VP/HR - Elections on 12 November in Equatorial Guinea

Question for written answer E-006125/2017 to the Commission (Vice-President / High Representative) Rule 130 Florent Marcellesi (Verts/ALE) Subject: VP/HR - Elections on 12 November in Equatorial Guinea After pressure was brought to bear by the European Union and the international community, none of the political parties of Equatorial Guinea has been banned from participating in the elections of 12 November. However, opposition leaders remain the target for trumped-up charges and coercion, there are allegations of fraud surrounding the drawing-up of the electoral census, there is pressure to declare the vote early, and there have been arrests, torture and murder of party activists and any citizens who oppose the current regime or who are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. In the light of such irregularities and daily incidents of violence it is very doubtful that these elections benefit from the minimum guarantees necessary for the final result to be declared valid. - Has the High Representative received any request from the Government of Equatorial Guinea or the parties competing in this election for the EU to send independent monitors to oversee the electoral process? - Will the EU be in any way requiring that country’s government to call a halt to the pressure and repression of the population, candidates and parties to ensure that all are free to participate?