IRAN: SUPPORTING THE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM

adminNews and Documents

Following the brutal murder of a 22-year-old woman from Kurdistan province, Mahsa Amini massive protests sparked all over Iran and have continued to date spreading to all provinces of Iran.

Repressive forces have responded violently attacking protesters with tear gas, firing shotguns, and brutally beating them. The death toll has raised to over 300 and over 15,000 have been arrested. This is while leaked documents reveal a top order to brutally kill the protesters and the internet is shut down.

FIDU, with more than 50 other international NGOs and experts, calls on international institutions and member states of the United Nations to strongly condemn these crimes, hold the authorities responsible for the killings accountable, predicate diplomatic relationships on the release of all arrested protesters, and finally refer Iran’s crimes against humanity to the United Nations Security Council.

Declaration in Support of Human Rights and Protests in Iran

Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman from Saqqez, Kurdistan province, was arrested on Tuesday, September 13th in Tehran by the “Guidance Patrol”, under the pretext of “mal-veiling” and was subsequently beaten in custody, which led to her brain injury and death.

Following the brutal murder of Mahsa Amini, massive protests sparked all over Iran and are ongoing to date. Subsequently, the extent of people’s protests, especially by women and the youth, escalated to more than 130 cities in 31 provinces of Iran. Protests also took place in 16 important universities in Tehran and other cities. The repressive forces had fired tear gas at the demonstrators and attacked with gunshots. The repression of the protests has resulted in at least 100 protesters killed, and hundreds injured. It has been reported that thousands of people have been arrested.

Also, in a large part of Iran, people faced Internet disruptions and interruptions. This repressive action of the regime is to prevent the sending of news and the publication of pictures on social media and to censor and cover up the dimensions of the massacres.

Amnesty International has repeatedly called for the investigation and prosecution of Ebrahim Raisi, the regime’s current president, for his role in the massacre of political prisoners in 1988. This massacre was carried out following a fatwa to kill all political prisoners who were firm supporters strongly committed to the Mojahedin Organization of Iran within a few months. In its 2018 book, Amnesty International called this massacre “an ongoing crime against humanity”. In the November 2019 uprising of the Iranian people, more than 1500 demonstrators were killed by the regime. All the Iranian people should have the right to free access to communications and the Internet to defend their basic rights.

We, the undersigned, call on the international institutions and member states of the United Nations to:

  • Strongly condemn these crimes and take urgent measures to stop the repression in Iran.
  • End dialogue and cease diplomatic relations with the regime unless it releases all the arrested protesters.
  • Refer the crimes of this regime to the United Nations Security Council.
  • Bring to justice the authorities responsible for this repression and systematic killings.

List of NGOs, human rights and legal experts who signed the statement:  

  1. Equality Now
  2. Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law
  3. Nouveaux Droits de l’Homme
  4. Edmund Rice Centre
  5. ADCALI, association pour la diffusion de la culture, de l’art et de la littérature de l’Iran
  6. South Asia Democratic Forum(SDAF)
  7. Crosslink Church Australia
  8. Rev Bill Crews Foundation
  9. Pax Christi Australia
  10. Martin Ennals Foundation
  11. Disability Council International
  12. The Nonviolent Radical Party
  13. Italian Federation for Human Rights (FIDU)
  14. ACAT España – Acción de los Cristianos para la Abolición de la Tortura
  15. Association Ma’onah for Human Rights and Immigration (AMHRI)
  16. Femmes la Force du Changement
  17. Hungarian Civil Liberties Union
  18. JVMI – Justice for the Victims of the 1988 Massacre in Iran
  19. Marangopoulos Foundation for Human Rights
  20. Alliance to Renew Co-operation among Humankind (ARCHumankind)
  21. Comité de Soutien aux droits de l’homme en Iran (CSDHI)
  22. Press Emblem Campaign
  23. Foro Penal
  24. 3F Transport, Logistik & Byg
  25. Dansk El-Forbund
  26. Teknisk Landsforbund
  27. Malernes Fagforening Øst/Vest
  28. FH (Fagbevægelsens Hovedorganisation)
  29. Dansk Metal Østjylland
  30. NNF fødevareforbundet Food Union NNF
  31. 3F – Aarhus Rymarken
  32. A.P.A.D.A.R (Asociatia Pentru Apararea Drepturilor Apatrizilor si Refugiatilor)
  33. Asociatia Judeteana Protectie Sociala “Raza De Luna”
  34. Blik- og Rørarbejderforbundet
  35. Alliance of Inclusive Muslims
  36. Syrian Center for Legal Studies and Research
  37. European Iraqi Freedom Association EIFA
  38. Grace Church Canberra
  39. Tevin
  40. Comunitatea “SIRIA LIBERA” din Romania
  41. Sirienni Liberi
  42. Association for Promotion of Democracy and Respect of Human Rights
  43. Association Humanitaire pour les droits de l´homme et la démocratie en Iran
  44. Theo Van Boven, Former Director of the United Nations Division of Human Rights (1977-1982); former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture (2001-2004) – (Netherlands)
  45. Manfred Nowak, Former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (2004-2010); former member of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID); former judge at the Human Rights Chamber for Bosnia and Herzegovina – (Austria)
  46. Gabriela Knaul, Former UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers (2009-2015) – (Brazil)
  47. Alfred De Zayas, Former UN Independent Expert on the Promotion of a Democratic and Equitable International Order (2012-2018) – (United States)
  48. Eric David, Former member of the UN-affiliated International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission (2006-2016); International Public Law Professor. Em., Université Libre de Bruxelles – (Belgium)
  49. Andreas Bummel, Executive Director, Democracy Without Borders (Germany)
  50. Antonio Stango, President of the Italian Federation for Human Rights (Italy)
  51. Soledad Villagra de Biedermann, Former UN Human Rights expert (Un Working Group on Arbitrary Detention), University Professor, Asunción, (Paraguay)
  52. Peter A. Schey, President of Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law (USA)
  53. Sara Chandler QC, Council Member of the Law Society of England and Wales, former Chair of the Law Society’s Human Rights Committee, former President of the European Bars Federation (FBE) – (United Kingdom)
  54. Stephanie David, International Lawyer and Human Rights advocate, Former FIDH Director of Middle East and North Africa, and Head of UN Advocacy and FIDH Director in New York
  55. Maurizio Turco, Secretary General of The Nonviolent Radical Party (Italy)
  56. Guillaume Colin, Executive Director of FIACAT, International Federation of Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture (France)
Share
Tweet
Share