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

Cristian Dan Preda, Lars Adaktusson, Pavel Svoboda, Jaromír Štětina, Tomáš Zdechovský, Marijana Petir, Tunne Kelam, Csaba Sógor, Laima Liucija Andrikienė, József Nagy, Ivan Štefanec, Eduard Kukan, Roberta Metsola, Jarosław Wałęsa, Giovanni La Via, Elisabetta Gardini, Željana Zovko, David McAllister, Michaela Šojdrová, Bogdan Brunon Wenta, Adam Szejnfeld, Seán Kelly, Dubravka Šuica, Ivo Belet, Deirdre Clune, Francis Zammit Dimech, Ivana Maletić, Sandra Kalniete, José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Inese Vaidere, Ramona Nicole Mănescu on behalf of the PPE Group

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

B8‑0257/2018

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, in particular those of 25 October 2016 on the EU strategy towards Iran after the nuclear agreement, of 3 April 2014 on the EU strategy towards Iran, 17 November 2011 on Iran – recent cases of human rights violations, and 10 March 2011 on the EU’s approach towards Iran,

–having regard to its previous resolutions on the EU Annual Reports on Human Rights,

–having regard to the decision of the European Council of 12 April 2018 to extend of one year (until 13 April 2019) its restrictive measures related to serious human rights violations in Iran,

–having regard to the joint statement by the VP/HR Federica Mogherini and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Javad Zarif, on 16 April 2016 in Tehran, in which it was agreed to engage in a Human Rights Dialogue and to exchange visits between EU and Iran on human rights’ related issues,

–having regard to the Annual report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General on situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran of 23 March 2018,

–having regard to Rule 135 of its Rules of Procedure, 

 

A. whereas there are several EU-Iranian dual citizens detained in the Islamic Republic’s prisons, including Mr Ahmadreza Djalali, a Swedish-Iranian researcher who has been accused of spying and convicted to death following an unfair trial; whereas Mr Djalali is under imminent threat of execution, in a poor health condition and without access to the necessary medical care;

B. whereas the Foreign Minister Zarif confirmed both sides’ determination to enhance human rights and to engage in a human rights dialogue in the Joint Statement agreed on 16 April 2017;

C. whereas Iran as a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), should respect freedom of thought, conscience and religion in line with its obligations;

D. whereas Iran continues to imprison and has recently intensified its arrests of civil society activists, human rights defenders, environmental activists, and political prisoners;

E. whereas the dual nationals detained in Iran have not been given access to a lawyer and fair trial; whereas Iran treats dual nationals in practice as Iranians only, which limits the access of foreign embassies to their citizens detained there, as well as their access to consular protection;

1. Deplores that EU-Iranian dual citizens are detained in Iran’s prisons in poor conditions, often with forced confessions after torture and inhuman treatment;

2. Calls on the Iranian judicial authorities to release Mr Ahmadreza Djalali, an Iranian-born Swedish researcher detained in prison since April 2016, and ensure to him the medical care needed;

3. Calls on Iran to guarantee the EU and Iranian dual nationals detained in the Iranian prisons access to a proper defence, a lawyer and to a fair trial, according to international standards;

4. Calls on the Iranian authorities to respect the fundamental right of the defendants to access a lawyer of their choice and the right to fair trial, given its international obligations as stipulated in the UN Declaration of Human Rights;

5. Condemns torture and other cruel treatment especially during interrogations and calls on Iranian authorities to respect human dignity of the prisoners; deplores cruel and inhuman conditions of detention and calls on Iran to ensure adequate medical care to all the prisoners;

6. Recalls that respect of human rights remains a central point of EU policy of reengagement with Iran;

7. Calls on Iran to undertake the necessary steps in view of a revision of the law in order to ensure the fair trial, access to a lawyer during the investigative phases and to stop forced statement as a result of torture;

8. Calls on the Iranian authorities to cooperate with the Embassies of EU Member States in Teheran in order to establish the list of the EU-Iranian dual nationals currently detained in the Iranian prisons and to closely monitor each individual case, given that the citizen's security and protection of their fundamental rights is of the highest importance for the EU;

9. Calls for the release of all human rights defenders imprisoned in Iran and to halt all acts of intimidation against them;

10. Calls on the Iranian authorities to implement a moratorium on the death penalty;

11. Reiterates the engagement of Iran in a Human Rights Dialogue and welcomes the openness from the Iranian authorities to pursue the Human Rights Dialogue;

12. Calls on the HR/VP to raise the conditions in prisons and violation of human rights, especially in case of the EU-Iranian dual nationals detained in the prisons in Iran in order to put an end to the cruel or inhumane treatment in Iranian prisons;

13. Urges the HR/VP and the EU Member States to enhance raising human rights concerns with the Iranian authorities, including on the situation of political prisoners, human rights defenders, and freedom of expression and association;

 

14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the HR/VP, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Government and Parliament of Iran.