head of state wanted for crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide committed during his campaign of ethnic cleansing in Darfur, with two outstanding arrest warrants issued on 4 March 2009 and 12 July 2010 by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Parliament supported the role of the ICC in pursuing the charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide against President al-Bashir. It noted that the latter continues to commit crimes with impunity, expanding his bombings and attacks against civilians beyond Darfur to those in the Sudanese states of Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan.
The resolution called on the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) to publicly condemn the alarming situation in Sudan and to use all means of influence at her disposal to pressure the Sudanese authorities to put a stop to ongoing violence and repression, mass arrests and killings, and to encourage them to respect their commitments to international norms and laws.
Members were concerned that EU and individual Member States’ cooperation with Sudan on migration is used by the regime as an excuse to reinforce its ability to control and oppress people, for example by strengthening surveillance capacities and by supplying equipment, such as biometric equipment. They urged both the VP/HR and Member States to ensure that ‘migration management’ and counter-terrorism actions do not undermine support for human rights, and called for complete transparency with regard to projects involving Sudan in the field of security, including all beneficiaries of EU and national funding.
Members also called for:
- an EU-wide ban on the export, sale, update and maintenance of any form of security equipment that can be or is used for internal repression, including internet surveillance technology, to states with deplorable human rights records such as Sudan;
- further financial support to human rights defenders and civil society organisations in Sudan under the European Development Fund.
Parliament went on to urge the Government of Sudan to:
- promptly investigate all allegations of torture, ill-treatment and arbitrary detention and of excessive use of force against people detained by the police and the NISS, and bring those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;
- put an immediate end to restrictions imposed on access to the internet and the curtailing of freedom of expression through the censorship of newspapers, in accordance with its constitutional obligations and international commitments, including the Cotonou Agreement as first amended in Luxembourg on 25 June 2005.