Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 October 2022
6. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action that is being taken to ensure that the Iranian authorities abide by the principles enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a party, given the recent events in Iran; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48898/22]
View answer11. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the contact that he has made with the Embassy of Iran to condemn the Iranian state's violent suppression and murder of protestors recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49071/22]
View answer19. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the human rights issues that were discussed with the Iranian Government on his visit to Iran earlier this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48962/22]
View answer20. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the Government's response to the recent outbreak of protests in Iran; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49016/22]
View answer23. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will highlight human rights abuses in Iran; if he will raise concerns in relation to the recent death of an Iranian woman (details supplied) while in detention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48658/22]
View answerI understand Deputy Haughey is taking this question on behalf of Deputy Devlin.
Will the Minister continue to highlight human rights abuses in Iran? Will he raise concerns regarding the recent death of an Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini, while in police detention? Will he do what he can to ensure that Iran subscribes to the principles of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ICCPR?
There are five different Deputies-----
There is some confusion here. I am not going to keep interrupting. If the questions are grouped, there is only one 30-second introduction allowed and Deputy Haughey has had that. All Deputies in the grouping have equal time after that.
I will do my best to answer everyone's questions if I can. I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 11, 19, 20 and 23 together.
I am happy to have an opportunity to answer these questions because this is a very current and worrying series of developments. I am deeply concerned about the unjustifiable and disproportionate response of the Iranian authorities to Iranian citizens protesting against the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody after her arrest for allegedly violating dress code regulations. Ireland does not believe that anything short of full equality for women should be the objective, anywhere in the world. No woman should lose her life because of how she chooses to dress herself.
I commend the women and men of Iran who have exercised their fundamental right to assembly and protest. It is most regrettable that the response of the Iranian security and police forces has resulted in the further loss of lives, as well as a large number of people being injured. The use of force against non-violent protestors is unjustifiable and unacceptable. People in Iran have the right to peaceful protest and that right must be ensured in all circumstances. Iran is a party to the ICCPR. I call on the Iranian authorities to abide strictly by the principles enshrined in the ICCPR, including the right to peaceful assembly. The decision by the Iranian authorities to severely restrict Internet access and to block instant messaging platforms is a further cause for concern, and is a clear violation of freedom of expression.
On 21 September I met with the Iranian foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, at the UN General Assembly high level week in New York. I relayed to him my deep concerns regarding the circumstances of Ms Amini’s detention and death. During my visit to Tehran in February of this year, I also raised Ireland's concerns in relation to human rights in Iran with the minister, particularly the rights of women and LGBTI+ persons and respect for freedom of religious belief.
I urge Iran to immediately conduct an independent investigation into the circumstances of Ms Amini’s death. Ireland, along with our fellow European Union member states, will consider all options at our disposal to respond to the death of Mahsa Amini and to the actions of the Iranian authorities against the protestors. In my statement issued on 3 October, I condemned the unjustifiable and disproportionate response of the Iranian security apparatus to peaceful protests, as I have done again today. In addition, I reminded the Iranian Government of its obligations under the ICCPR. In meetings with Iranian officials, officials of my Department will continue to repeat these fundamental messages.
As the Minister knows, there is serious concern about the circumstances of Mahsa Amini's death in detention, with claims that she was beaten to death. I too believe it is important that an independent investigation into her death be undertaken and I would like to know what Ireland can do to ensure such an inquiry gets under way. There have been mass peaceful protests in Iran following Ms Amini's death, particularly by women. Many of the protestors have been killed. Many others have been injured and at least 1,200 have been arrested. Amnesty International has claimed that Iranian security forces regularly and deliberately fire live ammunition at protestors, which is also unlawful. Clearly, the fundamental right to assemble and protest is being breached by Iran in this case. What can be done to ensure that Iran subscribes to the principles of the ICCPR?
I agree with all the sentiments expressed in the Minister's statement but I would go further. I accept the fact that he met with the Iranian foreign minister in New York but we also have an ambassador here from the Islamic Republic of Iran. He needs to be summoned and the Minister needs to tell him that the actions we see in Iran at the minute with the murder of Ms Mahsa Amini, the suppression of the protestors, the violent conditions of subjugation and violence against women by the morality police, are not in keeping with the values we have as a country. If there is going to be an ambassador here, that ambassador has to be summoned. I ask the Minister to summon the ambassador and admonish him for the extraordinary scenes we are witnessing. I also express my solidarity with the protestors in Iran, who are demonstrating incredible courage in the face of unimaginable violence.
I express my solidarity with the powerful social movement in Iran, led by women, which has erupted since the state murder of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini. Iran Human Rights has put the death toll at 133 since the state started trying to violently repress this movement, and more than 1,500 have been arrested. Still, this movement grows. The slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom" echoes from one corner of Iran to another. Mahsa Amini was murdered by Iran's notorious morality police, who took her into custody accusing her of violating the super-strict hijab dress code. She died from cardiac arrest after suffering a head injury and a three-day coma. The killing of Mahsa was not an accident. Her murder is a continuation of the systematic, misogynistic and repressive policies of Islamic capitalism. What further action does the Minister intend to take to show this country's revulsion at the actions of the regime in Tehran?
I express my sympathy and that of my party to the family and friends of Mahsa Amini, who was killed in detention following her arrest. Regarding the subsequent crackdown on protesters, this is not the first time the Iranian authorities have cracked down on protests such as this. Reports estimate that between 63 and 133 innocent civilians have been murdered in this crackdown with over 1,500 people arrested. There needs to be an immediate independent investigation. I have no faith in the Iranian authorities to investigate themselves. The Government needs to put pressure on to ensure there is an independent investigation. I reiterate the point that the Iranian ambassador must be summoned so that we can express our horror and grave concerns about the crackdown on the rights of women within Iran.
I share the concerns of Deputies about this issue. Our voice needs to be heard in terms of condemnation and criticism. We must work with our EU colleagues as well in terms of being part of a collective EU response. In respect of the Iranian ambassador, my Department continues to closely monitor developments in Iran through our chargé d'affaires in Tehran. I raised the case of Ms Amini's death and the Iranian authorities' response to protests directly with my Iranian counterpart in New York a few weeks ago. Senior officials in my Department are in ongoing contact with the Iranian ambassador and the Iranian authorities are fully aware of our concerns. These issues are also getting far more discussion within the EU, which is looking at how we can collectively respond to put pressure on Iran to end the brutal crackdown on legitimate and, in most cases, peaceful protests. We are talking about schoolgirls here. We are talking about students, women and indeed men who are outraged by a young woman losing her life in custody having been beaten up. That has sparked something in Iran that has spread outside it in terms of calls for change and the outrage that has come with that. We must monitor how this progresses but Ireland needs to be very clear in terms of what we expect and ask for in terms of consistency with international law and respect for women's rights.
As other Deputies have said, the Iranian authorities have introduced restrictions on free and uncensored Internet access, WhatsApp and Instagram. Again, the fundamental right to freedom of expression is being breached in this case. Two fundamental rights are being breached: the right to assemble and protest, and the right to freedom of expression. The Minister spoke about our EU colleagues. What can be done at EU level to highlight this case, these events and the situation in Iran generally? Are we talking about the EU issuing a statement or going further, perhaps with some sort of sanctions? No doubt it must fit into the overall geopolitical situation in that region. I would be interested to know what the Minister proposes to do or what he can propose at EU level to highlight these circumstances.
I reiterate that I accept fully that the Minister met with his foreign affairs counterparts in New York, but in a previous discussion with Deputy Brady the Minister highlighted that we have ambassadors here to keep diplomatic channels open. It now warrants the Minister summoning Ambassador Eslami to his office and admonishing him in person. That is certainly something the Irish people would expect.
Several solidarity protests have been organised in this State since the murder of Mahsa. The Iranian community has been the key driver of these protests, which have been supported by other groups such as students at Trinity College and the socialist feminist group ROSA. These actions should at the very least be matched by the actions of the State. I hear the point the Minister is making. He met his Iranian counterpart at the UN on 21 September and the Department is monitoring the situation in Iran but how much more needs to happen? How many more people need to be killed before the Minister summons the Iranian ambassador to Iveagh House to let his views be known on this and to symbolise Irish opposition to Iranian state murder and Irish support for the Woman, Life, Freedom revolt?
It is right that we fully support the right of the Iranian people, particularly women, to protest against draconian measures and treatment. I wish to raise serious concerns about the Iranian response to this crackdown and the protests, which blames the West and totally ignores Iran's own responsibilities, its crackdown on protesters and the shameful treatment of women. I reiterate my support for protesters and condemn the brutal crackdown on them. We are due to open an embassy in Iran next year and I support and welcome that as it is needed. I support our approach towards diplomacy. It is right that the Minister calls in the Russian ambassador to give him a dressing down regarding the brutal and illegal occupation of Ukraine. A similar approach must be taken with the Iranian ambassador. He needs to be summoned for the Minister to express our shock, horror and grave concerns about the treatment of people in Iran, particularly Iranian women.
I hear what the Deputies are asking for with regard to the Iranian ambassador. I ask them to trust me when I say the ambassador knows exactly what our views on this issue are. One of the differences between Iran and Russia is that I have had a number of conversations with my Iranian counterpart because Ireland has a specific role on the Security Council regarding trying to re-establish the joint comprehensive plan of action, which is the Iranian nuclear deal, which is linked to sanctions. I suspect that I will be speaking to my Iranian counterpart in the near future so I will have a direct opportunity to raise our concerns and the concerns of this House directly with the Iranian foreign minister, which is a much more powerful tool in some ways than raising it with the ambassador. The Deputies must trust me when I say the ambassador will also be very clear about our concerns and the perspective of this House. I suspect he is listening to this debate as well.
Regarding what we can do at EU level, I will give the House a sense of Ireland's view on Iran and sanctions. Sanctions constitute an important tool of foreign policy that is used to deter states from pursuing actions that threaten international stability or harm citizens in their own country, including through human rights abuses. Since 2011, the EU has applied sanctions against individuals and entities complicit in or responsible for directing or implementing grave human rights violations in Iran. Ireland works with its partners in the EU to ensure all sanctions regimes are targeted and contain clear exemptions for humanitarian actors. The list is regularly reviewed and updated. In light of recent protests, the EU is considering a range of responses, including expanding its targeted sanctions against those who violate human rights. There is an ongoing conversation about how we can be impactful in terms of targeted sanctions in response to the concerns of the EU and Ireland regarding what is happening in Iran.
