August 2, 2017. The office of Mr. Gérard Deprez MEP and Chair of the ‘Friends of a Free Iran’ in European Parliament issued the following press release today.
Iran: Report by Amnesty International and EU’s policy
Following the publication of a 94-page report by Amnesty International on 2 August 2017, “Caught in a web of repression: Iran’s human rights defenders under attack”, the Friends of a Free Iran in the European Parliament once again call on the EU and European governments to conditions their relationships with Iran to a halt to executions and a clear progress on human rights and women rights.
“The Iranian authorities have waged a ‘vicious’ crackdown on human rights defenders since Hassan Rouhani became president, demonising and imprisoning activists who dare to stand up for people’s rights,” Amnesty International said.
The report provides a comprehensive overview of the crackdown which has targeted activists from key battlegrounds for human rights in Iran, including anti-death penalty campaigners, women’s rights activists, trade unionists, minority rights activists and human rights lawyers.
Amnesty is calling on the EU to speak out in the strongest terms against the persecution of human rights defenders in the country and insists “the EU, must not stay silent over the outrageous treatment of human rights defenders in Iran… Instead of appeasing Iranian officials, the EU should forcefully call for the immediate and unconditional release of all those jailed for their peaceful human rights activism and for an end to the misuse of the justice system to silence activists.”
Friends of a Free Iran in the European Parliament (FOFI) is also alarmed of the news of 101 executions registered in July 2017, include two women, dozens of youngsters and two executions in public.
Hassan Rouhani has proven not to be a moderate. During his first term in office over 3000 people were hanged in Iran. Recently 265 members of the European Parliament signed a joint declaration calling on the EU and European governments to condition their relations with Iran to improvements on human rights.
In these circumstances, we are deeply concerned that the European Union’s Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini will travel to Tehran on August 5 to attend the inauguration ceremony of Rouhani’s 2nd term, according to her spokesperson.
Such a visit will only encourage the mullahs to continue their repressive actions against the Iranian people, with EU’s blessing. This will also give a wrong message to the people of Iran who look at Europe to defend their rights.
Gérard Deprez MEP
Chair, Friends of a Free Iran
European Parliament