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Proposition de résolution - B8-0258/2018Proposition de résolution
B8-0258/2018
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MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation of imprisoned EU-Iranian dual nationals in Iran

29.5.2018 - (2018/2717(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 135 of the Rules of Procedure

Marietje Schaake, Nedzhmi Ali, Petras Auštrevičius, Beatriz Becerra Basterrechea, Izaskun Bilbao Barandica, Dita Charanzová, Gérard Deprez, Nadja Hirsch, Filiz Hyusmenova, Ivan Jakovčić, Petr Ježek, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Valentinas Mazuronis, Louis Michel, Urmas Paet, Maite Pagazaurtundúa Ruiz, Jozo Radoš, Frédérique Ries, Robert Rochefort, Pavel Telička, Ramon Tremosa i Balcells, Ivo Vajgl, Johannes Cornelis van Baalen, Hilde Vautmans on behalf of the ALDE Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0254/2018

Procédure : 2018/2717(RSP)
Cycle de vie en séance
Cycle relatif au document :  
B8-0258/2018
Textes déposés :
B8-0258/2018
Débats :
Textes adoptés :

B8‑0258/2018

European Parliament resolution on the situation of imprisoned EU-Iranian dual nationals in Iran

(2018/2717(RSP))

The European Parliament,

-having regard to its previous resolutions on Iran, notably the resolution of 25 October 2016;

 

-having regard to the joint statement made by the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, (VP/HR) Federica Mogherini and the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif on 16 April 2016 in Tehran;

 

-having regards to the statement made by UN Special Rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed  on 7 October 2016;

 

-having regard to the EU Strategic Framework and Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy;

 

-having regard to the EU Annual Reports on Human Rights;

 

-having regard to its previous resolutions on the EU Annual Reports on Human Rights;

 

-having regard to its resolution of 8 October 2015 on the death penalty;

 

-having regard to Rule 52 of its Rules of Procedure;

 

-having regard to Rules 135(5) and 123(4) of its Rules of Procedure:

  

A.Whereas according to human rights groups, at least 14 dual and foreign nationals are currently imprisoned in Iran, including numerous individuals with an EU-Iran dual nationality, such as Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Ahmadreza Djalali;

B.Whereas in November 2017, Reuters reported that at least 30 dual nationals had been arrested by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) since the signing of the nuclear deal (JCPOA) in July 2015; whereas dual nationals are often used as political pawns by hard-line forces in Iran;

 

C.Whereas Iranian courts, and particularly the revolutionary courts, regularly fall short of providing fair trials and due process, with denial of access to legal counsel, denial of consular visits, visits by the UN or humanitarian organisations;

 

D.whereas sentences are often based on confessions obtained under torture, and based on vague or unspecified “national security” and “espionage” charges;

 

E.whereas prisoners in Iran are systematically withheld from sufficient and appropriate healthcare;

 

F.Whereas since December 2017, there have been at least five deaths in custody in Iran, including of the dual national environmentalist Kavous Seyed-Emami; whereas the families of the detainees who have died in custody are facing a campaign of harassment and intimidation to deter them from publicising their cases in the media;

 

G.whereas Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a dual Iranian-British citizen, was arrested in April 2016 by members of the IRGC while she was boarding a plane to the UK with her 22 month old daughter; whereas Zaghari-Ratcliffe worked for the media development team at the Thomson Reuters Foundation and lived in the UK;

 

H.whereas only on in June 2016, the IRGC in Kerman province issued a statement accusing her of “participating in designing and carrying out media and cyber projects aimed at the soft overthrow of the Islamic Republic of Iran”; whereas the first trial against Zaghari-Ratcliffe took place on 14 August 2016 and she was only given access to a lawyer three days before the trial; whereas she was convicted and sentenced to five years of imprisonment;

 

I.whereas on 24 April 2017, the Ratcliffe family announced that Iran’s Supreme Court upheld the five year prison sentence against Zaghari-Ratcliffe; whereas Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe will face trial for new “security-related” charges and charges for “spreading propaganda; Whereas there are clear indications that Zaghari-Ratcliffe might be subject to torture and ill-treatment in prison;

  

J.whereas Ahmadreza Djalali is a Swedish-Iranian academic who was arrested in April 2016; whereas Djalali was born in Iran and residing in Sweden while he was working as a visiting professor to the Vrije Universiteit Brussel; whereas there are clear indications that his confession was taken under severe duress; Whereas the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention of the UN Human Rights Council called for his immediate release and documented in his case serious human rights violations; whereas Iran confirmed the death penalty against Djalali in early February 2018; whereas no evidence was presented supporting the claims made against Djalali; Whereas his health continues to deteriorate dramatically;

 

K.whereas human rights defenders, journalists and political activists are actively being prosecuted for their peaceful actions; whereas numerous women were arrested in Iran for participating in the anti-hijab protests starting in late December of last year; whereas some women still remain in custody;

 

L.whereas freedom of the press, freedom of association and freedom of thought is still being repressed in Iran; whereas self-censorship under journalists has increased in recent years out of fear for retaliation;

 

M.whereas torture and ill-treatment are widespread and committed with impunity; whereas floggings, amputations, solitary confinement and other cruel punishments are being carried out;

 

N.whereas the judiciary of Iran continues to execute individuals at a high rate; whereas every year hundreds of executions take place for a wide variety of crimes; whereas thousands remain on death row; whereas it is common for persons to be executed for crimes they committed as children;

 

O.whereas according to Amnesty International Global Report on death penalty, Iran's authorities were responsible for more than half of the recorded executions that were carried out in 2017;

 

P.whereas Iran remains a leading executioner of minors and whereas in January 2018 at least 3 young adults including a woman were executed for crimes allegedly committed when they were under the age of 18;

 

Q.whereas the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran has been systematically denied entry visa to Iran in recent years;

 

 

1.Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all unjustly detained EU-Iranian dual nationals including Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Ahmadreza Djalali;

 

2.Expresses grave concern over the arrests of EU-Iranian dual nationals upon their entering of Iran, stresses that these arrests hinder the possibilities of people-to-people contacts and calls on the Iranian authorities to allow for Iranian diaspora in Europe to safely travel to their country of birth;

 

3.Welcomes the release of those dual nationals who were unjustly imprisoned including Sabri Hassanpour, Homa Hoodfar and Jason Rezaian, but emphasises they should never have been imprisoned in the first place;

 

4.Expresses grave concern over recent deaths of individuals in custody in Iran, including of dual national Kavous Seyed-Emami and urges the authorities to halt the harassment and intimidation of the families of the deceased; Calls for an independent investigation into these cases and for those responsible for unlawful deaths in detention to be prosecuted and punished;

 

5.Calls on the judiciary to respect fair trial and due process, to grant suspects access to legal counsel, consular visits and visits by the UN and humanitarian organisations, as well as full access to medical treatment and health care service;

 

6.Deplores sentences are often based on confessions obtained under torture, and based on vague or unspecified charges;

 

7.Condemns the systematic torture in Iranian prisons; calls for an immediate cease all forms of torture and ill-treatment of all prisoners;

 

8.Urges the authorities of Iran to guarantee that Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is treated in compliance with international standards and any torture and ill-treatment is ceased immediately; calls for a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation into the allegations of torture and ill-treatment and the publications of the results; calls on the authorities of Iran to guarantee that Zaghari-Ratcliffe will have access to her attorney and that she will be provided with all evidence that was considered for her prosecution and in the absence of convincing evidence, reconsider the case;

  

9.Strongly urges the authorities of Iran to present any evidence that has been used in the conviction of Ahmadreza Djalali or reconsider his case; calls on the authorities of Iran to guarantee Djalali full access to his attorney and any medical treatment if he asks for this; urges the authorities of Iran to annul his death sentence, to immediately release him and to accord him the right to compensation and other reparations for his arbitrary detention;

 

10.Expresses its grave concern about the situation of all prisoners in Iran and urges Iran to immediately release all human rights defenders, journalists and political activists who have been arrested or convicted for their peaceful actions, including the women arrested for their participation in the anti-hijab protests;

 

11.Considers the lack of freedom of expression online, the systematic surveillance and monitoring of internet traffic as well as the lack of digital freedoms to be an obstacle to trade with Iran, as well as a violation of people’s rights and freedoms;

 

12.Calls on Iranian authorities to fully respect the universal human rights of all people, in particular the rights to free expression online and offline and to specifically cease the persecution of LGBTI people and followers of the Bahai religion; in this regard calls on Iran to cease satellite jamming and ease internet censorship restrictions;

 

13.Condemns the use of censorship and retaliation against journalists, including dual nationals and their families;

 

14.Reiterates the need for a specific assessment of human rights when EU companies export telecoms, surveillance and other dual-use systems to Iran to ensure these exports are no used for the suppression of Iranian citizens;

 

15.Strongly condemns the use of the death penalty and calls on the government of Iran to work towards abolishing the death penalty;

 

16.Urges the VP/HR, the EEAS and Member States to systematically and publicly raise human rights issues during meetings with Iranian counterparts;

 

17.Calls on Iran to for an independent investigation into deaths in custody following the nationwide protests in January this year;

 

18.Calls on Iran to provide visa to the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran to visit the country;

 

19.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the government and parliament of Iran, the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and the EEAS.

 

Dernière mise à jour: 30 mai 2018
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