28 Amendments of Julie WARD related to 2015/2274(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A (new)
Recital A (new)
A. whereas internal political developments in Iran and the agreement on the nuclear issue have opened an opportunity for reforms within Iran and for developing its external relations with the EU,
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
– having regard to the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran of 10 March 2016, to his recent statements of 20 May and 8 June 2016 expressing concern on imprisonments of human rights defenders and the recent wave of incitement of hatred of the Baha'i community and to the report of the UN Secretary-General of 3 March 2016 on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran,
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 b (new)
Citation 1 b (new)
– having regard to the UN General Assembly resolution of 17 December 2015 on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, which expresses serious concern at the alarming high frequency of and increase in the carrying- out of the death penalty, in disregard of internationally recognized safeguards,
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 c (new)
Citation 1 c (new)
– having regard to Iran's persisting refusal to cooperate with several UN human rights bodies, including the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, preventing him from fulfilling his mandate in an independent manner,
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 3 a (new)
Citation 3 a (new)
– having regard to the Declaration on Criteria for Free and Fair Elections, unanimously adopted on 26 March 1994 by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, of which the Iranian parliament is a member,
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Believes that EU-Iran relations should be developed through multi-layered dialogue involving political, technical and people-to-people contacts; supports the opening of EU-Iran relations for the mutual benefit of both parties, based on a realistic assessment of common interests and differences, with a view to encouraging step-by-step expansion of cooperation in a climate of confidence-building and respect for fundamental human rights, foremost for the benefit of the peoples of Iran and the EU; supports, in this regard, the Commission’s commitment to a renewed engagement with Iran based on ‘a dialogue of the four Cs’: a dialogue that is comprehensive in scope; cooperative in the fields where Iran and the EU have mutual interests; critical, open and frank in areas where Iran and the EU disagree but are looking for common ground; and that is overall constructive in tone and practice;
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recognises that differences exist disagreement between the EU and Iran on the use of the death penalty; nevertheless believes cooperation on anti-narcotics programmes and on the question of juvenile executions, in line with Iran’'s own commitments under human rights and humanitarian law, could provide a common agenda for addressing this question;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recognises that differences exist between the EU and Iran on themains highly concerned with Iran's use of the death penalty; nevertheless believes cooperation on anti-narcotics programmes and on the question of juvenile executions, in line with Iran’s own commitments, could providebe first steps toward finding a common agenda for addressing this question;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Takes note of the fact that eliminating the death penalty for drug- related offences would drastically reduce the number of executions (up to 80 % according to Iranian estimates); calls for EU-Iran cooperation in the fight against drugs as a way of addressing the issue of executions in the country, while respecting human rights; calls on the Commission to provide technical assistance and administrative capacity- building for Iran to enable it to secure its borders with Afghanistan and Iraq; stresses that all cooperation with anti-narcotics programmes must be focused on addiction prevention and harm reduction programs and not focus on technical assistance to law enforcement and security forces until Iran eliminates the death penalty for narcotic offenses;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Takes note of the fact that eliminating the death penalty for drug- related offences would drastically reduce the number of executions (up to 80 % according to Iranian estimates); calls for EU-Iran cooperation in the fight against drugs as a way of addressing the issue of executions in the country; calls on the Commission to provide technical assistance and administrative capacity- building for Iran to enable it to secure its borders with Afghanistan and Iraq, paying special attention to respect for the rights of ethnic minorities living on both sides of the borders;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Calls on the EU strengthen support to multilateral human rights dialogue with Iran and calls on Iran to fully cooperate with the UN human rights body;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Takes note of Iran’'s stated objective of achieving a yearly growth rate of 8 %; believes that European investments are key for Iran to achieve this goal; stresses that for Iran to realise its economic potential, it will have to take steps to create a transparent economic environment conducive to international investment and take anti-corruption measures, particularly regarding compliance with the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force; calls on the EU to fully support Iran’'s efforts in this process via, in particular, support for work towards forging a bilateral investment treaty between the EU and Iran; calls for the EU to develop economic cooperation with Iran; takes note that Iran is the world’'s largest economy outside the WTO; supports, in this regard, Iran’'s bid to join the WTO provided that Iran complies with all the requirements of non-discrimination in the field of employment and respects workers freedom of association including the right to form independent unions;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Takes note of Iran’s stated objective of achieving a yearly growth rate of 8 %; believes that European investments are key for Iran to achieve this goal; stresses that for Iran to realise its economic potential, it will have to take steps to create a transparent economic environment conducive to international investment and take anti-corruption measures, particularly regarding compliance with the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force in particular with respect to eliminating the financing of terrorism; calls on the EU to fully support Iran’s efforts in this process via, in particular, support for work towards forging a bilateral investment treaty between the EU and Iran; calls for the EU to develop economic cooperation with Iran; takes note that Iran is the world’s largest economy outside the WTO; supports, in this regard, Iran’s bid to join the WTO; once it has been removed from the FATF black list;
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Takes note of the fact that Iran hosts 3 million Afghan refugees; welcomes the additional EUR 6.5 million of EU funding to support Iran in the education and health care of the Afghan population in the country; stresses the need to take concrete measures that safeguard the human rights of Afghani migrants and Afghani refugees in Iran; including their right to due process and equality before the law; believes that EU-Iran cooperation on refugee management can enhance mutual understanding, promote improved respect for international human rights law and the lives of refugees themselves, as well as contributing to conflict resolution in order to reduce the causes of current and future refugee movements;
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Takes note of the fact that Iran hosts 3 million Afghan refugees; welcomes the additional EUR 6.5 million of EU funding to support Iran in the education and health care of the Afghan population in the country; remains concerned with recent reports of Afghan refugees being dispatched to fight in Syria; believes that EU-Iran cooperation on refugee management can enhance mutual understanding, promote improved respect for international law and the lives of refugees themselves, as well as contributing to conflict resolution in order to reduce the causes of current and future refugee movements;
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Recognises that the young, educated and technologically advanced population in Iran can provide particular opportunities for advancing people-to- people contacts with the EU; calls for increased cooperation in the field of education, research and innovation via increased exchanges of students and researchers, including in the field of environment, renewable and clean energies, justice and human rights, good governance, civic participation, addiction prevention and harm reduction; calls for the Commission to study the possibility of visa liberalisation for Iranian academics and researchers to study and undergo training in European universities;
Amendment 347 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Believes that Iran’s revolutionary legacy and its constitution as an Islamic State must not be an impediment for finding common ground on matters related to democracy or human rights; stresses however that important progress must be made to guarantee free and fair elections and respect for fundamental rights in Iran, in particular with respect to the situation of women's rights and gender equality;
Amendment 366 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Believes that the EU should use its improving relations with Iran to secure access to the country by the UN special rapporteur on Human Rights;
Amendment 382 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Notes with concern that Iran has the highest level of death-penalty executions per capita in the world; stresses that eliminating the death penalty for drug- related offences would dramatically decrease the number of executions; welcomes, in this regard, the possibility that the newly-elected Majlis is considering legislation to exclude some drug-related offences from the list of crimes punishable with the death penalty; believes that the expansion of economic relations between the EU and Iran should be directly linked to improvements with respect to the application of the death penalty and human rights, women's rights, and freedom of expression;
Amendment 397 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Welcomes the fact that the adoption of the 2013 Islamic Penal Code and Iran’'s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child prohibitsenables judges to exercise discretion in sentencing for under 18 offenders deemed immature and avoid child executions and allows all juvenile offenders sentenced to death prior to 2013 to seek retrial; calls on Iran to ensure this prohibition is fully implemented and that all relevant offenders are made aware of this rightregrets the continued practice of child executions and calls on Iran to ensure this mitigation mechanism are routinely used by judges, welcomes the 2013 Penal Code and that convicted child offenders are automatically given a retrial and are provided pro bono legal counsel to appeal their sentences; calls on Iran to declare a moratorium on the death penalty, at least for juvenile offenders;
Amendment 434 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29a. Calls for the EU to support fully the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, calls on Iran to grant the Rapporteur immediate and unconditional entry visa, calls on Iran to fully cooperate with all UN human rights mechanisms and work towards application of recommendation out forth by these mechanisms, including the Universal Periodic Review (UPR);
Amendment 447 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 b (new)
Paragraph 29 b (new)
29b. Takes the view that women's rights should remain an area of special focus in any dialogue between the EU and Iran; considers that, despite the progress already made, the situation of women in Iran remains marred by unacceptable discrimination, in particular on legal matters, as well as with regard to family law and women's participation in economic and political life; welcomes attempts to draft a bill "on Protection of Women against Violence", so that the newly-elected Majlis will consider legislations that fully criminalize violence against women;
Amendment 452 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 c (new)
Paragraph 29 c (new)
29c. Expresses concern with widespread allegations of torture, unfair trials – including of lawyers and human rights defenders – and impunity for human rights violations; condemns the restrictions on freedom of information, freedom of association, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, academic freedom, freedom of education and freedom of movement;
Amendment 456 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Welcomes President Rohani’'s campaign promise to present a charter for citizens’ right' rights and statements to promote the rights of ethnic minorities; believes it should comply fully with Iran's international human rights obligations; underlines the importance of respecting the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary in providing the necessary legal certainty required for foreign direct investments to take place; calls on the EEAS and the Commission to work together with the Iranian authorities and independent civil society in areas such as judicial reform, reform of the prison systemjudicial independence, access of the accused to legal counsel of their choosing, transparency of legal proceedings, reform of the prison system, redress mechanism for victims of torture, medical attention to prisoners, government accountability, respect for the rule of law, citizens’' rights and the fight against corruption; believes that these measures will increase legal certainty in Iran and the country’'s attractiveness to foreign investors while also benefiting Iranian citizens. ;
Amendment 469 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Notes with concern the continued arbitrary detention of human rights defenders and lawyers and the serious allegations of abuse of detainees during pre-charge and pre-trial detention and calls on the EU to support civil society in its effort to promote due process of law and a culture of defence counsel in the judicial system and among all relevant stakeholders;
Amendment 472 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 b (new)
Paragraph 30 b (new)
30b. Takes note that the 2002- 2004 EU-Iran dialogue on human rights was suspended without notable progress towards benchmarks and calls on the EU to take into account recommendations of the international mechanisms at every step of the planning process of any future dialogue and construct benchmarks and targets openly to ensure that the dialogue is focused but also to enhance transparency and accountability and include independent civil society organisations;
Amendment 474 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 c (new)
Paragraph 30 c (new)
30c. Emphasises the importance of creating an environment conducive to the proper and independent functioning of civil society organisations; calls for the EU to uphold the EU human rights guidelines, including the EU Guidelines on human rights defenders;
Amendment 475 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 d (new)
Paragraph 30 d (new)
30d. Calls on the EU to engage with Iran on respecting the rights of the members of ethnic minorities with an effort to address disparities in development, education, employment, and living standards;