2/11/2007
Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy: Iran, European Parliament, Strasbourg, 25 October, 2007

The Commission welcomes the European Parliament’s new resolution on the human rights situation in Iran.

The resolution sends another strong signal that all EU Institutions are united in their commitment for the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms all over the world.

Regrettably, the respect for basic human rights in Iran has continued to deteriorate over the past year. For this reason, the EU has no choice but to support a new UN General Assembly Resolution on the situation of human rights Iran.

There has been an increased clampdown on freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and political dissent.

We have taken note of increasing discrimination of minorities, and of the harassment and closure of independent non-governmental organisations.

Documented intimidation and persecution of human rights defenders from all sectors of Iranian society has grown, as has the repression of intellectuals, teachers, students, women activists and trade unions:

Only recently, one of Iran's best known human rights defenders, Mr Emadeddin Baghi, was once again imprisoned under the charge of “propaganda against the government”.

Since July, Mr Mansour Osanlu, president of the Iranian bus drivers’ union and embodiment of an independent trade union movement in Iran, has been detained. Mr Osanlu furthermore is in need of urgent medical treatment, which, we have reason to believe, he did not receive for a long time.

There have been new allegations of torture, executions of persons who were minors at the time their offence was committed, and of public executions – in one case including the use of stoning.

The number of executions carried out in the country amounts to at least 250 so far this year. That figure exceeds the 177 people who were executed in 2006, according to Amnesty International.

The EU does not remain silent over such developments. We deplore the ongoing violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Iran as well as the persistent failure to uphold international standards on the administration of justice. We call upon the Iranian Government to respect fully all human rights and fundamental freedoms, as per the international conventions the Islamic Republic of Iran has ratified.

Last month, in the margins of the UN General Assembly, I addressed the much-needed improvements in Human Rights in my conversation with Mr. Mottaki, the Iranian Foreign Minister.

I have also repeatedly expressed my concern with the adjournment of the bilateral dialogue on Human Rights with Iran in 2004. We are disappointed by Iran’s unwillingness to resume this dialogue. Still, we remain ready to do so, as we believe in the importance of dialogue and engagement.

In this respect, the Commission is currently supporting four EIDHR (European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights) projects, three of which are carried out through UN agencies. One is linked to activities surrounding the Human Rights dialogue.

The Commission is fully in line with the European Parliament to say – and hopes that the Iranian leadership and people will understand – that whatever the developments on the nuclear issue or elsewhere, there can be no real progress in our relationship with Iran without a serious improvement of the Human Rights situation.

Thank you for your attention.