Charles Flanagan
Question:36 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the reported situation concerning child prisoners in Pakistan. [25478/99]
Written Answers. - Human Rights Abuses.
The situation and treatment of children in Pakistani prisons is a matter of serious concern. A report on this subject by Human Rights Watch bears out findings previously reported by Amnesty International. Apart from concern arising from the details of the many individual cases documented, the systematic violations of Pakistani law which also occur, and the resulting failure of Pakistan to honour its obligations and commitments under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which it is a party, are matters which must be addressed by the Pakistani authorities.
While the report deals with the period preceding the recent military coup, I am not aware of any subsequent improvement in the situation.
General Musharraf has stated his intention to improve and reform Pakistan and to respect fully basic human rights and civil liberties. We are still awaiting details of the intended programme of his administration, but I believe that issue of child prisoners should be included in it.
The EU is keeping developments in Pakistan under review, and the issue of child prisoners is one on which we expect to see progress.
Pat Rabbitte
Question:37 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the representations, if any, he has made to the Israeli authorities regarding the continued detention of Mordechai Vanunu who has now served more than 13 years in jail for revealing information to the press regarding Israel's secret nuclear programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25523/99]
The case for releasing Mordechai Vanunu has been put to the Israeli authorities on a number of occasions. I would call on the recently elected Israeli Government to exercise humanitarian compassion in respect of Dr. Vanunu and to restore him to liberty.
Members of the House will recall that Dr. Vanunu was abducted from Europe and brought to face trial in Israel on charges of releasing information about Israel's secret nuclear weapons programme. He was convicted in 1986 and sentenced to prison, where he has spent lengthy periods in solitary confinement.
I would add that Israel's nuclear weapons programme and its implications for the cause of non-proliferation are a matter of grave concern.