MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation of ethnic minorities in Iran

12.6.2012 - (2012/2682(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 122 of the Rules of Procedure

Véronique De Keyser, María Muñiz De Urquiza, Ana Gomes, Kathleen Van Brempt, Pino Arlacchi on behalf of the S&D Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0309/2012

B7‑0313/2012

European Parliament resolution on the situation of ethnic minorities in Iran

(2012/2682(RSP))

The European Parliament,

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

 

-     having regard to the report on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran by the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran of 23 September 2011

 

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

 

 

A.  whereas six members of Iran´s Ahwazi Arab minority are on trial after they were detained without charge for almost a year in connection with their activities on behalf of Iran´s Ahwazi Arab minority;

 

B.  whereas justified fears exist that they may not receive a fair trial and may be at risk of torture or other ill-treatment;

 

C.  whereas the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran formally provides for the fair treatment of ethnic minorities, including their rights to use their language; whereas, however, in practice members of ethnic minorities, such as Azeris, Arabs, Kurds, Balochs and Turkmens face a wide range of human and civil rights violations, including encroachments on their rights to freedom of assembly, association and expression;

 

D.  whereas violations of human and civil rights of persons belonging to ethnic minorities must be seen within the broader context of widespread human rights violations in Iran;

E.  whereas a dramaric increase in executions, including of juveniles, is recorded in Iran in recent years; whereas the death penalty is regularly used in cases where due process rights were denied to the accused and for crimes that do not meet the international standard for most serious crimes;

 

1. Calls on the Iranian authorities to ensure that the arrested members of Iran´s Ahwazi Arab minority - Mohammad Ali Amouri, Rahman Asakereh, Hashem Shaabni Amouri, Hadi Rashidi, Sayed Jaber Alboshoka and Sayed Mokhtar Alboshoka are tried according to international fair trial standards and without recource to the death penalty;

 

2.  Urges the Iranian authorities that the arrested men are protected from torture and other ill-treatment, and that they are allowed regular access to lawyers of their choosing and medical treatment, if and when needed;

 

3.   Calls on the Iranian government to uphold the equal treatment and non-discrimination provisions contained in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran in all spheres of public life and services, and to protect the freedoms of ethnic minorities to freely associate and express themselves;

 

4. Calls on the Iranian authorities to affirm the right to use minority languages, particularly the teaching of minority languages in schools;

 

5. Calls on the UN Independent Expert on Minority Issues and the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, xenophobia and related intolerance to request a visit to Iran in order to report on the situation of human rights, and particularly the plight of the minorities;

 

6. Reiterates its call on the Iranian Government to respect its international obligations, and underscores the pre-eminence of international human rights law, which includes the guarantees stipulated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

 

7. Urges the Iranian Government to prohibit death penalty for cases that do not meet the standard of "serious crime" as defined by international law and consider a moratorium on the death penalty for all crimes; urges the Government to prohibit the execution of juveniles and consider commuting all capital sentences for juveniles currently facing a death sentence;

 

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Government and Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the EEAS, the Council, the Commission and the UN Human Rights Council.