On June 30, at the Free Iran 2024 World Summit in Paris, Izabela Konopacka, President of the European Bars Federation, delivered a powerful speech expressing solidarity with the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom and justice. Representing an organization of around one million lawyers from the Council of Europe, Konopacka drew parallels between the current situation in Iran and the historic fall of the Berlin Wall, a symbol of the collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe.
Konopacka shared her admiration for Maryam Rajavi’s leadership and her Ten-Point Plan for a democratic Iran, emphasizing that its principles align with the fundamental values of any democratic state, values often taken for granted in the European Union.
Highlighting the troubling silence of some governments in the face of severe human rights abuses in Iran, Konopacka assured the audience that lawyers committed to justice and the rule of law would not remain silent. She condemned the Iranian authorities for conducting sham trials against Iranian dissidents living abroad, specifically referencing the Tehran Criminal Court’s July 2023 disclosure of 104 names associated with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) in Albania.
Konopacka called on Interpol to reject The Iranian regime’s misuse of its mechanisms, stressing that Interpol must uphold justice and human rights and not become an instrument of Tehran’s persecution. She urged the international community of lawyers to recognize and condemn the regime’s violations and manipulative legal practices.
The full text of Izabela Konopacka’s speech follows:
Madam President, Ladies and gentlemen. My Polish name is also difficult to pronounce. I am Izabela Konopacka. First of all, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Madam President for this invitation to this significant gathering.
Today, I will be speaking on behalf of the European Bar Federation, an organization that represents around one million lawyers from the Council of Europe. However, as a Polish lawyer, I feel compelled to share my reflections from yesterday, witnessing the crowd in Berlin, demonstrating against the Iranian regime, instantly brought to my mind the historic fall of the Berlin Wall, a powerful symbol of the collapse of committees in European Europe.
I believe that the Iranian people, too, will see their wall of oppression crumble soon. In my recent meeting with Madame President, I was immediately struck by her dedication, courage, and intellect. Her leadership is truly remarkable. I was particularly impressed by the Ten-Point Plan which outlines a vision for a democratic Iran. The principles are fundamental to any democratic state and are the very values that we in the European Union very often take for granted.
🌍🇮🇷 At the Free Iran World Summit 2024 held in Auvers-sur-Oise, the European Bar Federation (#FBE) was proudly represented by Immediate Past President Izabela Konopacka and Past President Dominique Attias. pic.twitter.com/VCDjk4lFhz
— FBE · Fédération des Barreaux d'Europe (@EuropeanBars) July 4, 2024
Today, we find ourselves at a crucial moment in the struggle for justice and human rights. It is deeply troubling that despite clear evidence of severe human rights abuses, some governments choose to remain silent. Governments and politicians may hesitate to support the opposition to the regime, fearing the consequences of defying an oppressive regime.
However, I want to assure you that lawyers committed to justice and the rule of law cannot and will not stay silent in the face of injustices committed by the Iranian regime. The European Bar Federation states united in condemning the Iranian authorities for conducting a shame trial against Iranian dissidents living abroad.
This mockery of justice is not only an affront to the very essence of justice but also a blood attempt to stifle dissent and silence opposition through fear and intimidation. On July 29, 2023, the Tehran Criminal Court publicly disclosed the names of 104 individuals associated with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran in Albania. The Iranian judiciary has a notorious history of executing tens of thousands of these individuals on unfunded charges, a grim practice that has persisted for more than four decades.
By fabricating charges and manipulating legal cases, the Iranian regime seeks to influence the decisions of European countries. Additionally, they are misusing Interpol by issuing arrest warrants or red notices. For these, 104 individuals, Interpol must reject these red notices outright and publicly denounce the misuse of its mechanism.
As an international police organization, Interpol has a solemn duty to uphold justice and human rights. It must not become an instrument of Tehran’s prosecution. We call on Interpol to unequivocally state that it will not circulate any red notices issued by Iran against these dissidents.
The international community of lawyers must not ignore the Iranian regime’s blood and violation of human rights and its manipulative use of legal processes to favor its political objectives. Having lived through the fall of communists in Poland, I see clear parallels between those dark times and the current situation in Iran.
In Poland, brave individuals from all walks of life, workers like Lech Wałęsa, teachers, artists, lawyers, engineers, and poets, stood against tyranny and fought for freedom. Their perseverance led to the fall of oppressive walls. One of the voices of resilience was our esteemed Nobel Prize winner, Czesław Miłosz. Reflecting on his profound words, I would like to address Tehran’s regime: “You who harmed a simple man, bursting to laughter at the crime, do not feel safe, we will remember.”
With this spirit of unwavering hope and determination, we, European lawyers, express our solidarity with the oppressed people of Iran in the quest for freedom and justice. We believe that justice will prevail, and like the fall of communists in Poland, the tyranny of the Iranian regime will eventually come to an end.
Thank you.
