Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 November 2011
47 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he and the international community continue to monitor the situation in Iran with a view to preventing human rights abuses and persecution of academics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33802/11]
View answerAs I have previously stated in my reply to PQ27601/11 of 4 October, the human rights situation in Iran is profoundly disturbing, and the period since the Presidential election of 2009 has been characterised by an intensification of human rights abuses on many fronts. I am greatly concerned about the targeting of the academic community and educators in Iran, amid a widespread and intentional erosion of political and civil freedoms in Iran. I deplore the jail sentences of four and five year terms which have been handed down in recent days to seven members of the Bahá'í community in Iran associated with the Bahá'í Institute for Higher Education in Iran. I reiterate my call upon the government of Iran to respect fully its obligations under international human rights instruments. In this regard, I fully support the strong Conclusions on human rights in Iran issued by the Foreign Affairs Council on 10 October as well as the statements of EU High Representatives Catherine Ashton on this issue. The EU has repeatedly raised human rights issues in Iran with the Iranian authorities this year. In a further effort to increase the EU's impact on human rights in Iran, the Foreign Affairs Council on 10 October decided to add additional individuals to the travel ban and asset freeze it had adopted on 12 April 2011 against those responsible for grave human rights violations. This sends an important political signal to those in the judicial system and elsewhere in the Iranian regime who perpetrate human rights abuses. The EU has also introduced measures to enable it to respond in a more timely fashion to serious violations of human rights in Iran while also trying to keep some basic channels of communications open with the Iranian authorities. I welcome these steps which demonstrate the depth of our concern. Ireland will continue to be active at EU level in pressing for stronger EU action in relation to the human rights situation in Iran.
At UN level, Ireland was active in ensuring the successful adoption at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in March of a decision providing for appointment of a Special Rapporteur to examine Iran's human rights situation. I welcome the first report of Ahmed Shaheed as Special Rapporteur on 28 October and regret the fact that Mr Shaheed was not permitted to visit Iran. I call upon the Government of Iran to take immediate steps to address the serious violations of human rights highlighted in the report and which was based on first-hand testimonies from individuals and organisations, including the dramatic increase in executions in Iran, as well as the repression of opposition leaders Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi and their wives. I also call upon Iran to facilitate full and unhindered access to Iran for Mr Shaheed. A further resolution expressing the international community's deep concern at the human rights situation in Iran, and calling upon the Government of Iran to take a number of specific and urgent steps to improve the situation, is likely to be adopted by the UN General Assembly later this month. Ireland, together with EU member states, will co-sponsor this resolution.
At a bilateral level, my Department engages in ongoing dialogue with the Iranian Ambassador and his Embassy on these issues. My officials have already held a number of meetings with the Ambassador since the start of this year to convey our grave concerns at the human rights situation in Iran. Ireland will continue to raise human rights in Iran, including the rights of academics and other detainees, bilaterally and at the EU and UN, at all appropriate occasions.
48 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he and his EU and UN colleagues continue to monitor the persecution of citizens attempting to promote democracy at various locations throughout the globe; the extent if any of an agreed strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33803/11]
View answerHuman Rights are, and have always been, a priority of successive Irish Governments and a central part of our foreign policy. Together with our EU partners, Ireland closely monitors the human rights situations in many countries throughout the world, on the basis of information obtained from a variety of sources, including both official channels and non-governmental/civil society organisations. Where and when the situation warrants, we make known our concerns about human rights violations to the Governments in question. We do this bilaterally, through the EU, or through action at the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council. We fully support the use of the full UN human rights machinery in responding to human rights abuses, including supporting the role of UN Human Rights Treaty Monitoring Bodies, Special Procedures and Mandate Holders and the convening, where appropriate, of Special Sessions of the UN Human Rights Council. The EU regularly makes statements at these UN bodies on the human rights situations in a number of countries from all regions. Ireland is fully associated with these statements. The EU also introduces or supports resolutions dealing with specific countries.
Since its creation in March 2006 Ireland has proactively engaged with the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism. The UPR mechanism allows for the review of the domestic human rights records of all 192 UN Member States every four years, based on human rights obligations under UN human rights and other instruments. Any UN Member State can take part in the interactive dialogue (i.e. the actual examination of the State under review) and submit written questions in advance. Ireland was examined under the UPR process on 6 October 2011. We welcome the opportunity provided by the UPR mechanism to help us to examine the issues and recommendations raised by UN Member States some of which would have been identified by members of the public and civil society, and consider how we can improve the protection and promotion of human rights. Ireland has also made numerous interventions at the UPR sessions during the examination of other states, raising issues of concern such as gender based violence, freedom of expression, religious freedom, freedom of assembly and the protection of human rights defenders within the States under review.
The EU has adopted Common Positions on certain countries, which attach priority to promoting human rights, democracy, good governance and the rule of law. In addition, the EU conducts human rights dialogues with a number of countries and also raises human rights concerns as part of political dialogue meetings.
Together with our EU partners, we have been a consistent and strong supporter of the International Criminal Court, recognising it as an essential means of combating impunity for the most serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law. The Court's Prosecutor has opened investigations into a number of country situations and we will continue to monitor this work closely.
Ireland has also consistently taken the lead in negotiating resolutions at the United Nations General Assembly and Human Rights Council on the promotion and protection of human rights defenders, as well as in the implementation plan of EU Guidelines on human rights defenders in third countries, to ensure human rights defenders can operate in an environment free from hindrance and insecurity.
Mindful that the risk of human rights violations is greater where political, economic and administrative systems are weak, Irish Aid supports concrete actions designed to promote human rights, including strengthening government systems and in-country human rights institutions, in particular through legal training. Legal aid programmes targeted at victims of human rights abuses is also supported and Irish Aid has a specific focus on governance in several programme countries.
The Government will continue to avail of all the above-mentioned mechanisms and instruments as a means of highlighting violations of human rights and furthering their protection.
