Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

I move:

That Dáil Éireann,

—notes with concern the case of Mr. Roy Bennett, the Movement for Democratic Change, MDC, Opposition Member of Parliament, who was sentenced by the Zimbabwean Parliament in October 2004 to 12 months imprisonment with labour, and in particular notes the apparently arbitrary procedures employed in Mr. Bennett's trial and conviction by a committee of the Zimbabwean Parliament rather than by an ordinary court, where the maximum penalty applicable would have been a small fine, and further notes that while it is not possible to condone the action for which Mr. Bennett was sentenced, it is clear that the sentence imposed was politically motivated and wholly disproportionate to the offence committed;

—furthermore takes note of the fact that the imprisonment of Mr. Bennett is one of many incidents in an overall pattern of harassment, intimidation and violence which opposition politicians and supporters have faced in Zimbabwe for some years now, and the fact that regrettably, the overall human rights situation in Zimbabwe continues to deteriorate, with arbitrary arrests and ongoing politically inspired violence;

—supports the efforts of the Government and its EU partners in continuing to take the lead in highlighting the serious human rights situation in Zimbabwe, including through tabling a resolution on the issue at the recent session of the UN General Assembly, and in continuing to press for the repeal of repressive legislation and an end to attacks on basic freedoms by the Zimbabwean authorities; and

decides to forward the terms of this motion to the Speaker of the Zimbabwean Parliament.

I wish to share time with the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy Kitt.

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