COUNCIL DECISION 2011/235/CFSP
of 12 April 2011
concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities in view of the situation in Iran
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 29 thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
On 21 March 2011, the Council reiterated its deep concern about the deterioration of the human rights situation in Iran.
(2)
The Council underlined in particular the dramatic increase in executions in recent months and the systematic repression of Iranian citizens, who face harassment and arrests for exercising their legitimate rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. The Union also reiterated its strong condemnation of the use of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.
(3)
In this context, the Council reaffirmed its determination to continue to address human rights abuses in Iran and declared its readiness to introduce restrictive measures targeted against those responsible for grave human rights violations in Iran.
(4)
The restrictive measures should target persons complicit in or responsible for directing or implementing grave human rights violations in the repression of peaceful demonstrators, journalists, human rights defenders, students or other persons who speak up in defence of their legitimate rights, including freedom of expression, as well as persons complicit in or responsible for directing or implementing; grave violations of the right to due process, torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, or the indiscriminate, excessive and increasing application of the death penalty, including public executions, stoning, hangings or the execution of juvenile offenders in contravention of Iran’s international human rights obligations.
(5)
Further action by the Union is needed in order to implement certain measures,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
1. Member States shall take the necessary measures to prevent the entry into, or transit through, their territories of the persons responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran, and persons associated with them, as listed in the Annex.
2. Paragraph 1 shall not oblige a Member State to refuse its own nationals entry into its territory.
3. Paragraph 1 shall be without prejudice to the cases where a Member State is bound by an obligation of international law, namely:
(a)
as a host country to an international intergovernmental organisation;
(b)
as a host country to an international conference convened by, or under the auspices of, the United Nations;
(c)
under a multilateral agreement conferring privileges and immunities; or
(d)
under the 1929 Treaty of Conciliation (Lateran pact) concluded by the Holy See (State of the Vatican City) and Italy.
4. Paragraph 3 shall be considered as also applying in cases where a Member State is host country to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
5. The Council shall be duly informed in all cases where a Member State grants an exemption pursuant to paragraph 3 or 4.
6. Member States may grant exemptions from the measures imposed under paragraph 1 where travel is justified on the grounds of urgent humanitarian need, or on grounds of attending intergovernmental meetings, including those promoted by the Union, or hosted by a Member State holding the Chairmanship in office of the OSCE, where a political dialogue is conducted that directly promotes democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Iran.
7. A Member State wishing to grant exemptions as referred to in paragraph 6 shall notify the Council in writing. The exemption shall be deemed to be granted unless one or more of the Council Members raises an objection in writing within 2 working days of receiving notification of the proposed exemption. Should one or more of the Council Members raise an objection, the Council, acting by a qualified majority, may nevertheless decide to grant the proposed exemption.
8. In cases where pursuant to paragraphs 3, 4, 6 or 7, a Member State authorises the entry into, or transit through, its territory of persons listed in the Annex, the authorisation shall be limited to the purpose for which it is given and to the persons concerned thereby.
Article 2
1. All funds and economic resources belonging to, owned, held or controlled by persons responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran, and all funds and economic resources belonging to, owned, held or controlled by persons and entities associated with them, as listed in the Annex, shall be frozen.
2. No funds or economic resources shall be made available, directly or indirectly, to or for the benefit of the persons and entities listed in the Annex.
3. The competent authority of a Member State may authorise the release of certain frozen funds or economic resources, or the making available of certain funds or economic resources, under such conditions as it deems appropriate, after having determined that the funds or economic resources concerned are:
(a)
necessary to satisfy the basic needs of the persons listed in the Annex and their dependent family members, including payments for foodstuffs, rent or mortgage, medicines and medical treatment, taxes, insurance premiums, and public utility charges;
(b)
intended exclusively for the payment of reasonable professional fees and the reimbursement of incurred expenses associated with the provision of legal services;
(c)
intended exclusively for the payment of fees or service charges for the routine holding or maintenance of frozen funds or economic resources; or
(d)
necessary for extraordinary expenses, provided that the competent authority has notified the competent authorities of the other Member States and the Commission of the grounds on which it considers that a specific authorisation should be granted, at least 2 weeks prior to the authorisation.
The Member State concerned shall inform the other Member States and the Commission of any authorisation granted under this paragraph.
4. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, the competent authorities of a Member State may authorise the release of certain frozen funds or economic resources, provided that the following conditions are met:
(a)
the funds or economic resources are the subject of a judicial, administrative or arbitral lien established prior to the date on which the person or entity referred to in paragraph 1 was listed in the Annex, or of a judicial, administrative or arbitral judgment rendered prior to that date;
(b)
the funds or economic resources will be used exclusively to satisfy claims secured by such a lien or recognised as valid in such a judgment, within the limits set by applicable laws and regulations governing the rights of persons having such claims;
(c)
the lien or judgment is not for the benefit of a person or entity listed in the Annex; and
(d)
recognising the lien or judgement is not contrary to public policy in the Member State concerned.
The Member State concerned shall inform the other Member States and the Commission of any authorisation granted under this paragraph.
5. Paragraph 1 shall not prevent a listed person or an entity from making a payment due under a contract entered into prior to the date on which such person or entity was listed in the Annex, provided that the Member State concerned has determined that the payment is not directly or indirectly received by a person or entity referred to in paragraph 1.
6. Paragraph 2 shall not apply to the addition to frozen accounts of:
(a)
interest or other earnings on those accounts; or
(b)
payments due under contracts, agreements or obligations that were concluded or arose prior to the date on which those accounts became subject to the measures provided for in paragraphs 1 and 2;
provided that any such interest, other earnings and payments remain subject to the measures provided for in paragraph 1.
Article 3
1. The Council, acting upon a proposal by a Member State or the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, shall establish and amend the list in the Annex.
2. The Council shall communicate its decision, including the grounds for listing, to the person or the entity concerned, either directly, if the address is known, or through the publication of a notice, providing such person or entity with an opportunity to present observations.
3. Where observations are submitted, or where substantial new evidence is presented, the Council shall review its decision and inform the person or entity concerned accordingly.
Article 4
1. The Annex shall include the grounds for listing the persons and entities concerned.
2. The Annex shall also contain, where available, the information necessary to identify the persons or entities concerned. With regard to persons, such information may include names, including aliases, date and place of birth, nationality, passport and identity card numbers, gender, address if known, and function or profession. With regard to entities, such information may include names, place and date of registration, registration number and place of business.
Article 5
In order to maximise the impact of the measures provided for in this Decision, the Union shall encourage third States to adopt similar restrictive measures.
Article 6
This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.
This Decision shall apply until 13 April 2012. It shall be kept under constant review. It shall be renewed, or amended as appropriate, if the Council deems that its objectives have not been met.
Done at Luxembourg, 12 April 2011.