26 July 2005 :

MEP and Hands Off Cain President Marco Panella deposited a parliamentary question to the European Commission regarding the European bloc’s relations with Iran.
The parliamentary question arose following yet another execution of two youths, an 18 year old and his minor friend, who were put to death on July 19 in Edalat square in the city of Mashad in the north eastern part of the country.
Maurizio Turco, coordinator of political initiatives for Radical Party deputies at the European Union, declared:
“With Panella’s parliamentary question we denounce the latest judicial farce which led to the hanging of two youths based solely on the fact that they were homosexual, although they were formally condemned of having raped an unknown thirteen year old boy, notwithstanding the facts that according to Iranian law victims of sexual crimes must appear in court. This is the latest interrogation deposited at the Commission to highlight the violation of fundamental human rights in a country where you can be hanged at nine years of age if you are female and at fifteen years if you are a male.
Last time we asked that all relations with Iran be suspended the Commission replied that instead of a halting of relations with Iran, constructive engagement was needed as it would increase the chances of contributing to a better promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Iran.
As well as asking for a punctual reply regarding the hangings, Marco Panella brings attention back to relations between the EU and Iran by asking what improvements have been registered in Iran regarding the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms as a consequence of the Union’s “politics of constructive engagement”
Lastly Panella urges the Commission to suspend all relations with Iran until there has been an improvement in the country’s human rights situation.
This not only applies to Iran but to all dictators and dictatorships around the globe, dictators and dictatorships with which the European Union has excellent relations, not only diplomatically and from a commercial standpoint but often one of direct economic support.