France should not sacrifice human rights for economic purposes: Gilbert Mitterrand

Speaking at the rally by thousands of Iranians in Paris on Thursday protesting the recent visit by Hassan Rouhani, the president of the clerical regime in Tehran, the president of the France Libertés Foundation called on France not to sacrifice human rights for economic and financial purposes.

Gilbert Mitterrand, son of late French president Francoise Mitterrand said: The France Libertés foundation asks the powerful nations, the International community and the French president to support the great Iranian people, who are victims of more than 120 000 political executions, where minors are prosecuted, where women are mutilated, where no law can support the hatred they suffer. That is our message.

In the massive demonstration Sid Ahmad Ghozali, former Algerian Prime Minister; Senator Jean-Pierre Michel; Giulio Maria Terzi, former Italian Foreign Minister; José Bové, Member of the European Parliament from France; Dr. Alejo Vidal-Quadras, President of International Committee In Search of Justice; Rama Yade, former French Secretary of State for Human Rights; Henri Leclerc, prominent French lawyer and jurist; Dominique Lefevbre, member of French National Assembly; Jean- François Legaret and Jacques Boutault, Mayors of 1st and 2nd districts of Paris; Struan Stevenson, President of European Iraqi Freedom Association (EIFA); Michel Kilo, member of Syrian opposition; and Marzieh Babakhani, member of PMOI/MEK Central Council, were also among the speakers.

Text of speech by Gilbert Mitterrand at protest in Paris against Rouhani’s visit on Thursday, 28 January 2015:

The foundation Danielle-Mitterrand - France Libertés shows its support to the people of Iran, the Iran of liberties, of human rights and democracy, where the death penalty doesn't prevail.

The same Iran that suffers terrible acts of violence, holding one of the worst world record to this day.

The foundation France Libertés joins the numerous voices around the world who are rising so that this great country doesn't get sacrificed for economic and financial purposes where local strategies tend to scorn people's conscience. Progress only makes sense if it profits the whole world. Silence kills even more than the craziness of executioners.

The France Libertés foundation asks the powerful nations, the International community and the French president to support the great Iranian people, who are victims of more than 120 000 political executions, where minors are prosecuted, where women are mutilated, where no law can support the hatred they suffer. That is our message.
That is our demand, united together, in this protest today, for our brothers and sisters.