B4-0622, 0663, 0713 and 0728/95

Resolution on human rights violations in Iran

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on human rights violations in Iran, in particular those concerning the case of Mr Salman Rushdie, and the resolutions adopted by the United Nations,

A. whereas the human rights situation in Iran is only getting worse, as revealed, inter alia, by independent investigations by specialist UN bodies,

B. whereas, according to the UN, more than 100 000 people have been executed in Iran in recent years for political reasons and others have been deprived of their liberty,

C. whereas the use of torture and arbitrary arrest is widespread in Iran, as revealed in the most recent UN interim report, which also recorded numerous executions without trial,

D. deeply concerned by the continuing discrimination against and persecution of religious minorities in Iran,

E. deeply concerned by the discrimination against women, who can be condemned to brutal punishments even for slight offences against the moral code,

F. concerned by the Iranian parliament's approval of a law allowing the 'forces of law and order' and the 'volunteer militia' to open fire at will on protest demonstrations, as happened in Teheran on 4 April 1995, killing and injuring several people,

G. shocked that the Iranian regime maintains special armed forces to liquidate its opponents abroad, as evidenced by the assassination of numerous members of the National Resistance Council in a number of countries in Europe and elsewhere,

H. horrified by the use of state terrorism as a method of government in Teheran,

I. whereas the Iranian regime has so far refused to cooperate with the international community in fully investigating the numerous human rights violations committed in Iran, as evidenced by its refusal to grant an entry visa to the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Iran,

1. Strongly condemns the Iranian Government for the massive human rights violations which continue to occur in Iran, in particular the cases of execution without trial, torture, persecution and assassination of its opponents abroad and the repression of women and ethnic and religious minorities;

2. Condemns the repression of anti-government demonstrations and reminds the Iranian regime that respect for political rights - as defined in the relevant United Nations conventions - and the implementation of freedom of speech are prerequisites for closer relations between the EU and Iran;

3. Takes the view that the Member States must make their relations with Iran conditional upon Iran respecting human rights and the rights of all ethnic and religious minorities, the disbanding of intelligence service special forces deployed against members of the opposition, a clear condemnation of terrorism and the fatwa against Salman Rushdie;

4. Recalls that Iran is a signatory to the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights and invites it accordingly to apply the convention in full, to stop using the death penalty and to avoid all forms of inhuman and cruel treatment of prisoners and members of the Iranian opposition;

5. Calls for all political prisoners to be released, fair trials to be guaranteed and a halt to be called to the unlawful punishment of exiles;

6. Urges the Teheran government to do everything possible to ensure real freedom of information and of the press, and in this connection supports the appeal made to the Teheran government by 134 writers and journalists requesting the immediate release of all journalists and men of culture imprisoned because of their professions;

7. Deplores the fact that the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Iran has been unable to enter the country to check on the human rights situation, and calls on the government to grant him an entry visa;

8. Renews its solidarity with the writer Salman Rushdie and condemns the words of President Rafsanjani, who has only recently described the fatwa against Mr Rushdie as 'irrevocable';

9. Supports the call by the French Minister for Foreign Affairs to put pressure on Iran in order to guarantee Salman Rushdie's safety in all the Member States of the European Union and calls on the Council to take a decision to this end at its next meeting;

10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Iranian Government, the Iranian National Resistance Council, the Governments of the Member States and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.