Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-04-10-Speech-4-154"
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"en.20030410.8.4-154"2
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"Mr President, last month 21 homosexual Egyptians were sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and forced labour because of their sexual inclination. They were part of a group of 52 homosexuals arrested in Cairo last year. On 16 January of this year Wissam Toufic Abyad was arrested and later sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment for ‘repeated licentious behaviour’.
These events are no isolated incidents. They are part of a growing and above all alarming trend that is characterised by an increase in reports of discrimination, arrests, mistreatment and wrongful convictions of homosexuals. This trend is all the more disturbing because homosexuality is not illegal in Egypt. At the same time the Euro-Mediterranean Treaty between the European Union and Egypt is on the point of ratification by both parties. Article 2 of this treaty requires respect for human rights and democratic principles. Everything suggests that Egypt is not respecting these principles.
My group in the Parliament has always argued for the promotion of tolerance in the Mediterranean Sea area. We also recognise the importance of good relations between Egypt and the European Union for the stability and the development of this area. I therefore very much regret that these relations are coming under pressure because of the repeated violations of human rights by the Egyptian authorities.
I am however delighted by the release of human rights activist Saad Eddin Ibrahim, but wish to add immediately that things cannot stop at this individual case. The Egyptian authorities must keep working on greater respect for human rights in their country, the persecution of homosexuals because of their sexual inclination must come to an end and their individual freedoms must be protected.
I therefore make an urgent appeal to the Council and the Commission to develop programmes in the framework of the European initiative for democracy and human rights that are aimed at strengthening democracy in Egypt. I urge our fellow MEPs in the Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries to broach the human rights issue in Egypt at their next meeting with Egyptian parliamentarians and also to involve representatives of the social midfield in this process. Should these steps prove to be of no avail, Mr President, then I would plead for a postponement of the ratification of the Euro-Mediterranean Treaty."@en1
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