{"id":323702,"date":"2024-09-01T13:08:27","date_gmt":"2024-09-01T12:08:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=323702"},"modified":"2024-09-01T20:24:49","modified_gmt":"2024-09-01T19:24:49","slug":"former-german-justice-minister-herta-daubler-gmelin-calls-for-international-sanctions-on-irans-judges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/iran-1988-massacre-of-political-prisoners\/former-german-justice-minister-herta-daubler-gmelin-calls-for-international-sanctions-on-irans-judges\/","title":{"rendered":"Former German Justice Minister Herta D\u00e4ubler-Gmelin Calls for International Sanctions on Iran’s Judges"},"content":{"rendered":"

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At a recent conference<\/a> in Paris, Herta D\u00e4ubler-Gmelin, Germany’s Federal Minister of Justice from 1998 to 2002, emphasized the need for stronger international law and accountability mechanisms to address human rights violations and atrocities. Speaking passionately about the ongoing struggle for justice in Iran, D\u00e4ubler-Gmelin underscored the importance of international solidarity and legal action against oppressive regimes.<\/p>\n

Reflecting on Germany’s history, D\u00e4ubler-Gmelin stressed the importance of justice, democracy, and human rights, noting that political systems that commit crimes will inevitably lead to ruin. She advocated for strengthening the International Criminal Court (ICC) and called on powerful nations to support its efforts rather than undermine them. “We need an international independent court,” she stated, urging the international community to ensure that perpetrators of mass atrocities are brought to justice.<\/p>\n

During her speech, Herta D\u00e4ubler-Gmelin also strongly supported President-elect Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan<\/a>, particularly its aim to abolish the death penalty in Iran. She also called for targeted sanctions against judges in Iran’s regime who misuse their power to support the oppressive actions.<\/p>\n

D\u00e4ubler-Gmelin also praised former UN Special Rapporteur Professor Javaid Rehman for his courageous work in documenting human rights abuses in Iran, calling for immediate action to stop the regime’s use of Sharia law and judicial power to oppress its people. She concluded by expressing admiration for the women in Iran who continue to resist the regime, highlighting the growing international support for their cause.<\/p>\n

The full text of Herta D\u00e4ubler-Gmelin\u2019s speech follows:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Dear President-elect Rajavi, dear friends, and, let’s say, in this conference hall and at the screens in Albania as I’ve been learning, thank you so much for this wonderful welcome.<\/p>\n

I think I’ll follow I think I’ll follow the venerable model of Mr. Boumedra, and I’ve thrown away my speech. And, please, if you allow me, I’ll give some more additional considerations and perhaps, let’s say, topics to this wonderful conference.<\/p>\n

I think as a former politician, law professor, and lawyer, it’s most important to show solidarity to your appeal at this conference and to the fight. Let’s say your compatriots in and out of Iran are conducting all the time and I think it’s important to show support for the appeals that you have.<\/p>\n

At this conference, it’s the cry for justice for the Iranian people, and I fully support that. It’s the cry for democracy, for human rights, and, of course, for the end of impunity of the powerful. And I think this is most important. We know that quite well.<\/p>\n

You see, coming from Germany, I can say that we Germans had to learn our lessons, historical lessons, the hard way. We learned that a politic that commits or orders crimes, violations of human rights, and other atrocities and crimes against mankind will ruin a country and a population in no time as it did ours. And, of course, we have learned, that justice, democracy, and let’s say, human rights don’t come for free.<\/p>\n

And so I really want to repeat my deep respect for all of those who are fighting for this end and, of course, my deeply felt empathy to all, let’s say, mothers and fathers and, well, kids and grandchildren of the people who have been killed in the Iranian regime in the last, let’s say, decades.<\/p>\n

I think to come to international law, it is most important to have, let’s say, a strong international law and functioning mechanisms, well, to put it into practice. And we know quite well that this is an appeal, which is a bit old, if I may say so.<\/p>\n

You see, as a law student in the sixties at my university in Berlin, I learned of Gustave Monnier. He was one of the presidents of the Red Cross at the end of 19th century. This was the most important time when the first conventions on human rights were agreed upon. They were written down and agreed, and what did he say? He was a really wise man, and I love history as you do, excellency. He said, well, we can write down conventions. We can agree on conventions, but as long as we do not manage to take those powerful people before an independent international court, they will do what they want. They won’t bother with international conventions.<\/p>\n

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Remarks by Herta D\u00e4ubler-Gmelin - 24 Aug 2024 conference marking 36th anniversary of 1988 massacre<\/div><\/div>
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