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NCRI \u2013 The following are the text of an April 12 press release and a letter by G\u00e9rard Deprez MEP, Chair of Friends of a Free Iran at the European Parliament, to the European Union\u2019s High Representative Ms. Federica Mogherini urging her to publicly speak out for human rights in Iran during her trip to Tehran later this week:<\/p>\n
Begins:<\/p>\n
Press release
Strasbourg- 12 April 2016<\/p>\n
Human rights should be on top of agenda of EU High Representative\u2019s trip to Iran<\/strong><\/p>\n G\u00e9rard Deprez, Chair of Friends of a Free Iran intergroup which has enjoyed the support of over 200 members of the European Parliament from different political groups, wrote a letter today to the EU High Representative Ms Federica Mogherini who is visiting Iran at end of this week. The letter is attached.<\/p>\n Deprez said that \u201cafter the nuclear deal any further relations with Iran should be conditioned to halt of executions and a clear progress of human rights and the situation of women\u201d and expressed surprise that such a high-level visit is taking place before witnessing any sign of human rights improvement from the Iranian side.<\/p>\n With over 2300 executions since the \u201cmoderate\u201d President Rouhani took office, Iran is the number one state- executioner in the world per capita and Rouhani has openly defended these executions as a \u201cgood law\u201d and \u201cthe law of God.\u201d<\/p>\n Deprez urged Ms Mogherini to \u201cto publicly speak out in Tehran<\/strong> about the need for Iranian authorities to show respect for the basic rights of their citizens\u201d and to meet several political prisoners.<\/p>\n Office of G\u00e9rard Deprez MEP <\/strong> —–<\/p>\n TEXT OF LETTER BY GERARD DEPREZ:<\/strong><\/p>\n Strasbourg, 12 April 2016<\/p>\n Hon. Federica Mogherini Dear High Representative,<\/p>\n I am writing to you regarding your planned visit to Iran on 16 April.<\/p>\n As I and many of my colleagues in the European parliament had written to you before, we are extremely concerned about the ongoing human rights abuses in Iran. We have always insisted that after the nuclear deal any further relations with Iran should be conditioned to a halt of executions, a clear progress in the field of respect of human rights and an improvement of the situation of women.<\/p>\n Thus it has taken us by surprise that such a high-level visit including yourself and seven other EU-Commissioners is taking place before witnessing any sign of human rights improvement from the Iranian side.<\/p>\n Last week\u2019s annual report by Amnesty International on death penalty stated that at least 977 people were hanged in Iran last year which makes 60 percent of the total registered executions in the world in 2015. According to the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, the number of executions under President Rouhani is the highest since 1989.<\/p>\n We are extremely concerned about repression against women. New laws that were adopted after President Rouhani took office has restricted their rights more than before. Many women rights activists are behind bars for their peaceful campaigning. Girls as young as 9 can now be married even to a stepfather.<\/p>\n Contrary to great optimism that nuclear negotiations would lead to a more open society, things seem to have been going in the opposite direction. President Rouhani himself confirmed in a televised speech last year that he regards the executions as a \u201cgood law\u201d and \u201cthe law of God.\u201d<\/p>\n If our improved relations with Iran will not be combined with certain conditions for improvement of people\u2019s rights, we will be only strengthening the regime and will thus be complicit in the repression.
Strasbourg <\/strong>
European Parliament<\/strong><\/p>\n
EU High Representative and Vice-President of Commission<\/p>\n
As the European External Action Services under your leadership have stated: \u201cThe European Union is founded on a strong engagement to promote and protect human rights, democracy and rule of law worldwide. Sustainable peace, development and prosperity cannot exist without respect for human rights. This commitment underpins all internal and external policies of the European Union.\u201d<\/p>\n