HC Deb 18 June 1999 vol 333 cc253-5W
Mr. Stephen Twigg

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of Iran concerning the arrest of thirteen rabbis, teachers and other members of the Jewish community of Shiraz. [87126]

Mr. Hoon

We and our EU partners are concerned at reports of the arrest of 13 Iranian Jews. We have made our concerns known to the Iranian authorities and have stressed that we expect the detainees to be treated fairly under Iranian law. We and our EU partners will continue to watch developments closely and will take further action if necessary.

Mr. Stephen Twigg

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make improved relations with Iran dependent on the release of the group of thirteen Jews from Shiraz arrested by the Iranian Government. [87133]

Mr. Hoon

We and our EU partners regularly raise human rights issues with the Iranian authorities. We have made our concerns about the recent arrest of 13 Iranian Jews known to the Iranian government and sought assurances that they will be treated fairly under Iranian law. We will continue to use our improved relationship with Iran to press for improvements in Iranian policies, on human rights and other issues, which cause us concern.

Mr. Stephen Twigg

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the actions he has taken since March to secure the release of the group of thirteen Jews from Shiraz who have been arrested. [87127]

Mr. Hoon

We first heard some weeks ago that a number of Jews had been detained without charge in Iran. We have been in regular contact with the Agudas Israel Organisation, both here in the UK and in the US through our mission in New York, and with other agencies involved. The more reliable accounts now agree that 13 people have been detained. Last week it became apparent, first through media reports from Iran and then officially, that they had been accused of espionage.

Before this news broke on 7 June, the German EU Presidency on a visit to Tehran on 20 May had already expressed the concern of EU member states at these detentions. This was followed up with an EU demarche on 16 June. We have also told the Iranians of our concern bilaterally and pressed for the detainees to be treated fairly under Iranian law, as have many of our EU partners. We and our EU partners continue to monitor the situation, and will take further action as necessary.

Mr. Stephen Twigg

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the level of human rights abuses in Iran. [87131]

Mr. Hoon

We and our EU partners continue to have serious concerns over certain human rights issues in Iran. We continue to raise these concerns with the Iranian authorities both bilaterally and multilaterally.

We remain particularly concerned over the continued use of torture and the lack of transparency in the judicial system; both are at odds with the stated aim of the Iranian government to establish a civil society based upon the rule of law. We shall continue to engage the Iranian authorities on these issues with the intention of securing further improvements.

Mr. Stephen Twigg

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what commitments he received from the Iranian Government concerning human rights prior to the exchange of ambassadors between the United Kingdom and Iran. [87125]

Mr. Hoon

The exchange of ambassadors with Iran was agreed in principle during my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Dr. Kharrazi, at the United Nations on 24 September last year, when Dr. Kharrazi gave important assurances that the Iranian government would take no action to threaten the life of Mr. Salman Rushdie, or encourage or assist anyone else to do so.

We and our EU partners remain concerned over certain human rights policies in Iran. We shall continue to raise these concerns with the Iranian authorities.