Activities of María MUÑIZ DE URQUIZA related to 2010/2050(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
EU approach towards Iran (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the EU's approach towards Iran PDF (184 KB) DOC (124 KB)
Amendments (40)
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 13 a (new)
Citation 13 a (new)
– having regard to the fact that Iran's violations of its NPT Treaty obligations add to world's concerns about the safety of the world non-proliferation system, with the nuclear powers India and Israel refusing to join, the DPRK leaving the treaty and Pakistan's chief nuclear specialist operating a proliferation system in the past,
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16
Citation 16
– having regard to the Vienna Group proposal for transferring Iranian uranium to Russia and France and to the bridging proposal sponsored by the governments of Turkey and Brazil in an attempt to delay the passage of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1929 (2010),
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas since the controversial June 2009 presidential elections the reformists have become most commonly identified with the Green Movement, the popular, grass-roots social movement that took shape during the mass protests against President Ahmadinejad's re- electionpolitical developments in Iran following the disputed presidential elections of June 2009 have shown that there is great potential for popular-led, democratic change in the country spearheaded by its vibrant and active civil society,
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the leadership has continuously used the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) to suppress internal dissent, and whereas IRGC intervention in internal Iranian politics has peaked under President Ahmadinejad,
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas Iran has problematic 's relations with almost allsome of its neighbours have been volatile; whereas especially Israel and the Gulf region feel intimidated bysome Persian Gulf states have expressed concern over Iran's aggressive rhetoric and, its ongoing nuclear programme and its support for Hezbollah and Hamas,
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas Iran has hosted two generations of Afghan refugees in the country, which have benefitted from basic health and education services; whereas in 2010 more than one million registered Afghans are residing in Iran; whereas Iran received only limited international support in this area,
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas there has been a remarkable deepening of relations between Iran and Turkey, and whereas Iran is using its stateshould be much more forthcoming and ncon-state allies Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas, to destabiliseructive in its actions in the region,
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Observes that previous Iranian mass movements were based on a dual pillar – the quest for both welfare and liberty – and suggests that the Green Movement add to its powerful political call of "Where is my voice?" the socio-economic and anti- corruption call "Where is my oil money?"that these remain unfulfilled promises of the 1979 revolution; whereas economic shortcomings such as inflation, corruption, high unemployment, energy shortages, an inefficient state sector and the waste of public funds have increased drastically over the last years;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Expresses its solidarity with the millions of Iranians who have taken to the streets after the June 2009 presidential elections in the hope of political change in Iran;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Warns that the IRGC is slowly taking over Irdevelopment of an; indicates that despite ideological congruity between Supreme Leader Khamenei and the IRGC leadership, the development of the IRGC into a state within a state is turning Khamenei into a hostage in the hands of his own Praetorian Guardcreasingly greater role for the IRGC in different spheres of Iranian society raises fears of further militarization of the state;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Reiterates its opposition to the death penalty and calls on the Iranian authorities, in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolutions 62/149 and 63/138, to institute a moratorium on executions pending the abolition of the death penalty;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Calls on Iran and those countries in the Middle East which are considering investing in nuclear power not to follow the controversial and by large parts of citizens rejected way of many EU and other European countries in favouring a dangerous and outdated technology; instead appeals to those countries to develop all options of modern renewable energy technologies, efficiency and conservation methods;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Calls on the Islamic Republic of Iran finally to abolish the death penalty for crimes committed before the age of 18 and to amend its legislation to bring it into line with the international human rights conventions that Iran has ratified, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the ICCPR;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5c. Expresses its grave consternation that Iran continues to be one of the very few countries, together with Afghanistan, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Nigeria, which still practise stoning; calls on the Iranian Parliament to pass legislation outlawing this cruel and inhumane form of punishment;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 d (new)
Paragraph 5 d (new)
5d. Strongly condemns the continuing legal discrimination of women and the persecution of sexual minorities in Iran; denounces the inhumane and medieval practice of sentencing people to death for alleged acts pertaining to the choice of partners or sexual practices; in this context, reiterates its condemnation of the death sentence against Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, charged with having had relations with two men; expresses continued concern about the fate of Ebrahim Hamidi, condemned to death by hanging on false charges of sodomy;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 e (new)
Paragraph 5 e (new)
5e. Urges the Iranian authorities to eliminate, in law and in practice, all forms of torture and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment, and to uphold due process of law and to end impunity for human rights violations; in particular, calls on the Iranian Parliament and judiciary to abolish such cruel and inhumane punishments as limb amputation, stoning and flogging, which are inconsistent with Iran's international obligations; firmly rejects the notion promoted by the Iranian judicial authorities that such punishments are culturally justified;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Is horrifiappalled by the fact that shooting into demonstrating crowds was considered acceptable by the security forces from the night of 15 June 2009 on, as shown in video footage; urges the EU institutions to present to the Iranian authoritiesCommission and the Council to establish a detailed list of all known incidents/violent actions against Iranian civilians in the aftermath of the elections, and insist that there be an honescalls on the Iranian authorities to set up an independent judicial investigation;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Insists that in any possible future negotiations with Iran the HR/VP makes the situation of human rights in the country a top priority; calls on the Commission to implement all the instruments at its disposal for the protection and promotion of human rights in Iran; in particular urges it to devise additional measures in the context of the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights in order to actively protect human rights defenders; stresses that facilitating shelter to human rights defenders and access to organisational resources and communication platforms is of particular importance; encourages the Member States to support the European Shelter City Programme and programmes to develop measures against media interception technology;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Condemns the systematic harassment of labour activists carried out by the Iranian authorities, in contravention of the pledges Iran made at the United Nations Universal Periodic Review process to respect the social and economic rights of its citizens and their right to freedom of expression; urges the Iranian authorities to release all arrested labour activists and respect the right of trade union activists and teachers to participate in International Workers' Day (1 May) and National Teachers' Day (2 May); calls on the Iranian Government to respect workers' basic rights, as defined under international labour standards;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7c. Condemns the campaign of dismissals of prominent university professors on political grounds as an intolerable attack on their human rights and academic freedom; believes that these policies will further politicise and debase Iranian universities, long a source of national pride and admiration by scholars around the world; calls on the Iranian authorities to take immediate steps to restore academic freedom in the country;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Deplores the fact that, in contradiction with the Constitution, members of religious minorities endure discrimination in housing, education and official jobs, which is leading young members of these minorities to opt for emigration; condemns in particular the systematic persecution of the Baha'i community, the wave of arrests of Christians in 2009, and the harassment of religious dissidents, converts or non- believers as well as Sufi and Sunni Muslims; reiterates its call for the release of the 7 Baha'i leaders and calls on the Iranian Parliament to change Iranian legislation so as to ensure that all adherents of different beliefs in Iran can follow their convictions free from persecution;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Concludes that the position of Iranian NGOs worsened considerably in the wake of the disturbanceprotests following the controversial presidential election of 12 June, 2009; strongly supports the Coucriticizes the fact that all international contacts or financial and the Commission for backing these NGOs in a sensible waysupport for NGOs in Iran are systematically abused by the authorities to try to discredit these organisations and their work;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Expects the Council and the Commission toCalls 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; urges the Iranian authorities to react positively to longstanding requests by several UN Special Rapporteurs (e.g. Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions; Torture; Freedom of Religion or Belief; Independence of Judges and Lawyers) for official visits to Iran;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Urges the Council and the Commission to demandDemands that the Iranian regimeauthorities do not deter human rights activists from making use of their constitutional rights; calls for the immediate release of all those human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience who are still imprisoned;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Calls on the Islamic Republic of Iran to sign, ratify and implement the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW);
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Stresses that representatives of EU institutions should include in the programmes of their official visits to Iran meetings with opdevelop contacts with representatives from a broad range of Iranian poslition leaders/representatives of the Green Movement and prominent Iranian human rights dissidents; stresses also that official mutual contacts between the delegations of the EP and the Majlis should be conditional on concrete improvements in human righcal and social life including prominent Iranian human rights defenders; calls on the Commission and the Member States to increase support for grassroots activities and people-to-people contacts;
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Urges official representatives of the EU and its Member States, when meetingCondemns the repression by the Iranian authorities of the independent media, including the censorship of video and photo materials; calls on their Iranian counterparts, to insist onauthorities to respect the freedom of the media and to allow for the re-opening of the many dailyforcibly closed newspapers; closed down in recent years, as well as the release of political prisoners, by presenting lists of names in both casesondemns the practice of expulsion of foreign correspondents by the Iranian Government, including reporters from major European newspapers such as El Pais and the Guardian; believes that the censorship imposed by the Government is leading Iran into increasing isolation;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Expresses concern about the oppression of cultural, musical and artistic expression through censorship, prohibition, and the repression of artists, musicians, film directors, writers and poets;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15b. Welcomes steps taken by several Member States to provide shelter to those Iranian human rights defenders, dissidents, journalists, students, women, children and artists who are persecuted for their religious beliefs, expression, sexual orientation, or other forms of exercising their human rights;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Supports the European Council’s twin-track approach aimed at finding a negotiated and peaceful solution to the nuclear stand-off and commends it on its new Common Position of 26 July 2010 introducing new and far-reaching autonomous measures applicable to Iran;
Amendment 232 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Calls on the Commission, the Council and EU Member States to strengthenassess all enforcement mechanisms for the implementation of the EU Common Position -– especially with regard to export licensing, custom and border controls, air cargo and shipping – in order to prevent Iran from evadingbe able to make a realistic evaluation of whether sanctions yield the intended results; re- iterates its position that these sanctions regime through third parties and locally registered front companishould not negatively affect the general population; welcomes in this context the decision of the US to impose targeted sanctions on Iranian officials determined to be responsible for or complicit in serious human rights abuses in Iran since the June 2009 disputed presidential election; calls on the Council to adopt similar measures;
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Believes that renewed efforts are needed worldwide to rid the globe of the threat of nuclear weapons; welcomes President Obama's appeal for nuclear disarmament and calls on High Representative Catherine Ashton to make nuclear disarmament - notably the expansion of nuclear weapons free zones - one of her priorities in her dealings both with Member States and in her contacts with governments in the Middle East and Asia;
Amendment 242 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls on the current Belgian Presidency and the forthcoming Hungarian Presidency to keep the Iranian nuclear file and the human rights of the Iranian people high on the agenda;
Amendment 249 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Rejects fiercely the desire expressed by the Iranian leadership to "wipe out" Israel; also fiercely rejectCondemns the anti-Semitic rhetoric of the Iranian president, especially his denial of the Holocaust and his underlying agenda of delegitimizing the Israeli state; calls on the EU institutions to safeguard the existence of the Jewish statreaffirms its full support for the existence of Israel and a two-state solution for Palestine;
Amendment 268 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Expresses its concerns on the remarkable deepening of relations between Iran and EU accession candidate Turkey; asks the Council and the Commission to discuss the Turkish attitude towards Iran with their counterparts in Ankara; calls on the Turkish authorities to follow the European approach towards the Iranian nuclear threat; calls on the EU instRecognizes the role of Turkey as an influential regional actor and commends its efforts at promoting regional stability and cooperation; welcomes the initiative of Turkey and Brazil to reach a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear impasse; encourages Turkey to include the situations to do their utmost to sever the lines between Teheran and Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas of human rights in Iran in its dialogue with Iran;
Amendment 289 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
Amendment 296 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Takes note of the converging interests of the EU and Iran in finding peace and stability in Afghanistan; welcomes the constructive role of Iran in reviving infrastructure and economy in as well as preventing drug trafficking from Afghanistan; stresses, however, that sustainable peace and stability in Afghanistan will require all neighbours to refrain from political interference in the country;