MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Iran - recent cases of human rights violations

15.11.2011

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

José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Mario Mauro, Filip Kaczmarek, Cristian Dan Preda, Roberta Angelilli, Bernd Posselt, Tunne Kelam, Lena Kolarska-Bobińska, Monica Luisa Macovei, Elena Băsescu, Sari Essayah, Eija-Riitta Korhola, Zuzana Roithová, Sergio Paolo Francesco Silvestris, Tokia Saïfi, Eduard Kukan, Ria Oomen-Ruijten, Giovanni La Via, Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Bogusław Sonik on behalf of the PPE Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0594/2011

B7‑0601/2011

European Parliament resolution on Iran - recent cases of human rights violations

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on Iran,

 

- having regard to the European Council conclusion of 23 October 2011 on the situation in Iran,

 

- having regard to the statements by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign

Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton on the situation of human rights in Iran,

 

- having regard to International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the

International Covenant on Economic, Social and cultural Rights (ICESRC), the

Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination, and the

Convention on the Rights of the Child, to all of which Iran is a party,

 

- having regard to Rule 122(5) of its Rules of Procedure

 

A.  whereas the rate of executions in Iran during the first half of 2011 make it the world’s leading user of the death penalty per inhabitant, in contrast with the worldwide trend towards the abolition of the death penalty,

 

B. whereas the report prepared by Ahmed Shadeed, UN Special Observer on Human

Rights situation in Iran, on 19 of October, indicates that until now in 2011 there were at least 200 official executions, and 146 secret executions took place in eastern city Mashad; whereas during last year at least more that 300 people were executed in secret, and more than 100 Iranians under the age of 18 are now on death row,

 

C.  whereas the European Council has welcomed the reinforcement of restrictive measures against Iran due to unacceptable human right violations and the adoption of restrictive measures against five individuals, accused of the foiled plot to assassinate the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the United States,

 

D.  whereas the respect for fundamental human rights is the prerequisite for any relationship with the European Union,

 

E.  whereas the human rights situation is deteriorating, because of brutal repression by the Iranian regime,

 

F.  whereas the Christian Evangelic Pastor Youssef Nadarkhani is accused of crime of apostasy and sentenced to death,

 

G. whereas the lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, defender of human rights, is accused of crime against national security; whereas there have been numerous arrests and convictions in the past few months of members of civil rights organizations,

 lawyers, activists, students, and defenders of human rights,

H. whereas the filmmaker Panahi is sentenced to six years prison for “acting against national security” and “propagating against the regime,” and to a 20-year ban on his cinema activities, as well as a 20-year ban on foreign travel and interviews with the media; whereas the filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof is sentenced to six-year prison of “acting against national security” and “propagating against the regime”; whereas Abdolreza Tajik, a political columnist for reformist newspapers, is sentenced to six years prison for “propagating against the regime,” “acting against the regime,” “acting against national security,” and “membership in illegal groups”,

I.   whereas the prison sentences of the prominent student activists Bahareh Hedayat, Mahdieh Golroo and Majid Tavakoli were each increased by six months, after they were charged with "propaganda against the regime",

J.   whereas the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the secret services, and the Basij militia are playing an active role in the strong and brutal repression in Iran by arbitrarily arresting thousands of Iranian civilians, lawyers, dissidents, students, academics, defenders of human rights thereby creating a climate of intimidation on civil society,

 

1.  Strongly condemns the death sentences imposed and executions carried out in Iran and calls on the Iranian Authorities to abolish the death penalty;

 

2.  Strongly condemns the use of violence, arbitrary arrests, and judicial harassments by the Iranian Authorities against dissidents and demonstrators;

 

3.  Calls on the Iranian Government to respect all obligations under international law, and to fulfil all obligations under the International Conventions signed;

 

4.  Urges the Iranian Authorities to immediate release the Christian Evangelic Pastor Nadarkhani, the lawyer Sotoudeh, the filmmakers Panahi and Rasoulof, the journalist Tajik, the student activists Hedayat, Golroo and Tavakoli and all those detained solely for peacefully exercising their right of freedom of expression, and freedom of association, and professing their religious belief;

 

5.   Reminds the Iranian Authorities that the respect for the principles of democracy,

freedom of expression and the rule of law are requirements necessary for all countries to maintain political and economic relations with EU, and Iran must guarantee all fundamental human rights in order to develop relations with the EU;

 

6.   Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/ Vice-President of the European Commission, the Governments and Parliaments of the Member States and the Government and Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran.