Following the debate which took place on the same day, the European Parliament adopted by 79 votes to 0, with 0 abstentions, a resolution on Iran, in particular the case of Nasrin Sotoudeh.
The resolution had been tabled by the EFD, ALDE, ECR, S&D, EPP, GUE/NGL Greens/ALE groups.
It calls on the Government of Iran immediately and unconditionally to release Nasrin Sotoudeh, a prominent Iranian human rights lawyer, and all other prisoners of conscience. It considers that Nasrin Sotoudeh's sentence is of a political nature, aimed at taking one of Iran's leading human rights defenders out of practice. Members recall that Nasrin Sotoudeh was sentenced to 11 years in jail on charges of ‘acting against national security’, ‘membership of the Centre for Human Rights Defenders’, not wearing hejab (Islamic dress) during a videotaped message, and ‘propaganda against the regime’. They strongly condemns the extraordinarily harsh sentence against Nasrin Sotoudeh and the intimidation of her husband, and call on Iran to adhere to the standards set forth by the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, which states that lawyers must be allowed to carry out their work without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference.
The resolution deeply deplores the lack of fairness and transparency in the judicial process in Iran and calls on the Iranian authorities to uphold due process in law and practice; appeals to the head of the Iranian Judiciary, Ayatollah Sadegh Amoli Larijani, to establish an independent commission to examine the prosecution of human rights lawyers and to hold accountable all officials who have participated in illegal procedures.
Members want the European External Action Service to devise additional measures in the context of the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights, in order actively to protect Iranian human rights defenders. They encourage Member States and local authorities to support initiatives such as the European Shelter City Programme and the International Cities of Refugee. Parliament further calls on for the existing list of individuals and organisations subject to the EU travel ban and the freezing of assets to be extended to include Iranian officials who are responsible for violations of human rights, repression and curtailment of freedom in Iran. It also wants EU representatives and the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union of Foreign Affairs to re-engage in talks about human rights with Iran.
The resolution states that Sotoudeh's sentence is part of a systematic assault on human rights lawyers and activists in Iran, and cites the sentences imposed on other lawyers, noting also that journalists and bloggers continue to be targeted. Members note that torture and ill-treatment of prisoners, and impunity for State agents continue to be widespread in Iran, giving rise to serious doubts as to the fairness and transparency of the judicial process in that country.
They call on Iran to:
· combat the impunity of human rights violators within the security forces;
· establish an independent investigation into allegations of extrajudicial executions since the disputed June presidential elections and for alleged violators to be brought to justice;
· cooperate fully with all international human rights mechanisms, to continue exploring cooperation on human rights and justice reform with the United Nations and to fully implement the recommendations of the Universal Periodic Review;
· grant the Red Crescent access to all prisoners and to allow international human rights organisations to monitor the situation in the country;
· reconsider the sentence imposed on Zahra Bahrami, who was arrested after the Ashura protests on 27 December 2009 and sentenced to death, and to grant her a fair trial and access to Dutch authorities, given her Dutch citizenship, in accordance with international standards.
Lastly, Parliament calls for the re-establishment of a UN mandate for a Special Rapporteur to investigate human rights abuses and encourage accountability for those perpetrating human rights violations in Iran.