NCRI – Alarmed by a visit to Iran by the European Union’s foreign policy chief Ms. Federica Mogherini on Tuesday, over two dozen Members of the European Parliament have called on the EU to ‘put human rights as a top priority for any expansion of relationship with Iran.’
In a letter sent Monday to Ms Federica Mogherini, 30 MEPs said: “We regret to see that very little, if nothing at all, has been said by you in condemnation of these inhumane punishments.”
They urged her “to publicly denounce human rights abuses in Iran, call for ending public executions and request at least to meet” with a number of political prisoners in Iran.
Text of letter by European lawmakers to Ms. Federica Mogherini:
27 July 2015
Honourable Federica Mogherini
EU High Representative / Vice-President of the Commission
Dear Ms Mogherini,
We have been alarmed about your planned visit to Iran tomorrow.
While the EU and the world powers were negotiating a deal with Iran over its nuclear program, the government of President Hassan Rouhani was busy hanging hundreds of its citizens, many of them in public.
Amnesty International has released a shocking report that 700 executions took place in Iran only during the first six months of this year. “Iran’s staggering execution toll for the first half of this year paints a sinister picture of the machinery of the state carrying out premeditated, judicially-sanctioned killings on a mass scale,” Amnesty International stressed.
Women have been particularly targeted with acid attacks, disfiguring their faces as well as new repressive laws limiting their rights while giving an open hand to the security forces to punish them for improper ‘veiling.’
Unspeakably cruel and shocking sentences have also been carried out recently in Iran such as gouging out eyes and amputating hands of prisoners.
We regret to see that very little, if nothing at all, has been said by you in condemnation of these inhumane punishments.
While Rouhani is boasting about his improved ties with the west, the European Union which is defined by its democratic values and humanitarian principles should have put human rights as a top priority for any expansion of relationship with Iran, otherwise we may appear complicit in these abuses.
We therefore urge you to publicly denounce human rights abuses in Iran, call for ending public executions and request at least to meet the following political prisoners during your visit:
– Ms Narges Mohammadi, 43, women’s rights activist and journalist, who is mother of two young children, had met Lady Ashton before but is now in jail for her peaceful activities
– Ms Atena Farghadani, 29, artist and political activist who is serving 12-years sentence for drawing satirical cartoons
– Ms Atena Daemi, 27, children’s rights and anti-death penalty activist, sentenced to 14 years in prison for alleged “collusion and propaganda against the state.”
– Mr Ali Moezi, 64, a longtime political prisoner who has been jailed for having visited his two daughters in Camp Ashraf in Iraq.
Yours sincerely,
Related news:
Mogherini should not forgo human rights in Iran trip – European lawmaker
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