Debates of the European Parliament

SITTING OF WEDNESDAY, 5 NOVEMBER 2003

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance – Sudan, human rights

Karamanou (PSE). – (EL) Mr President, I was surprised and horrified yesterday to read the charges by Amnesty International against Sudan, where a special court has sentenced a sixteen-year-old boy accused of armed robbery to so-called ‘cross amputation’; in other words his right hand and his left foot are to be cut off. Amnesty International is denouncing the Sudanese judicial system and penal legislation, which contains this sort of punishment, such as amputation and death by stoning, and has called on the international community in a bid to prevent the punishment of the sixteen-year-old youth from being executed.

I think, Mr President, that both our Parliament and you personally need to take an initiative and remind Sudan that it has signed the Cotonou Agreement on respect for human rights. Our direct intervention is needed.