MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Iran, notably the case of Nasrin Sotoudeh
11.12.2018 - (2018/2967(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 135 of the Rules of Procedure
Victor Boştinaru, Soraya Post, Ana Gomes, Elena Valenciano son behalf of the S&D Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0562/2018
B8‑0565/2018
European Parliament resolution on Iran, notably the case of Nasrin Sotoudeh
The European Parliament,
- having regard to its previous resolutions on Iran, notably on the situation of imprisoned EU-Iranian dual nationals in Iran of May 2018, on the EU strategy towards Iran of April 2014 and on death penalty of October 2015 and to its report on the EU strategy towards Iran after the nuclear agreement of 24 October 2016;
having regard to the awarding of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought and Expression to Nasrin Sotoudeh in 2012;
- having regard to the EU Guidelines on the Death Penalty, on Torture and on Freedom of Expression;
- having regard to the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders;
- having regard to the Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran from September 2018;
- having regard to the Statement by UN human rights experts “Iran must protect women´s rights advocates”, of 29 November 2018
- having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
- having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
- having regard to Rule 135 of its Rules of Procedure,
A. Whereas prominent human rights lawyer and the winner of the 2012 Sakharov prize for freedom of thought, Nasrin Sotoudeh, and her husband Reza Khandan have been detained since June 13 and September 4 respectively, in connection with her peaceful activism against compulsorily hijab laws and defending women who are being prosecuted for removing their headscarf in public, where as her prosecution and charges brought against her demonstrates the grave degree the Iranian judiciary is criminalizing human rights activism including efforts to reduce the high rate of executions in the country;
B. Whereas the Iranian intelligence has intensified its crackdown against civil society workers and human rights defenders, arresting lawyers, environmental activists, women rights defenders and peaceful activists against compulsory hijab laws;
C. Whereas human rights defender Farhad Meysami has been detained since July 2018 for his peaceful activities against compulsory hijab, including creating badges that said “I oppose compulsory hijab”; whereas his health has rapidly deteriorated as a result of his reported hunger strike since August and he is in urgent need of adequate healthcare outside prison;
D. Whereas eight conservationists, Taher Ghadirian, Niloufar Bayani, Amirhossein Khaleghi, Houman Jokar, Sam Rajabi, Sepideh Kashani, Abdolreza Kouhpayeh and Morad Tahbaz, who is also a British national, have been detained in pretrial detention with no access to a lawyer since January 2018 for over 10 months on accusation of spying, with no evidence, and four of them are charged with “corruption on earth” that could even carry the death penalty; whereas Kavous Seyed Emami, an Iranian-Canadian university professor who was arrested with other conservationists, died under suspicious circumstances in custody on February 10, and authorities have failed to conduct transparent investigation into his death;
E. whereas the EU has adopted restrictive measures related to violations of human rights, including asset freeze and visa bans for individuals and entities responsible for grave human rights violations and ban on exports to Iran of equipment which might be used for internal repression and of equipment for monitoring telecommunications; whereas these measures are regularly updated and remain in place; whereas the last update, from 12 April 2018, extended them until 13 April 2019;
1. Calls on Iranian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Nasrin Sotoudeh, Farhad Meysani, Reza Khandan and all others detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their freedom of expression, in violation of Iran’s constitution and international obligations; pending their release, calls on Iran to allow them full access to lawyers of their choice and adequate medical care, and to conduct credible investigations into any ill-treatment or torture allegations;
2. Calls on the Iranian authorities to immediately release environmental activists Taher Ghadirian, Niloufar Bayani, Amirhossein Khaleghi, Houman Jokar, Sam Rajabi, Sepideh Kashani, Abdolreza Kouhpayeh and Morad Tahbaz, unless they can bring recognizable charges against them, provide evidence of wrongdoing and guarantee a fair trial with access to a lawyer of their choice;
3. Calls on the Iranian authorities to respect and protect the rights of peaceful assembly, refrain from use of violent force in dispersing nonpeaceful assemblies unless as a means of last resort with constraint and to minimize injury, investigate the allegations of excessive use of force, and release all those arrested and persecuted solely for participation in the peaceful protests that have been happening across the country;
4. Supports the discussions on human rights taking place in the context of the EU-Iran High-Level Dialogue launched after the conclusion of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action; stresses that the EU should remain determined to continue raising its human rights concerns with Iran both bilaterally and in multilateral fora;
5. Calls on the Iranian government to ensure the due process rights of all EU citizens who have detained in Iran and grant them a fair trial;
6. Reiterates its call on the judiciary to respect the principles of fair trial and due process and to grant suspects access to legal counsel of their choice, consular visits and visits by the UN Special Rapporteurs and humanitarian organisations, as well as full access to medical treatment and healthcare services in accordance with Iran’s international obligations; calls on Iran to take the necessary steps with a view to revision of the law in order to ensure fair trials and access to a lawyer during the investigative phases and to put an end to forced confessions made as a result of torture;
7.Insists that Iranian authorities must guarantee the safety and well-being of all detainees while in detention, including adequate medical care to human rights defenders; calls on the Iranian authorities to investigate all allegations of ill-treatment in detention and bring perpetrators to justice;
8.Calls on the European External Action Service and the European Commission to establish an internal inter-institutional task force in support of Sakharov prize laureates who are arrested, condemned, are facing the death penalty or manifestly unfair trials in third countries;
9.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice‑President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Islamic Consultative Assembly, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Office of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran;