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Motion for a resolution - B7-0111/2009Motion for a resolution
B7-0111/2009

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on 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

Michael Gahler, Cristian Dan Preda, Bernd Posselt, Lena Barbara Kolarska-Bobińska, Eija-Riitta Korhola, Mario Mauro, Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Filip Kaczmarek, Thomas Mann, Licia Ronzulli, Dominique Baudis, Tunne Kelam, Eduard Kukan on behalf of the PPE Group

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

Procedure : 2009/2733(RSP)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
B7-0111/2009
Texts tabled :
B7-0111/2009
Texts adopted :

B7‑0111/2009

European Parliament resolution on Iran

The European Parliament,

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

 

–   having regard to the Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union concerning the post-election crisis in Iran of 23 June 2009,

–   having regard to the report of the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran of 23 September 2009,

–   having regard to the Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union on imminent executions of minors in Iran of 9 October 2009,

–   having regard to the Presidency Statement on the execution of Behnoud Shojaee in Iran of 14 October 2009,

–   having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Iran is a party,

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

A. whereas the general human rights situation in Iran has continued to deteriorate, in particular as regards the exercise of civil rights and political freedoms, despite the fact that Iran has undertaken to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms under the various international instruments in this field,

B.  whereas the number of executions in Iran has dramatically increased in recent years and whereas Iran, in breach of the ICCPR and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, accounts for the highest number of executions of juvenile offenders worldwide,

C. whereas the practice of torture and ill-treatment of prisoners, sleep deprivation, solitary confinement, clandestine detention, the application of cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and impunity for state agents continues to be wide-spread,

D. whereas on 11 October 2009 juvenile offender Behnood Shojaee was executed and whereas juvenile offenders Safar Angooti and Abbas Hosseini face imminent risk of execution,

E.  whereas, following the announcement of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's victory in the presidential election of 12 June 2009, tens of thousands of Iranian citizens took to the streets to protest against the elections result and whereas the authorities have responded to these protests by the use of force resulting in the loss of lives, mass arrests and the sentencing to death of several protesters,

F.  whereas the seven-member leadership of the Baha'i faith have been detained for more than a year, solely on the basis of their belief,

1.  Strongly condemns the death sentences and executions in Iran, in particular those imposed or carried out on juvenile offenders and minors, and urges the Iranian authorities to respect the internationally recognised legal safeguards with regard to minors, such as the ICCPR and International Convention on the Rights of the Child;

2.  Protests vehemently against the execution in Iran on 11 October 2009 of Behnood Shojaee, who was sentenced to death for a crime committed as a minor; calls on the Iranian authorities to immediately halt all executions and to prevent any further application of the death penalty, and, notably, not to execute Safar Angooti and Abbas Hosseini;

3. Urges the Iranian authorities to eliminate, in law and in practice, all forms of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and to uphold the due process of law and end impunity for human rights violations;

4.  Strongly condemns the use of excessive police force, arbitrary arrests and killings of demonstrators following the protests against the outcome of the presidential election; urges the Iranian authorities to respect fundamental civil and political rights, especially freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of information; strongly condemns the death sentences imposed on opposition activists;

5.  Strongly condemns the repression directed against political opponents, human rights defenders, journalists, web loggers, teachers, intellectuals, women, students, trade unionists, and persons belonging to religious, ethnic, linguistic or other minorities; urges the Iranian authorities to end the harassment, intimidation and persecution of these citizens and to release unconditionally all prisoners of conscience, including those arrested since 12 June 2009;

6.  Reiterates its appeal to the Iranian authorities to live up to the government's requirement to respect religious minorities and promptly release the Baha'i leaders Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, Saeid Rasaie, Mahvash Sabet, Behrouz Tavakkoli and Vahid Tizfahm;

7.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the UN Human Rights Council and the Government and Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran.