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MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION (2020/2914(RSP))

On Iran, in particular the case of 2012 Sakharov Prize laureate Nasrin Sotoudeh

B-9-2020-0443

on behalf of the Renew Group · Rapporteur: Hilde Vautmans, Petras Auštrevičius, Malik Azmani, Izaskun Bilbao Barandica, Dita Charanzová, Olivier Chastel, Klemen Grošelj, Bernard Guetta, Svenja Hahn, Karin Karlsbro, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Javier Nart, Frédérique Ries, María Soraya Rodríguez Ramos, Nicolae Ştefănuță, Ramona Strugariu, MariePierre Vedrenne

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Parliament's resolution on Iran focuses on the case of 2012 Sakharov Prize laureate Nasrin Sotoudeh, a human rights lawyer sentenced to 33 years in prison and 148 lashes. It condemns her detention and that of other prisoners of conscience, and urges their immediate and unconditional release. It urges Iran to halt the imminent execution of Swedish-Iranian academic Ahmadreza Djalali, drop charges against arbitrarily detained EU nationals, and stop death sentences, amputations and floggings. It calls for a UN-led inquiry into the killing of protesters in 2019, an EU-wide ban on exporting mass surveillance technology, and use of the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Mechanism against Iranian officials.

Key points

  1. Condemns the detention of Nasrin Sotoudeh and urges her immediate and unconditional release, along with all prisoners of conscience in Iran.
  2. Urges Iranian authorities to guarantee Sotoudeh's physical and mental safety and provide urgent specialised medical care, as for all prisoners in need.
  3. Urges Iran to halt the imminent execution of Ahmadreza Djalali, release and compensate him, and stop threatening his family in Iran and Sweden.
  4. Calls on EU member states to make joint public statements and diplomatic initiatives to monitor unfair trials and visit prisons holding human rights defenders and EU nationals.
  5. Urges Iran to drop all charges and lift travel restrictions on arbitrarily detained EU nationals, such as Fariba Adelkhah and Nahid Taghavi.
  6. Calls on Iran to stop smear campaigns against unjustly detained EU nationals and Iranians with ties to EU member states.
  7. Condemns the execution of journalist Ruhollah Zam on 12 December 2020 and calls on EU institutions to better protect Iranian nationals in the EU from harassment by Iranian intelligence services.
  8. Calls on Iran to immediately halt and abolish death sentences, amputations, floggings and other cruel and inhuman punishments.
  9. Calls for a UN-led international and independent inquiry into the killing of hundreds of protesters during the 2019 protests.
  10. Calls on the EU Council to raise human rights violations as a core component of its bilateral cooperation with Iran.
  11. Calls on the EEAS and EU member states to fully support Sakharov Prize laureates through diplomatic and consular representations, enhancing support for laureates at risk.
  12. Urges Iran to lift censorship of online services, calls for an EU-wide ban on exporting mass surveillance technology, and urges the Council to apply the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Mechanism against Iranian officials involved in abuses.

Who is affected

  • Nasrin Sotoudeh, 2012 Sakharov Prize laureate, detained since 13 June 2018 and sentenced to 33 years in prison and 148 lashes.
  • EU nationals arbitrarily detained in Iran, including Ahmadreza Djalali, Fariba Adelkhah, Nahid Taghavi, Morad Tahbaz and Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.
  • Iranian officials involved in gross human rights abuses, including judges sentencing journalists, human rights defenders and activists to death.
  • Iranian nationals residing in the EU subjected to harassment and threats from Iranian intelligence services.

Figures and deadlines

  • 33 years in prison and 148 lashes: sentence given to Nasrin Sotoudeh.
  • 13 June 2018: date Nasrin Sotoudeh has been arbitrarily detained since.
  • 11 August to 25 September 2020: period of Nasrin Sotoudeh's hunger strike.
  • 2 December 2020: date Nasrin Sotoudeh was arrested and sent back to Qarchak prison.
  • 24 November 2020: date Ahmadreza Djalali was informed his execution was imminent.
  • 12 December 2020: date journalist Ruhollah Zam was executed.
  • 6 years in prison: sentence given to Fariba Adelkhah in May 2020.