MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
9 February 2004
pursuant to Rule 50 of the Rules of Procedure
by Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Monica Frassoni, Nelly Maes, Per Gahrton, Alima Boumediene-Thiery, Matti Wuori, Eurig Wyn, Marie-Anne Isler Béguin
on behalf of the Group
on elections in Iran
B5-0098/04
European parliament resolution on elections in Iran
The European Parliament,
- Having regard to the recent report by UN raporteur for Human Rights Ambeni Ligabo which criticises notably that the freedom of expression in Iran has declined considerably in the last years
A. Whereas the Guardian Council originally barred about half of the 8 200 candidates from standing for the February 20 parliamentary elections, including 81 actual members of parliament and two deputy speakers of the assembly
B. Whereas more than 2400 mostly pro-reform candidates continue to be barred from the polls
C. Whereas President Khatami bowed to the Guardian Council and agreed to hold elections in February as planned, despite his earlier affirmation that the government would only hold elections if they were free and fair
D. Whereas the President of the Guardian Council, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, refused to accept the demand for a revision of the remaining disqualifications and a postponement of the elections
E. Whereas the largest reform party, Islamic Iran Participation Front, as well as the Mudjahedin Organisation of the Islamic Revolution, announced their intention to boycott the elections and other parties might follow suit
F. Whereas the turnout in the local council elections a year ago was around 15% in the major cities
1. Reiterates its strong consternation about the decision of the Guardian Council to eliminate over 2000 candidates for the parliamentary elections, among them 83 actual members of the 290-seat Parliament
2. Believes that elections under these circumstances can only be considered as a farce
3. recalls the great interest that many Europeans developed in face of Iran's dynamic civil society and stresses the important role a more democratic and open Iran could play in the region and as a partner to the European Union
3. Condemns the autocratic role of the non-elected Guardian Council and calls on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to immediately revise the decision
4. Believes that this unprecedented censorship will consolidate the Irani population's disrespect for its political leaders and add to the strong dissatisfaction particularly of the younger generations with the lack of political and social progress after 25 years of Islamic Revolution
5. Expresses its extreme concern that such falsified elections might deal the final blow to Iran's political reform process which raised so many hopes inside and outside of the country, and that the Islamic Republic of Iran could fall back into unimpeded dictatorship
6. Fears that such autocratic development will seriously endanger Euro-Iranian relations and weaken the already fragile security situation in the Middle East
7. Takes the threat to democracy in Iran as serious as the dangers of nuclear proliferation and calls on the Council and the member states to take the highest and most urgent diplomatic measures in order to convey this concern to Supremeleader Khamenei and the other members of the Guardian Council
7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Government of Iran.