Strasbourg, 17/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - In its adoption, on 16 November, of a resolution by six political groups (all except the Independence and Democracy group), the European Parliament voiced its concern at the worsening human rights situation since President Ahmadinejad took up office in June 2005, and called upon Teheran to renew dialogue with the EU on the subject of human rights. The EP furthermore calls on the EU to enter into dialogue with Iran to discuss "concrete cases of infringements of human rights, which constitutes the number one condition for progress in economic and commercial relations" between the Union and Teheran, and to provide "support for the uncensored media". The EP welcomes the first visit by a delegation of the Majlis, the Iranian Parliament, to Brussels in October (see EUROPE 9284). The long resolution raises the following problems: - political prisoners. The EP calls for the investigation underway into "deaths under suspicious circumstances and the murders of intellectuals and political activists" to be speeded up, and for the "unconditional provision of appropriate medical assistance to prisoners". The resolution calls for the liberation of many who are being held prisoner due to their views and welcomes the fact that three of them were freed recently; - juvenile delinquents. The MEPs are concerned to note that Iran continues to execute minors and that, "despite assurances given by the government, death by stoning was carried out on at least two occasions"; - minority rights. The EP is concerned at the fate of minorities such as the Azerbaijanis (the main ethnic minority in Iran), Kurds, Arabs and Baluchis; - press freedom. The EP insists on the liberation of "all journalists and bloggers being held", condemns the imprisonment of cyber journalists and bloggers and "censorship affecting several online publications, Web logs and Internet sites, because this is the least censored source of information to which the Iranian people have access", and calls on the Iranian Parliament to repeal all criminal punishments reserved for the peaceful profession of opinions; -freedom of religion. Amongst other things, the EP calls for "an end to the de facto ban on practising the Baha'i faith", voices its concern at the arrest of two lawyers who were "pleading the cause of Sufis in Qom" and its concern for the safety of "Ayatollah Sayad Hossein Kazamenyi Boroujerdi, who has for years been recommending the separation of religion and the political bases of the State", and that of "more than 400 of his supporters, according to the information available"; - women's rights. Despite a certain amount of progress, the EP remains concerned at legal and practical discrimination suffered by women and condemns the recourse to "violence and discrimination towards Iranian women, which remains a serious problem".
During the debate, certain members showed little flexibility whilst others, despite their condemnation of infringements of human rights, demonstrated greater inclination for dialogue, in order to try to improve the situation. Responding to them, Commissioner Olli Rehn acknowledged that the human rights situation in Iran has, if anything, got worse recently: we have raised the problem in proceedings as well as declarations, but unfortunately the Iranian authorities seem to be "less disposed to take on board our requests" than in the past. For this issue, the EU has decided to support the proposed Canadian resolution on human rights in Iran, at the Security Council later this month. Whatever the potential of our relations with Teheran in the field of commerce, for example, or energy, as long as these violations continue, our relationship will not be able to "develop in the adequate manner", Mr Rehn regretted. (mg)