B4-0345, 0364, 0386, 0392, 0394 and 0407/96

Resolution on the violation of political and human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on human rights violations by the Islamic Republic of Iran,

A. whereas a number of Iranian opposition activists have been killed in Iran itself and outside Iran in circumstances suggesting that they may have been killed unlawfully by Iranian government agents,

B. noting the recent prosecution on charges of murder of Iranian Minister of State Ali Fallahian, in charge of Iran's secret service, by the German State Prosecutor's Office (Bundesanwaltschaft), following the murder of four Kurdish Iranian members of the opposition in Berlin in September 1992,

C. whereas on 20 February 1996, Zahra Rajabi, a member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, and Abol-Ali Moradi, a sympathiser of the same organisation, were reportedly found dead in Istanbul,

D. whereas there are reports that the Teheran intelligence ministry and its diplomatic missions abroad continue to intimidate Iranian refugees,

E. concerned at the arrest in Yazd, Iran, of Dhabihu'llah Mahrami, on a charge of religious apostasy, while great pressure continues to be exerted by the Islamic Security Department on Mr. Mahrami to denounce his Bahai religious faith and to embrace Islam,

F. concerned at the death sentence passed on Mr Mahrami for religious apostasy,

G. concerned at official Iranian intimidation of the Bahais and other religious minorities, through the confiscation of property, desecration of burial areas, official non-recognition of Bahai marriages and divorces and the rights of inheritance, to travel abroad, to receive social security, and to elect and maintain their administrative institutions, the refusal of the right of assembly, the refusal of access to higher education and farming cooperatives, and the outright expulsion of 10,000 Bahais from positions in government and education since the early 1980s,

1. Strongly condemns the assassinations of Mrs Rajabi and Mr Moradi, and the persecution of political opponents by the Iranian government and its agents, both inside and outside Iran;

2. Calls on the Iranian government to overturn the death sentences imposed on Mr Mahrami and on all people of whatever faith in Iran, and to take urgent steps to restore the freedom of all those jailed because of their beliefs;

3. Expresses once again its solidarity with those Iranian citizens being persecuted by the Teheran government for belonging to religious minorities, on account of their sex or ethnic origin, or because of their political opposition to that government;

4. Calls on the Iranian government to restore the freedom of worship to all individuals and communities in Iran, regardless of creed or ethnic origin, to allow them the right to follow their religious practice and belief, and to share their faith with other people;

5. Calls on the EU Member States to increase their protection of opposition leaders living in exile in their territory;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the governments of the Member States and the Government of Iran.