Europees Parlement debatteert over kwesties Pakistan, Wit-Rusland en China (en)

The murder of Pakistan's Minister for Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti, the plight of political prisoners in Belarus including Ales Mikhalevich and Natalia Radina, the destruction of cultural heritage in the Silk Road city of Kashgar (China) and China's policy towards the Uyghur minority were all the subject of urgent debates and resolutions at the European Parliament on Thursday.

Pakistan

Following the murder of the Minister for Minorities in the Government of Pakistan, Shahbaz Bhatti, MEPs call on the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice. The EP urges the Pakistani government to repeal all the discriminatory legislation, including the blasphemy law.

Mr Bhatti was killed by armed men who opened fire on his car, after being denied the use of a bulletproof official car by the Pakistani authorities. The extremist group Taliban Movement Punjab claimed responsibility and said the minister was killed for his stance on the blasphemy law.

MEPs call on the Government of Pakistan to ''not let voices in favour of religious tolerance and respect for universal principles of human rights in the country be silenced by extremists''. They also urge the EU institutions to include the issue of religious tolerance in the EU's political dialogue with Pakistan, a key matter in the long term fight against religious extremism. The resolution recognises Mr Bhatti's dedication to combating the blasphemy laws and urges the government to appoint without delay a new minister of minorities, who should be a strong and impartial minority representative.

Belarus

In a resolution on Belarus, MEPs call on the competent EU institutions and partner countries to consider the extension of restrictive measures to prosecutors, judges and KGB representatives associated with the abuse of human rights unless repression is brought to an end.

The resolution highlights the cases of Ales Mikhalevich, a former presidential candidate imprisoned after post-election protests and released only after signing a commitment to collaborate with the KGB, and Natalia Radina, editor of an opposition website, who was arrested for organising and participating in a mass protest following elections. She too was released but is not allowed to leave her home town until the investigation of her case is complete.

MEPs condemn the disrespect for the fundamental rights of freedom of assembly and of expression by Belarusian authorities and call for the unconditional release of political prisoners. They also strongly condemn the use of torture against political prisoners and describe this behaviour as inhuman treatment. Furthermore, MEPs emphasise that ''without immediate steps towards democratisation and upholding human rights by the government of Belarus the process of engagement between the EU and Belarus will be put on hold" including Belarus' participation in the Eastern Partnership.

China

MEPs call on the Chinese government to stop the destruction of cultural heritage in the ancient city Kashgar, part of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous region, and to protect the cultural identity of the Uyghurs.

Beijing has begun a destructive process of modernisation of housing and has been destroying the ancient Silk Road city of Kashgar. By the end of the urban reconstruction programme, 85% of the Old City will have been demolished.

The EP calls on the Chinese authorities to stop all forced resettlement of Kashgar's Uyghur population in the region. MEPs urge the Government of China to ''assess the possibility of including the city of Kashgar in the joined application with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan for the Silk Road's UNESCO Heritage designation'' and to terminate all discriminatory policies towards the Uyghur and Hui population.

Procedure: Resolutions (Rule 122)