MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the confirmed murder of Khaled al-Asaad, an archaeologist at the site of Palmyra in Syria

B9‑0202/2021

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the confirmed murder of Khaled al-Asaad, an archaeologist at the site of Palmyra in Syria

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Subcommittee on Security and Defence meeting of 27 January 2021,

– having regard to the UN Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict signed at The Hague on 14 May 1954,

– having regard to the listing of Palmyra as a world heritage site in 1980, and its inclusion on the UNESCO list of endangered sites in 2013,

– having regard to Rule 143 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the body of Khaled al-Asaad, who had been an archaeologist at Palmyra since 1980, was found on 8 February 2021;

B. whereas Mr al-Asaad was kidnapped, tortured and murdered by Daesh in 2015, when they seized and began destroying the site of Palmyra;

1. Strongly condemns the murder of Mr al-Asaad, and pays tribute to the hard work he put in at the site of Palmyra for almost half a century;

2. Calls on the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to offer assistance to the Syrian Government to protect the site of Palmyra and all sites under threat in Syria.