Avoiding death sentence and inhuman punishment of British citizens in Saudi Arabia

WRITTEN DECLARATION No. 263

Doc. 7927

9 October 1997

(2nd edition, originally tabled on 25 September 1997)

The undersigned, members of the Assembly,

1. Recalling the European Convention on Human Rights, and in particular the right to a fair trial, and its Protocol n�  6 concerning the abolition of the death penalty as well as the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment;

2. Noting the sentences - one to death, the other to severe corporal punishment, a whipping of 500 lashes, and to prison - imposed in Saudi Arabia on two British citizens accused of murder;

3. Call upon governments of Council of Europe member states to make urgent representations to the government of Saudi Arabia to ensure that the accused are given a fair trial on appeal and, in case the sentences are upheld, to commute them in accordance with the principles of the Council of Europe.

Signed:

Fyfe, United Kingdom, SOC

McNamara, United Kingdom, SOC

Davis, United Kingdom, SOC

Elo, Finland, SOC

Vrettos, Greece, SOC

Poptodorova, Bulgaria, SOC

Judd, United Kingdom, SOC

Cox, United Kingdom, SOC

A. Smith, United Kingdom, SOC

Vis, United Kingdom, SOC

G. Smith, United Kingdom, SOC

Prosser, United Kingdom, SOC

Ponsonby, United Kingdom, SOC

Cunliffe, United Kingdom, SOC

I.B. Johansson, Sweden, SOC

D. Taylor, United Kingdom, SOC

Andnor, Sweden, SOC

W�rnersson, Sweden, SOC

Kirkhill, United Kingdom, SOC

Calner, Sweden, SOC

Grenfell, United Kingdom, SOC

Lekberg, Sweden, SOC

Sceberras Trigona, Malta, SOC

Gelderblom-Lankhout, Netherlands, LDR

Jones, United Kingdom, SOC

Behrendt, Germany, SOC

O'Hara, United Kingdom, SOC

Etherington, United Kingdom, SOC

Shipley, United Kingdom, SOC

Flynn, United Kingdom, SOC

Wray, United Kingdom, SOC

Taylor J.D., United Kingdom, PPE/DC

_____________

Total = 32