B3-0413, 0431, 0432 and 0458/94

Resolution on human rights in Iran

The European Parliament,

A.having regard to the frequent instances of human rights violations in Iran notified to it by international human rights organizations,

B.having regard to the document of the European Parliament rapporteur on Iran, and the report of 2 March 1994 of the Parliamentary Human Rights Group of The House of Commons in the UK entitled 'The Tehran Murder Machine', dealing with assassinations of Iranian opposition activists by agents of the government of Iran,

C.noting recent popular demonstrations in eastern and southern Iran as well as Tehran which led to widespread clashes between Revolutionary Guards and disenchanted citizens,

D.appalled by the killing of scores of ordinary people and the arrest of hundreds more by the security forces during these demonstrations,

E.concerned by the new law, ratified in the Iranian Parliament, formally authorizing the police to open fire on demonstrations and protests,

F.deploring the Iranian government's continuing contempt for basic human rights, which in many cases has led to imprisonment and execution without proper trial, people disappearing and even murder of opponents of the regime living outside Iran;

G.whereas on 21 February 1994 Mrs Homa Darabi, a paediatrician specialising in child psychiatry, burnt herself to death at a busy crossroads in northern Tehran as a protest against the systematic violation of women's rights,

H.whereas Sobhani Hossein, Mohamadi Rouf, Khosravi Bahman and Moradi Ghaderi were arrested on 15 July 1992 near the town of Djounrou, in Iranian Kurdistan,

I.whereas Abdolahi Adel was imprisoned for many years,

J.whereas the above five persons were imprisoned, tortured and executed in the prison of Kermanshah (the largest Kurdish town, situated in the south of Iranian Kurdistan) and whereas their bodies were returned to their families during the month of February 1994,

K.concerned by the repression of Christians with special emphasis on the murder of Bishop Haik Hovsepian Mehr, as well as other minorities, such as the Bahais, in addition to the majority non-conformist Muslims,

1.Expresses its condolences to the families of the victims and condemns these new political assassinations by the Iranian regime;

2.Expresses its solidarity with Iranian democratic groups in their struggle to prevail upon the Iranian authorities to respect fundamental human rights;

3.Condemns the Iranian regime's war against freedom, the repression of its people inside Iran and the use of intimidation, force and terrorism against Iranian nationals and political opposition abroad;

4.Strongly opposes the incarceration of thousands of political prisoners in Iran and calls on the Iranian authorities to release them and to respect human rights in their country;

5.Calls on the Council and Commission to do their utmost to secure the release of the political prisoners by the Iranian regime and to ensure that human rights are respected in Iran;

6.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Iranian Government.