NGOs in Geneva seek respect for human rights in Iran

NCRI - Human rights defenders at the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva on Friday urged the United Nations and its member states to pressure the Iranian regime to halt executions and other flagrant human rights abuses.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 30th session of the Human Rights Council.

Speakers urged Western governments in particular to base any improvement of ties with the regime in Iran on an end to human rights violations, including torture and execution.

“The mullahs' regime in Iran continues to execute more of its citizens per capita than any other U.N. member state and is the biggest executioner of juveniles,” said Dr. Alejo Vidal-Quadras, President of the International Committee In Search of Justice (ISJ) and a former Vice-President of the European Parliament.

“Some 2000 people have been executed under President Rouhani in the past two years, more than in any similar period in the past 25 years. A young Kurdish political prisoner, Behrouz Alkhani was executed recently and the dead body of Shahrokh Zamani, another political prisoner was found in his cell last week,” he said.

“The executions have escalated especially in the month following the nuclear deal with Iran. It seems that the recent nuclear deal and the absence of absolutely any public condemnation of human rights violations by the European governments, have emboldened Iran to move more quickly to try to annihilate its opponents both inside Iran and also those exiled in neighboring Iraq.”

“The current minister of Justice appointed by Rouhani is a mullah called Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi who was one of the three people who sat on the ‘death commission’ that sent over 30,000 political prisoners - mainly members of the PMOI (People's Mojahedin, or MEK) - to the gallows in summer of 1988.”

“Rouhani has stated clearly on Iranian TV that death sentences are according to the rule of God and the rule of law. So we should not be deceived by pro-regime lobby that these abuses are done behind his back by so called hard-liners. At least on the issue of repression, all factions of this regime have been united. Because ending the repression and the atmosphere of fear and terror, created by these executions, would lead to a revolt and their inevitable downfall.”

“Quite opposite to this, is the declared position of the democratic opposition: I was encouraged when I learnt that Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, who leads the main organized opposition, has clearly said that in a future free Iran, there will be no death penalty. I think that is a very brave and historic commitment, especially for the Muslim world.”

“Ever since Mrs. {Frederica] Mogherini became the EU High Representative for Foreign affairs, not even one press release has been issued by her office in condemnation of human rights violations in Iran. Up to now EU officials were busy with the nuclear negotiations. What about now? Why such a silence?” he added.

Other speakers at Friday's event in Geneva included Peter Matthews TD, a lawmaker from Ireland; Kimmo Sasi, a former minister and lawmaker from Finland; Jamal Ali Jassim Bu Hassan, a member of Parliament from Bahrain; Elisabetta Zamparutti, treasurer of the Italian NGO Hands Off Cane and a former Member of Parliament; and Perviz Khazai, the NCRI's representative in Scandinavian countries.

"The fact is there is no democracy and there are no human rights in Iran," said Mr. Sasi from Finland, adding that that there has been no change in this regard under Rouhani. "There have been 2000 executions since he took office. This is very brutal. There have been stonings, amputation of limbs. ... This is done to create fear so that people do not show any resistance in the country."

Mr. Matthews, a Member of Parliament from Ireland, said: "Iran is in the iron grip of a despotic regime that is iron-fisted in its narrow fundamentalism by any measure. It's choking the breath at out of the people of Iran."

Despite the suppression, the people of Iran continue to rally behind the democratic opposition movement, seeking human rights and democracy.

Other panelists urged the EU in particular to make human rights a focal point of its Iran policy, categorically condemn the ongoing human rights abuses in Iran on an international level and act urgently to press the Iranian regime to stop all executions, end its human rights violations and free all political prisoners in Iran as a precondition to any improvement of relations.