Mar 25, 2004
The European Union warned the Islamic
regime of Iran on thursday that it had seen little progress in Iran's human
rights dossier, which Brussels has effectively made a precondition to improved
trade ties.
The EU also openly admitted at the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva
that its policy of constructive engagement with Tehran on human rights was
flagging.
"Unfortunately, the fourth round of our human rights dialogue with
Iran has not taken place due to Iran's failure to confirm the dates agreed,"
Ireland's envoy Mary Whelan told the Commission on behalf of the EU presidency.
"We regret that overall we see little improvement in the human rights
situation in the country," she added.
Despite some improvement in women's rights, Whelan underlined that violations
of human rights "continue to be widespread" in Iran, including
torture, disappearances after arrests, arbitrary detention and political
and religious repression.
The EU also noted that a de facto moratorium on amputations in Iran, a criminal
penalty under Islamic law, had not been respected, while public executions
continued.