Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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56. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will request a meeting with Iranian representatives to express Ireland's outrage at the treatment and killing of protesters especially the many young women who have been killed in recent weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49079/22]

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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60. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has spoken with the Iranian Ambassador to Ireland (details supplied) regarding the death in custody of a person who was arrested for wearing their hijab incorrectly, the subsequent protests across Iran and any concerns that he may have for Irish citizens currently residing in Iran. [49011/22]

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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63. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of the events in Iran following the tragic death of a person (details supplied) in Tehran; his views on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48894/22]

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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64. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has raised the recent killing by state forces of a person (details supplied) and the repression against protestors in Iran with the Iranian Ambassador to Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48961/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 56, 60, 63 and 64 together.

The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody in Iran on 16 September, was a tragedy. The fact she was arrested simply due to the way she was dressed understandably provoked a strong response from the Iranian people and the international community. The subsequent response by the Iranian authorities to largely peaceful protestors in Iran has been extremely concerning.

I raised my concerns on the matter directly with the Iranian Foreign Minister when I met him at the UN General Assembly in New York on 21 September. I called on Iran to conduct an independent investigation into the circumstances of Ms Amini’s detention and death.

In my statement of October 3, I made it clear that Iran is party to a number of important international frameworks that guarantee fundamental freedoms, including freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, as well as the importance of upholding the rights of women and girls. Iran must adhere to its obligations under the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

Given that the issue of women’s rights is at the heart of the protests in Iran, I also made it clear that Ireland puts gender issues and the empowerment of women and girls at the forefront of our foreign policy. We will continue to raise these issues in our dialogue with international partners, including Iran. Senior officials in my Department are in ongoing contact with the Iranian Ambassador and the Iranian authorities are fully aware of our concerns.

In cooperation with other European Union Member States, Ireland will consider all options at our disposal to respond to the death of Masha Amini and to the actions of the Iranian authorities against the protestors.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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58. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 109 of 23 June 2022, if he will provide an update on his Department's engagement with representatives of a company (details supplied) and the Misak community in Colombia with regard to the treatment of human rights defenders who raise concerns over the negative impacts of the company's use of land in Colombia; the details of any engagement that he or his Department has had with the United Nations Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council with regard to this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49068/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs continues to closely engage with the company and communities in Colombia referred to in the Deputy’s question. This a multi-layered, highly complex situation with various differing viewpoints, legal considerations, and other perspectives at play.

As previously outlined, officials from my Department have met with all parties to gain a deeper understanding of the circumstances and to support the development of an inclusive dialogue through which the issues surrounding this situation may be resolved.

The Embassy of Ireland to Colombia again visited the region and met with the stakeholders involved in September 2022 to this end.

We welcome the willingness of all parties to engage constructively in a dialogue process. Our Embassy will maintain communication with all sides with a view to supporting the development and implementation of this dialogue. We hope that this will result in a long-term and inclusive solution that respects the rights of all concerned.

Moreover, we welcome the Colombian Government’s recent efforts to engage with all parties to promote dialogue, and their commitment to engage in land reforms that improve equality of land access.

Regarding engagement with the UN Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council, in July 2022 I received a Joint Communication on this situation from several Mandate holders. Ireland's response is available on the communications reporting website, along with the letter (link: . This response highlighted our efforts to support an inclusive dialogue process among all the actors, and our support to the peace process.

It also laid out the work Ireland has done to date on business and human rights, including the publication of the National Action Plan (NAP) on Business and Human Rights in 2017. Under the NAP, the Implementation Group developed a guidance document on Business and Human Rights for Irish companies, including a section on Human Rights Defenders. Ireland is proactive in the protection of Human Rights Defenders, working closely with the UN Special Rapporteur, with leading NGOs, and with Human Rights Defenders themselves in this regard.