VP/HR — Islamic Republic of Iran

29.11.2013

Question for written answer E-013576-13
to the Commission (Vice-President/High Representative)
Rule 117
Mikael Gustafsson (GUE/NGL)

Iran is the country which imposes the most death sentences after China. In 2012, 522 people were executed there and the figure so far for this year is 400. On the night of 26 October 2013, two Kurdish political prisoners, Habibullah Golparipour, aged 29, and Reza Esmaeili, aged 35, were executed by the Iranian regime. On the same day, 16 politically active Baluchis were executed in Zahidan province.

In the Raja’i Shahr prison, north-west of Tehran, Zaniar Moradi and Loghman Moradi are awaiting execution by hanging, following a court case in 2010 which breached all fundamental legal rights. These executions must be stopped.

The dialogue now taking place between the new Iranian President Rouhani and the West and the proposal for an agreement on nuclear energy and nuclear weapons must not be allowed to distract attention from the breaches of human rights being committed in Iran. This is a country where the oppression of women, the ban on homosexuality and executions of minors are a daily reality.

The EU and the international community must continue to express their opposition to the breaches of human rights in Iran for as long as these outrages continue.

What measures has the Vice-President/High Representative taken or does she plan to take to attempt to persuade the Iranian regime to stop persecuting its political opponents and executing political prisoners? Does the Vice-President/High Representative intend to act on the question of Zaniar Moradi and Loghman Moradi, who have been condemned to death?

OJ C 273, 20/08/2014