Doc. 8618
19 January 2000

Domestic slavery

Motion for a recommendation

presented by Mrs Keltošová and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

The Assembly,

1.       Notes that, despite the prohibition of slavery, we are now witnessing more and more examples of ill-treatment of women and girls who find themselves reduced to a new form of slavery: domestic slavery. In most cases, this is accompanied by physical violence, sexual abuse and even torture or barbaric acts;

2.       Points out that Article 4 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 10 December 1948 provides that “no one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms”;

3.       Also notes that more and more cases of domestic slavery are being discovered in diplomatic circles and that no legal proceedings are possible in such cases because the criminal, civil and administrative courts are rendered powerless by the diplomatic immunity and immunity from prosecution provided for in Article 31 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 18 April 1961;

4.       Stresses that, despite the progress made in protecting human rights over the last fifty years, states are continuing to abide by the system of diplomatic immunity, thus making themselves guilty of breaching the commitments they have entered into under conventions on the protection of human rights,

      The Assembly therefore recommends that the Committee of Ministers:

a.       instruct the relevant committees of experts:

      —to       draw up a code of conduct for diplomats;—

      —to       alter the system of immunities and, accordingly, amend the Vienna Convention;b.

b.       ask the governments of member states:

      —to       make slavery a criminal offence if they have not already done so;—

      —to       step up efforts to combat the exploitation of women;—

      —to       regard the victims of slavery as victims and not as illegal immigrants.Si

Signed : ¹

Keltošová, Slovakia, EDG

Calleja, Spain, SOC

Connor, Ireland, EPP/CD

Cryer, United Kingdom, SOC

Gülek, Turkey, SOC

Ionescu, Romania, SOC

Karlsson, Austria, SOC

Neuwirth, France, EDG

Pulgar, Spain, EPP/CD

Risari, Italy, EPP/CD

Roudy, France, SOC

Vermot-Mangold, Switzerland, SOC

Vitrenko, Ukraine, UEL

Zwerver, Netherlands, NR

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group