MEPs seek to tighten loopholes on legislation concerning the export of tools and medicines the could be used for torture and executions.

﻿"The EU must not supply tools for torture"

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/11525615/N005-160907-001-EN.srt

It's crucial that the EU does not supply  or help the goods or services

that can lead to the death penalty  or torture.

Europe's lead in technological innovation  can be a double-edged sword

exported to countries which torture  and kill their citizens.

Human rights organisations say  torture continues

in half of the 158 countries  that ratified a convention banning it.

And the global trade in tools  used for it is booming.

The space for civil society, the democratic  countries of the world are shrinking.

We have just seen that press freedom  worldwide is also diminishing,

and so as representatives in open societies  and democracies, we have to be vigilant.

EU law binding on all Member States  was agreed in 2005,

but despite changes since,  many loopholes remain.

Now Parliament, urged by civil society  bodies, is seeking to tighten those.

We are seeking to limit the export of very  blatant tools that are used for torture,

such as chaining people or beating people.

And also medicines that can be used  to give lethal injection for example

should not be sold to prisons  or law enforcement agencies.

There is evidence that  existing legislation works.

that the ban on medical substances  that can be used for executions there

has made them more difficult to perform.