MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Iran

20.10.2009

with request for inclusion in the agenda for the debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 122 of the Rules of Procedure

Marietje Schaake, Metin Kazak, Ivo Vajgl, Renate Weber, Marielle De Sarnez, Charles Goerens on behalf of the ALDE Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0104/2009

B7‑0107/2009

European Parliament resolution on the situation in Iran

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on Iran, in particular those concerning human rights,

 

- having regard to the report by its Committee on Foreign Affairs on the EU’s Annual Report on Human Rights in the World and the EU’s policy on the matter,

- having regard to UNGA resolution 62/149 of 18 December 2007 on a moratorium on the use of the death penalty,

- having regard to UN General Assembly Resolution 63/191 of 18 December 2008 on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran,

 

- having regard to the situation in Camp Ashraf which has deteriorated following the Iraqi military raid on 28-29 July 2009 which resulted in the death of 10 camp residents, as well as the detainment and maltreatment of 36 Iranian dissidents for more than 70 days,

 

- having regard to the declaration of President Jerzy Buzek on the European Day against the Death Penalty on 10 October 2009,

 

- having regard to the 13 October 2009 declaration by the Council Presidency on behalf of the EU concerning death sentences in Iran,

- having regard to the 11 October 2009 announcement by the Iranian regime of three further death sentences for participants in peaceful protests against the 2009 Presidential election results,

- having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, The Convention of the Right of the Child to all of which Iran is a party,

 

- having regard to Rule 122 of its Rules of Procedure,

 

 

A.    whereas the situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the exercise of civil rights and political freedoms has deteriorated in the last years, notably since the presidential elections of June 2009,

 

B.     whereas the EU is concerned about the continued large-scale use of the death penalty in Iran, which includes the executions of minors under the age of 18,

 

C.     whereas Behnoud Shojaee was sentenced to death on 11 October 2009 for a crime committed as a minor,

 

D.     whereas the number of executions in Iran, including those of minors and often by public hanging, has dramatically increased in recent years,

 

E.    whereas Fariba Pajooh, a young Iranian journalist and a well-known blogger, was arrested in her home in Teheran on 24 August 2009 and transferred to the capital's Evin prison, where she is still being held,

 

F.     whereas the violent repression of political opponents, human rights defenders, journalists, web loggers, teachers, intellectuals, academics, homosexuals, women, students, trade unionists and persons belonging to religious, ethnic, linguistic or other minorities has increased,

 

G.     considérant que des centaines de milliers de personnes ont manifesté pacifiquement dans les rues de Téhéran dans les semaines qui ont suivi l'annonce, le 13 juin 2009, de la réélection de M. Ahmadinejad, entachée de fraudes massives selon les candidats battus,

 

H.     considérant que ce mouvement de contestation a parfois dégénéré en de graves émeutes qui ont constitué la plus grave crise intérieure de l'histoire de la République islamique, révélant des clivages jusqu'au sommet de l'Etat,

 

I.      considérant que M. Khatami, président de 1997 à 2005, a apporté son soutien à l'opposition emmenée par les candidats battus Mir Hossein Moussavi et Mehdi Karoubi, qui demandaient un nouveau scrutin,

 

J.      whereas hundreds of people remain in detention without European actors or others in the international community having access to or information on their conditions and whereabouts, or due process before sentencing,

 

K.     whereas the use of the death penalty, the absence of due process, and breaches of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law are serious violations of international treaties and standards and need to be continuously addressed,

 

 

1.  Strongly condemns the hanging of Behnoud Shojaee on 11 October 2009;

 

2.  Reiterates its serious concerns regarding the death sentences recently handed down to three individuals for their involvement in the protests that took place after Iran’s recent Presidential election;

 

3. Demande la libération inconditionnelle de Fariba Pajooh; demande que des mesures soient prises au niveau européen pour soutenir les journalistes injustement emprisonnées en Iran;

 

4.  Strongly condemns the repression of civil society movements in Iran, including those of women’s rights defenders;

 

5.  Affirms the EU's longstanding opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances and recalls that any miscarriage or failure of justice in the application of capital punishment results in an irreparable and irreversible loss of human life;

 

6.  Reiterates its call to the Iranian authorities to abolish the death penalty completely and, in the meantime, to establish a moratorium on executions as urged by United Nations General Assembly resolutions 62/149 and 63/168;

 

7.  Urges the Iranian authorities to end the harassment, intimidation and persecution of people peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression, association and assembly, and to release immediately and unconditionally all prisoners of conscience; recalls its related resolutions of January 2008, April 2008, September 2008, January 2009 and May 2009;

8.  Condemns ill-treatment in prisons, especially rape, torture and humiliation of women prisoners;

9.    Urges the Iranian authorities to respect internationally recognised legal safeguards with regard to persons belonging to religious, ethnic, linguistic or other minorities, recognised or otherwise; strongly condemns the disrespect for minority rights currently being displayed in Iran and calls for minorities to be allowed exercise all rights granted under the Iranian Constitution and under international law; urges the Iranian authorities to act in accordance with the constitution and to eliminate, in law and in practice, all forms of discrimination and all other human rights violations against persons belonging to religious, ethnic, linguistic or other minorities, including, inter alia, Arabs, Azeris, Baluchs, Kurds, Baha'is, Christians, Jews, Sufis and Sunni Muslims; calls in particular for the de facto ban on practising the Baha'i faith to be lifted;

10.  Condemns the repression of political opponents, human rights defenders, journalists, web loggers, teachers, intellectuals, academics, homosexuals, women, students, trade unionists and persons belonging to religious, ethnic, linguistic or other minorities;

11.  Calls on Iran to refrain from political or military pressure to eradicate Camp Ashraf and to repatriate its residents to Iran; and urges Iranian authorities to respect the right to security of Iranian dissidents in the camp who were granted protected-persons status under the Geneva Conventions;

12.  Calls on the Council and Commission to continue their examination of the human rights situation in Iran and in the first half of 2010 to submit a comprehensive report to Parliament on their conclusions, including proposals for projects that could be financed in the framework of the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights;

 

 

15.  Calls on the Commission to publish a communication on the situation in Iran and on the perspectives of EU-Iran relations; urges both sides to restart the human rights dialogue in parallel with the negotiations for a Cooperation and Trade Agreement, which could be concluded if Iran makes the necessary progress in the field of human rights and on the nuclear issue;

16.  Calls on the Commission to establish an EU country office in Iran in order to promote and strengthen dialogue with the authorities and with civil society in Iran and to intensify contacts, notably those relating to aid to refugees and to the fight against drug trafficking;

17.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the High Representative of the CFSP, the Governments and Parliaments of the respective EU and UN Member States, the UN Secretary-General, the Presidents of the UNSC, the UNGA and the UN Human Rights Council, the Director-General of the IAEA, the Head of the State Supreme Court of Iran, and the Government and Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran.