MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on human rights in Iran - in particular the case of Nasrin Sotoudeh
18.1.2011
pursuant to Rule 122 of the Rules of Procedure
Barbara Lochbihler, Isabelle Durant, Emilie Turunen, Raül Romeva i Rueda, Heidi Hautala on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0043/2011
B7‑0071/2011
European Parliament resolution on human rights in Iran - in particular the case of Nasrin Sotoudeh
The European Parliament,
A. Whereas over one year after the Ashura demonstrations in December 2009 still hundreds of Iranian citizens who had been arrested linger in prison.
B. Whereas the authorities have continued to make arrests throughout the year, notably at the occasion of Students' Day of 7 December 2010 and whereas according to reports by Amnesty International I over 70 students are still detained
C. Whereas human rights defenders in Iran have to live under constant threat of persecution as the most recent case of the prominent lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh demonstrates
D. Whereas Ms Sotoudeh has been sentenced to 11 years in jail and been banned from working as a lawyer or leaving Iran for 20 years on charges of being a member of the Centre for the Defence of Human Rights, headed by Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi; whereas in
connection with the centre two other lawywers, Mohammad Seifzadeh and Mohammad Ali Dadkhah have as well been condemned to prison sentences
E. Whereas journalists and bloggers equally continue to be targeted, with reportedly over 30 journalists behind bars at the moment
F. Whereas even acclaimed and award winning representatives of Iranian culture such as Film director Jafar Panahi are denied the freedom of expression, who in December 2010 was banned from film- making for 20 years as well as sentenced to 6 years of prison
G. Whereas instead of investigating against extrajudicial murderers, it can even happen that the mourning relatives of the killed are being arrested as was the case of Mahdi Ramazani who was taken into custody at the gravesite of his son in December 2010 and confronted with such exorbitant bail conditions he is in no capacity to fulfil
H. Whereas on 15 December a suicide bomber in the city of Chabahar in Sistan-Baluchestan killed 39 people and wounded dozens more
1. Reiterates its call for the release of all prisoners of conscience including all those who have been detained over the last year in connection with their peaceful political and human rights activities
2. Calls on the Iranian authorities to respect the internationally recognized rights to freedom of expression and assembly
3. Strongly condemns the extraordinarily harsh sentence against Nasrin Sotoudeh and comments her for her courage and her engagement;
4. Considers Ms Sotoudeh as well as her fellow human rights defenders prisoners of conscience and demand their immediate release
5. Expresses its concern over the more and more frequently imposed sentence of a ban to leave Iran which can lead to the logical conclusion that staying in Iran is considered a punishment by the authorities
6. Calls on the authorities to combat the impunity of human rights violators within the security forces; Re-iterates its demand for an independent investigation into allegations of extrajudicial executions since the disputed June presidential elections and for alleged violators to be brought to justice.
7. Strongly condemns the bomb attack in Chabahar and expresses its condolences to the victims' families and the injured
8. Is seriously concerned about the persecution of certain religious and ethnic groups in Iran; Expresses its conviction supported by the more recent European history that a peaceful and balanced social and political development can only be achieved in taking the cultural and social aspirations of different regions into account
9. Calls on the Government to guarantee the human rights of minorities laid down in the Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, notably Art. 18 which provides that "everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion";
10. Believes that the highest execution rate per capita in the world is a disgrace for Iran with its ancient sophisticated culture and calls on the Supreme Leader Khamenei to declare an immediate moratorium on capital punishment
11. Welcomes the International Cities of Refugee Network and calls on the Commission and the Member states to develop further initiatives in favour of providing shelter for Iranian writers and human rights defenders who have to flee Iran to avoid persecution
12. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, and the Government and Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran.