Edward Rendell: There is only one way that freedom will come to the people of Iran, and that’s with regime change
Bernard Kouchner: A special tribunal to prosecute the mullahs for their crimes
The first day of the seminar of the Iranian communities in Europe was held on Saturday, September 3, 2016, at the office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, in Auvers-sur-Oise. A number of international dignitaries participated and addressed the seminar.
Ed Rendell, Chairman of the Democratic National Convention in July 2016 and former Governor of Pennsylvania noted the horrifying massacre of political prisoners in 1988 and said: “What could be more galling than to hear that Iran’s current Minister of Justice was a member of the Death Commission in 1988?” He said this shows how moderate, Rouhani’s cabinet is and a regime with such a minister needs to be prosecuted.
The former leader of the US Democratic Party added, “There is so much in common between what the MEK (PMOI) have fought for and what the original American patriots fought for… These people are standing up for an ideal.” He reiterated, “There is only one way that freedom will come to the people of Iran, and that is with regime change.”
Dr. Bernard Kouchner, former Foreign Minister of France, also said, “I ask myself what the human rights defenders were doing at the time (of the 1988 massacre)?” He called for a “special tribunal to prosecute the mullahs for their crimes.”
Dr. Kouchner added: “The massacres did not take place only in 1988. Iran continues to have the highest execution rate per capita. The executions have even increased after the nuclear deal.”
Mr. Struan Stevenson, President of the European Iraqi Freedom Association and former member of the European Parliament, told the seminar: “What has happened about the 30,000 who were massacred in 1988? Nothing from the West at all. If the United Nations is to retain one ounce of credibility they must take this up at the UN Human Rights Council this month in Geneva. It must be a key item on the agenda. It must go before the UN Security Council. The perpetrators and murderers must be held to account; they must be brought to justice.”
The Iranian Resistance’s President-elect Maryam Rajavi was the keynote speaker at this seminar. She called on the international community and western governments to put the leaders of the Iranian regime on trial for their crimes against humanity in Iran, particularly the massacre of 30,000 political prisoners in 1988. She also demanded that all relations with the Iranian regime be made contingent on halt to death penalties.
Underlining that the movement to bring justice to the 30,000 political prisoners massacred in 1988 is part of the campaign to overthrow the Iranian regime, she urged all the people of Iran to rise in support and solidarity to expand the movement.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
September 3, 2016