{"id":214726,"date":"2020-03-25T10:45:02","date_gmt":"2020-03-25T10:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=214726"},"modified":"2023-01-23T06:54:25","modified_gmt":"2023-01-23T05:54:25","slug":"italian-lawmakers-express-their-solidarity-with-irans-people-condemn-regimes-cover-up-of-coronavirus-outbreak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-a-world\/italian-lawmakers-express-their-solidarity-with-irans-people-condemn-regimes-cover-up-of-coronavirus-outbreak\/","title":{"rendered":"Italian Lawmakers Express Their Solidarity With Iran\u2019s People, Condemn Regime\u2019s Cover-Up of Coronavirus Outbreak"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Italian
Italian parlimant<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Italian Committee of Parliamentarians for a Free Iran, in a letter to Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed its concerns over the growing number of the coronavirus fatalities in Iran, because of the regime\u2019s inaction and cover-up. The Italian lawmakers also expressed their full support of the Iranian resistance, and their solidarity with the Iranian people. The full text of the statement is below.<\/p>\n

\"The
The Italian Committee of Parliamentarians for a Free Iran<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hon. Michelle Bachelet<\/p>\n

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights<\/p>\n

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights<\/p>\n

CH-1201 Geneva,<\/p>\n

Switzerland<\/p>\n

InfoDesk@ohchr.org<\/p>\n

Dear High Commissioner,<\/p>\n

Rome,\u00a0 March 23, 2020<\/p>\n

The Italian Committee of Parliamentarians for a Free Iran which has followed the human rights situation in Iran for many years and hopes for freedom, democracy and peace for the Iranian people.<\/p>\n

We are writing from Italy, where the spread of coronavirus is provoking very serious consequences, as well as in many other countries all over the world. However, in countries where repressive government cover the information about this pandemic, even preventive and hygienic measures are not being properly taken and the number of casualties is much higher than official sources admit. This is, in particular, the case of Iran, where \u2013 as confirmed by several reliable reports \u2013 the regime concealed the presence of the virus for several weeks and failed to take appropriate measures. This was due to political considerations, including the call for participation in sham \u2018parliamentary\u2019 election for the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the decision not to strictly quarantine the city of Qom, which was the initial epicenter of the virus outbreak.<\/p>\n

In this way, the spread of the disease has been extremely severe in Iran, mounting to a humanitarian catastrophe. According to information collected on the field and provided by the opposition movement People\u2019s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI)<\/a>, not less than 9600 infected people have already lost their lives, while international media suggest that the Iranian regime is building vast coronavirus burial pits.<\/p>\n

The very high number of prisoners in Iran is especially in danger because of the infection. Although the regime, implicitly admitting the gravity of the situation, allowed tens of thousands to temporarily leave the detention facilities, no such measure has been taken for political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, whose health is a particular matter of concern.<\/p>\n

While failure to take serious action and covering the true data by the Iranian regime is a crime against humanity, an urgent intervention by the International institutions in Iran is needed.<\/p>\n

We call on the United Nations to address this issue by adopting all the possible measures. In particular, the World Health Organization should provide humanitarian assistance to the Iranian population not to the organs of the Iranian regime, such as the IRGC, but directly to the hospitals. Furthermore, the regime\u2019s officials responsible for concealing the extent of the epidemic in Iran should be held accountable by International bodies.<\/p>\n

Sincerely<\/p>\n

The Italian Committee of Parliamentarians for a Free Iran<\/strong><\/p>\n

The President, Hon Antonio Tasso \u2013 member of the Italian Parliament<\/p>\n

The co-President, Hon. Stefania Pezzopane member of the Italian Parliament<\/p>\n

The Coordinator, Dr. Antonio Stango<\/p>\n

CC:<\/strong><\/p>\n