Senator Bacik seeks Debate on Human Rights Issues

Order of Business

Wednesday, 5 October 2011

Senator Ivana Bacik: I seek a debate on two human rights issues. The first concerns a matter raised by Senator Zappone yesterday, namely, the UN periodic review which takes place in Geneva tomorrow. All colleagues have been invited to attend at Buswell's Hotel tomorrow morning, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., for a live screening of the hearing at which the Minster for Justice and Equality will be questioned on Ireland's human rights record. I support Senator Zappone's call for the Minister to attend the House following the hearing in Geneva to address us on Ireland's human rights record. We had a good preview of this last week with the address by Maurice Manning, but it would be very useful to hear directly from the Minister with regard to the follow-up to the UN periodic review.

The Minister should also take the opportunity to address us on the proposed merger between the Irish Human Rights Commission and the Equality Authority. There is very little information available on how that merger is to take effect. We are concerned that the merger should have the effect of strengthening human rights and equality protection across the country and need to hear from the Minister on this.

I also seek a debate, or cross-party motion if possible, on a human rights issue concerning an individual. A prominent psychoanalyst from Syria who trained in Paris, Dr. Rafah Nashed, was critical of the regime in Syria and was arrested in Damascus Airport on 10 September when boarding a plane for Paris where her daughter was about to give birth. Dr. Nashed is in her 60s and is currently being held in solitary confinement. She suffers from a heart condition and her health continues to deteriorate.

An international petition has been launched to appeal to the Syrian authorities for her immediate release. I will speak to the leaders of the Opposition and Independent Members to try and get support in this House for a cross-party motion calling for her release on human rights grounds. The petition has been signed by many prominent people, including Colin Firth, the Vice President of the European Parliament and a former South American president. There is a wide range of support for her cause. It is a significant human rights issue and there is great concern among psychoanalytic and psychology professionals worldwide and among academics and doctors. We could play a small part here by calling on the Syrian authorities to release Dr. Rafah Nashed. I urge the leaders of other groups in this House to sign a cross-party motion.