Brussels, 16/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 15 December, the European Parliament firmly condemned the murder of Rafig Tagi, a writer and journalist of Azerbaijani nationality, who was stabbed to death in Baku in late November. MEPs call for a “thorough and effective” investigation and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. In the same resolution, they express their concern for the safety of the newspaper's editor-in-chief, Sanat Samir Sadagatoglu, and urge the authorities of the country to do all they can to protect him.
MEPs also underline the fact that threats and incitement to violence against individuals expressing views deemed “offensive” by some adherents of religions or beliefs are “totally unacceptable”, and that those responsible must be prosecuted. Ayatollah Fazel Lakarini launched a “fatwa” against Rafig Tagi after the latter had published an article criticising Islam and Mahomet, and welcomed the fact that Tagi had been killed.
Tunisia. In a joint resolution, the Parliament called on the Tunisian authorities to guarantee Zacharia Bouguira the right to a judicial process conducted in accordance with international standards in order to shed light on the serious human rights violations of which he was the victim and to prosecute the perpetrators of those acts. Bouguira was arrested and beaten for filming law enforcement forces beating 13 young Moroccans, who were then held in provisional detention. Bouguira was held under arbitrary arrest during which he was victim to repeated acts of violence and intimidation that can be regarded as “inhuman and degrading treatment”. Parliament also calls for an investigation to be opened on violence committed against the young Moroccans.
Afghanistan and Pakistan. In a final resolution, MEPs state their grave concern about the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and about reports of repeated and brutal violation of women's rights. They underline that the international community must examine the situation very closely “as a matter of urgency”. The Parliament insists that the invocation of any custom, tradition or religious consideration of any kind in order to evade the duty to eliminate such brutality be rejected. (CG/transl.jl)