II. RECOMMENDATIONS

To the Government of Iran

· Release immediately all writers, editors, publishers, members of the Iran Freedom Movement and others detained or imprisoned for their peaceful exercise of freedom of expression, and ensure that others against whom charges are being brought have immediate and regular access to legal counsel and family and medical visits.

· Lift the banning orders on newspapers, and amend the press law and related legislation to guarantee freedom of expression, in accordance with Iran's obligations as a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In particular, provisions in the press law that permit the prosecution of writers and journalists on charges such as "questioning the tenets of Islam and the revolution" should be revoked.

· Amend articles 24 and 26 of the constitution as well as relevant laws and administrative procedures to ensure that they are not used arbitrarily to penalize the exercise of basic civil and political rights such as freedom of expression and freedom of association.

· Revise the legal and administrative procedures of the Revolutionary Courts and the Special Court for the Clergy to bring them into full conformity with international fair trial standards. This includes ensuring that defendants are allowed prompt and regular access to defense counsel and that they have the right to call defense witnesses and question prosecution witnesses, and have the right to appeal to a higher independent tribunal.

· Revoke the banning of the Iran Freedom Movement by the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

To the European Union and Member States

· Call publicly on the government of Iran to release unconditionally persons imprisoned on charges stemming from their presence at the April 2000 Berlin conference on the future of Iran, and drop all pending charges against persons for attending this conference.

· Make clear that improvements in political and economic relations between Iran and the E.U. and its member states depend on government efforts to implement the recommendations above.

· Adopt a Community-wide position linking further aid and concessionary trade arrangements with Iran to unambiguous steps by the government to promote and protect the ability of Iranians to exercise their rights to freedom of expression, freedom to impart or receive information, and freedom of association.