European Parliament — Minutes of proceedings of the sitting of Thursday, 10 March 1983

          
          EUROP EAN PARLIAMENT
          1983 — 19 4
          Minutes Of proceedings
          of be sitting
          of
          I
          BP000375
          -I
          THURSDAY, 10 MARCH 1983
          I .
          r,r 07 C
          
        

          
          •1O.
          Mr VON HASSEL introduced the
          himself and others on behalf of the EPP
          Liberal and Democratic Group, Mr GLINNE
          Group, on the death sentences passed on
          motion for a resolution tabled by
          Group, Mr NIELSEN on behalf of the
          and others on behalf of the Socialist
          Baha'is in Iran (Doc. 1—1372/82).
          The foliowing spoke : Mr HABSBURG on behalf o.f the EPP ' Group,
          Mr BEAZLEY on behalf of the ED Group, who pointed out that'h'j's' group also
          wished to subscribe. to the motion for a resolution, Mr EPHREMIDIS, Communist
          and AlLies Group, Mr LALOR on behalf of the EPD Group, who indicated that his
          group wished, also to subscribe to the motion, Mr KYRKOS, Mr NARJES, Member of
          the Commission, and Mr BARBI, the Latter to' give an explanation of vote.
          ‘The Pr.sidént declared the debate cLosed.
          C
          VOTE
          Recitals A toG and paragraphs 1 to 3 : adopted
          After paragraph 3
          — am..1 b ,y.Mr EPHREMIDIS, Mr ADAMOU and Mr ALAVANOS : adopted
          Paragraph 4 : adopted
          Parliament adopted the following resolution
          PV 3
          — 41 —
          PE 83.255
          
        

          
          RESOLUTION
          n death sentences passed on Baha'is in Iran
          _ 22O_ '
          ,.‘ .. -
          whereas the Baha'.i religion,. although forming the largest religious
          minority in Iran withover3 O,OOO adherents, is. not recognized in
          the Ix-apian cons itUtiOp as a religion ‘worthy of protection';
          whereas, to date, over 120 Bahais have been executed because they were
          not prepared to rendünce their. faith;
          :. whereasa group of fiveBaha.'iSWereCOfldemfled to death on 23 September 1982,
          the:--f -irs.tbefflg hanged on IS November 1982, a second shot on 21 November 1982
          and a:. t;hi,rd har ged on 1 January 1983, with the remaining two Baha'is
          awaiting a-similar fate; . .
          ). whereas 22 of the 90 Baha'is arrested in Shiraz have been condemned to
          death and have already had their sentences confirmed by the Supreme Court
          ir Tehran;
          E. whereas the main charge against the condemned persons remains their adherence
          to the Baha'i religion, the renunciation of which would lead to immediate
          release;
          F. whereas the representative of the Netherlands brought this renewed gross
          vioLation of human rights before the Human Rights Commission of the
          United Nations in Geneva 14 February 1983;
          G. having regard to its resolution of 19 September 1980 on the persecution
          of member.s of the Baha'i religious community in Iran;
          1. Calls on the Government of Iran to suspend these sentences;
          2. Condemns this renewed gross violation of human rights;
          3. Calls on the Foreign Ministers meeting in political cooperation to make
          representations to the Iranian Government as quickly as possible in order
          to secure the release of these members of the Baha'i religious community
          and a halt to all manner of persecution and discrimination to which the
          Baha'i minority in Iran is subject;
          — 42 — PE 83.255
          
        

          
          4. Takes this opportunity of expressing its profound concern about the fate
          of Nuredin Kianuri, Secretary—General of the Tudeh Party in Iran, and other
          personalities and members of this party, who were arrested on 6 February
          1983 and are in immediate danger of death, and urges the Iranian Government,
          on humanitarian grounds, to spare them and arrange for their immediate
          release;
          5. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the
          • Commission, the Foreign Ministers meeting in PoliticátCooperation, the
          Iranian Government, the governments and parliaments of the Member States
          and the Secretary—General of the United Nations.
          PV 3 — 43 —. PE 83.255