Nuclear Agreement with Iran… But what about human rights?

(Brussels, 5 May 2015, Belgian Parliament) - The Belgian Committee of Parliamentarians and Mayors for a Democratic Iran held a conference today in the national parliament to discuss the current situation of human rights in Iran.

In this meeting chaired by Mayor Dirk Claes several members of parliament and European dignitaries spoke including MPs: David Clarinval (MR), Nele Lijnen (Open VLD), Els Van Hoof (CD&V), An Capoen (N-VA), Peter Van Rompuy (CD&V) and Professor Alejo Vidal-Quadras, President of International Committee In Search of Justice (ISJ) and former Vice-President of the European Parliament, Professor Eric David of International Law Department of ULB University and Pierre Galand, President of European Humanist Federation.

The speakers strongly condemned the executions in Iran under the so called “moderate” president Rouhani whose government has executed over 1500 people.

Women are systematically dismissed from social activities. Social arrests under the pretext of ‘hijab’ (improper veiling) have continued. Some have been attacked with acid attacks in their faces for not covering their hair properly. New repressive laws are banning women from many jobs if they don’t get married and have children.

The 10-points plan for the future of Iran by Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi is a very good model for the future of Iran, which calls for a democratic and pluralist republic based on universal suffrage, freedom of expression, abolition of torture and the death penalty, separation of church and state, a non-nuclear Iran, an independent judiciary, minority rights, peaceful coexistence in the region and gender equality.

The conference expressed deep concern over the plight of 2500 PMOI (MEK) members in camp Liberty in Iraq. It urged the governments in Europe, including Belgium, to open their doors to these refugees who are the most educated intellectuals of the Iranian opposition. They have all been registered as refugees by the UNHCR.

In his concluding remarks, Dirk Claes said “any expansion of relationship with Iran must be conditioned to a very clear progress in the field of human rights. This is what the people of Iran expect from us in Europe. As elected representatives of our people in Europe we should not forget democracy and human rights because of business and trade or a nuclear deal.”

Office of Dirk Claes, Mayor
President of Belgian Committee of Parliamentarians &
Mayors for a Democratic Iran