MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Human rights situation in Iran, particularly mass execution and recent death of the blogger Sattar Beheshti

20.11.2012 - (2012/2877(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

José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Cristian Dan Preda, Bernd Posselt, Filip Kaczmarek, Roberta Angelilli, Mario Mauro, Tunne Kelam, Eija-Riitta Korhola, Sergio Paolo Francesco Silvestris, Zuzana Roithová, Monica Luisa Macovei, Sari Essayah, Giovanni La Via, Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Jarosław Leszek Wałęsa, Lena Kolarska-Bobińska, Elena Băsescu, Philippe Boulland on behalf of the PPE Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0500/2012

B7‑0508/2012

European Parliament resolution on Human rights situation in Iran, particularly mass execution and recent death of the blogger Sattar Beheshti

(2012/2877(RSP))

The European Parliament,

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

 

-          having regard to the statement of 23 October 2012 by the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on ten recent executions in Iran,

 

-          having regard to the statement of 11 November 2012 by the spokesperson of the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the death of Iranian blogger Sattar Beheshti in custody,

 

-         having regard to the report of 13 September 2012 by the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran

 

-          having regard to UN General Assembly Resolutions 62/149 of 18 December 2007 and 63/168 of 18 December 2008 on a moratorium on the use of the death penalty,

-         having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and 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 of its Rules of Procedure,

 

A.       whereas the current human rights situation in Iran is characterised by an ongoing pattern of systematic violations of fundamental rights; whereas human rights defenders (in particular women's, children's and minority rights activists), journalists, bloggers, artists, student leaders, lawyers, trade unionists and environmentalists continue to live under severe pressure and the constant threat of arrest;

B.        whereas the blogger Sattar Beheshti, who criticized the Iranian regime on the internet was arrested on 30 October 2012 and died in custody; whereas the exact circumstances of his death are not yet established and whereas several reports are indicating that he died as a result of torture in an Iranian detention facility;

 

C.       whereas the Iranian Parliament and judiciary have decided to investigate the death of Mr Beheshti; whereas the UN Special Rapporteurs on the situation of human rights in Iran, summary executions, torture and freedom of expression have welcomed the Iranian Parliament’s and judiciary’s decisions to investigate Mr. Beheshti’s death, while also noting that a number of cases have been reported in Iran in which detainees allegedly died in custody due to mistreatment or torture, lack of medical attention or neglect;

 

D.       whereas on 22 October 2012 ten men were executed on charges of drug offences; whereas most of these men did not receive a fair trial and were subjected to torture during their detention;

 

E.        whereas a dramatic increase in executions, including of juveniles, has been recorded in Iran in recent years and there have been over 300 executions since the beginning of this year; whereas the death penalty is regularly imposed in cases where the accused are denied their due-process rights and for crimes that do not fall into the category of ‘most serious crimes’ under international standards;

F.        whereas Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani was released from prison in September 2012, but the pressure on religious minorities continues to increase; whereas the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, and the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief have stated that "no individual should be arrested for peacefully exercising the rights to freedom of religion and belief";

G.       whereas the 2012 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought has been awarded to two Iranian activists, the lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh and the film director Jafar Panahi;

 

1.        Expresses grave concern over the steadily deteriorating human rights situation in Iran, the growing number of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, the continuously high number of executions, including of juveniles, the widespread torture, unfair trials and exorbitant sums demanded for bail, and the heavy restrictions on freedom of information, expression, assembly, religion, education and movement;

2.        Is deeply concerned about the death in prison of Sattar Beheshti; urges the Iranian authorities to conduct a thorough enquiry into the case, in order to establish the exact circumstances of his death;

 

3.        Is deeply concerned by the reports indicating that Sattar Beheshti was tortured in prison; urges the Iranian authorities to ensure that an inquiry is held in each case of alleged torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in detention facilities and perpetrators are held accountable for their acts; recalls that the use of corporal punishment – which amounts to torture – is incompatible with Article 7 of the ICCPR;

 

4.        Stresses that the treatment of prisoners should meet minimum international and national standards, and that prisoners should be granted adequate access to medical care;

 

5.        Strongly condemns the use of the death penalty in Iran and calls on the Iranian authorities, in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolutions 62/149 and 63/138, to institute a moratorium on executions, pending the abolition of the death penalty; urges the government to prohibit the execution of juveniles and commute all capital sentences currently faced by juveniles;

6.        Deeply deplores the lack of fairness and transparency of the judicial process as well as the denial of due process rights, calls on the Iranian authorities to guarantee a fair and open procedure;

 

7.        Urges the Iranian authorities to release all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, including Sakharov Prize winners Nasrin Sotoudeh and Jafar Panahi and allow them to come to the European Parliament in December 2012 to collect their prize;

 

8.        Calls on the Iranian authorities to guarantee religious freedom in accordance with the Iranian constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and to put a stop in practice to discrimination against and harassment of religious minorities such as non-Shia Muslims, including Assyrians and other Christian groups, the systematic persecution of the Baha'i minority and the application of the death penalty to converts from Islam;

 

9.        Urges the Iranian authorities to demonstrate that they are fully committed to cooperating with the international community in improving the human rights situation in Iran, and calls on the Iranian Government to fulfil all its obligations, both under international law and under the international conventions it has signed;

 

10.     Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the UN Secretary-General, the UN Human Rights Council and the Government and Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran