Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 112: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action he will take within the European Union and in the United Nations following publication by Amnesty International Ireland of its report From Protest to Prison: Iran One Year after the Election; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35744/10]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 119: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the present situation in Iran, especially with reference to the status of political prisoners, in particular concerning the Government's policy of targeting human rights activists, women's rights activist and members of Iran's religious and ethnic minorities. [36111/10]

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 123: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the sentencing of an Iranian Internet blogger (details supplied) to 19 years in prison; and if Ireland has condemned such restrictions on free speech [36098/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 394: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the ongoing situation regarding human rights abuses in Iran; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36424/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Question Nos. 112, 119, 123 and 394 together.

The human rights situation in Iran has deteriorated significantly, from an already poor position, since the Presidential election in 2009. I am gravely concerned about the widespread, arbitrary and sometimes politically-motivated use of the death penalty in Iran, the possibility of execution by stoning, the execution of minors and the execution of members of minority communities. I am also extremely concerned about the continued repression of civil and political rights in Iran, including in relation to freedom of expression and assembly, arbitrary arrest and torture in detention. This highly targeted repression has been particularly stringent against members of Iran's religious and ethnic minorities, political activists, journalists and bloggers, human rights defenders and members of the legal profession in Iran who represent clients detained by the authorities. These actions are in clear violation of Iran's international obligations under the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights, of which Iran is a signatory. Many of these violations are described in detail in Amnesty International's report "From Protest to Prison: Iran One Year after the Election."

I drew attention to the deteriorating human rights situation in Iran in my address to the UN General Assembly on 27 September. In my remarks, I called upon Iran to respect and fulfil the international obligations it has undertaken in the field of human rights, in both law and practice. I referred to some profoundly disturbing recent instances of human rights abuses, including the appalling sentencing of Ms Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani to death by stoning for adultery. The case has also been raised with the Iranian Ambassador to Ireland by officials in my Department. Another case causing serious concern is the reported sentencing of Canadian-Iranian blogger Hossein Derakhshan to 19 years in prison for exercising his right to freedom of expression. I join the Canadian Government's calls for the Iranian authorities to respect Mr Derakhsan's legal rights, to allow him consular access and to release him and other dual nationals who have been unjustly detained.

I have also made clear our concerns about the treatment of human rights in Iran in contacts with members of the Iranian Government, most recently at a meeting which I had with Foreign Minister Mottaki in Dublin on 9 June. I have written to Foreign Minister Mottaki on a number of occasions to express my concerns about, and to raise specific aspects of, the human rights situation in Iran.

Ireland has also been active in raising issues relating to human rights in Iran within the specific UN bodies which deal with human rights. Along with our EU partners, we have traditionally supported the annual Resolution on the human rights situation in Iran which is adopted by the General Assembly. In our national intervention at the just concluded UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva on 17 September, we raised concerns relating to the death penalty in Iran. I urge the Iranian authorities to introduce a moratorium on executions pending the abolition of the death penalty in accordance with UN General Assembly resolutions 62/149 and 63/168.

The EU has also been pressing at the highest levels for Iran to abolish the practice of stoning and to meet its international human rights obligations. High Representative Ashton has issued a number of statements which criticised the treatment of human rights in Iran. A detailed démarche was delivered on behalf of the EU in Tehran on 29 August in relation to several specific human rights cases and other human rights issues.

Ireland will continue to raise our concerns on the human rights situation in Iran, both bilaterally and at multilateral organisations.