B3-0063, 0095 and 0139/94

Resolution on the fiftieth session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (Geneva, 31 January to 11 March 1994)

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment,

-having regard to the European Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment,

-having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular the preamble and Articles J and J.1 thereof,

-having regard to its resolutions of 11 March 1993 on human rights in the European Community - Annual Report of the European Parliament and 12 March 1993 on human rights in the world and Community human rights policy for the years 1991/92,

-having regard to its resolution of 27 May 1993 on the United Nations World Human Rights Conference (Vienna, June 1993),

A.noting the draft agenda of the fiftieth session of the Human Rights Commission of the UN Economic and Social Council, and deeply inspired by the Vienna declaration and action programme adopted on 25 June 1993 by the World Human Rights Conference (in particular points 25-32 on persons belonging to national, religious and linguistic minorities and points 54-62 on the right not to be tortured in Part II), and by the Vienna Declaration adopted on 9 October 1993 by the Council of Europe summit (in particular Annex II on national minorities),

B.convinced of the universal, imprescriptible, indivisible and inalienable nature of human rights, the primacy of the rule of law and the need to strengthen the international legal machinery aimed at protecting individual and collective rights,

1.Condemns all infringements of human dignity, all torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, whether perpetrated by States, groups or individuals, and supports the drafting of an optional protocol supplementing and amending the current international provisions; reiterates its condemnation of the death penalty;

2.Calls for the increase of the contributions paid to the UN voluntary fund for the victims of torture;

3.Regards it as essential that a social clause be inserted in all international trade agreements in order to combat practices tantamount to inhuman or degrading treatment;

4.Reiterates its support for the appointment of a High Commissioner on Human Rights to assist the UN Secretary-General;

5.Calls for the necessary funding to be released to enable the international criminal court responsible for trying the perpetrators of human rights violations in the former Yugoslavia to discharge its duties and operate effectively;

6.Hopes that the bodies and institutions responsible for preventing and monitoring human rights abuses (Council of Europe, CSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities) will coordinate their activities;

7.Supports all initiatives aimed at ensuring respect for the political, economic, social and cultural rights of national minorities;

8.Reiterates its support for the holding in April 1994 of a Conference to launch the Pact for Stability in Europe and on national minorities (point III and Annex I of the conclusions of the Presidency - Brussels European Council, 10-11 December 1993) and the drafting of a Council of Europe framework convention detailing the obligations of States in respect of the protection of national minorities;

9.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States and those states which have applied for accession.