25/04/2006 (Agence Europe) - Thirty French MEPs (from the PES, ALDE, Greens/EFA and GUE/NGL groups) have written to the French Justice Minister asking for the same right of access to prisons as French Parliamentarians, after the law of 15 June 2000, and as MEPs from other Member States, they say in a press release. The MEPs, including Francis Wurtz, Michel Rocard, Harlem Désir, Martine Roure, Marie-Arlette Carlotti, Vincent Peillon, Gilles Savary, Bernard Poignant, Jean-Marie Cavada (chairman of the civil liberties committee), Marielle de Sarnez, Hélène Flautre (chairwoman of the human rights sub-committee), Gérard Onesta and Marie-Anne Isler Béguin, state that, in a recommendation on prisoners' rights in the EU adopted on 9 March 2004 for the Council, the European Parliament asked for MEPs to have the right to visit and inspect penal institutions and detention centres for refugees on European Union territory.