A group of members of the European Parliament, who were among the signatories to the joint declaration by 220 Euro MPS who expressied support for democratic change in Iran, issued a statement rebuking the regime’ foreign ministry’s unusual reaction and its claims that such a text never existed.
Below is the text of Press Released by the MEPs in response to the Iranian regime’s foreign ministry:
The Iranian foreign ministry has reacted to the statement signed by 220 Members of the European Parliament in support for human rights and a democratic change in Iran. It has claimed that such a text never existed and has urged the media not to publish this story.
The statement had called on Iran to “end the executions, free political prisoners, stop the repression of women and respect the rights and freedoms of the Iranian people.” It had also endorsed the ten-point plan of opposition leader Maryam Rajavi for establishing a pluralistic republic based on democratic principles.
We are indeed encouraged by this unusual reaction by Iranian government which clearly demonstrates that the voice of this parliament promoting European values and human rights cannot be ignored.
We fully endorse these efforts of our colleague Gérard Deprez who is chairing the Friends of a Free Iran in the European Parliament.
Instead of questioning the work of European lawmakers, the Iranian government should answer the international community about the gross human rights abuses against its own citizens.
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The statement signed by over 220 who represent all political groups in the European Parliament expresses solidarity with the ten-point plan of the Iranian opposition leader, Maryam Rajavi, which calls for a democratic change in Iran.
In the statement sent to EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini the MEPs and presented to the media on Monday June 1 said: “We express our solidarity with the ten-point plan of the Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi, which calls for a democratic pluralistic republic based on universal suffrage, freedom of expression, abolition of torture and death penalty, separation of church and state, a non-nuclear Iran, an independent judicial system, rights for minorities, peaceful coexistence in the region, gender equality and commitment to Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi is the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance or Iran (NCRI) a broad coalition of democratic Iranian organizations, groups, and personalities.
The MEPs condemned gross human rights violations in Iran and called on Iranian regime to “end the executions, free political prisoners, stop the repression of women and respect the rights and freedoms of the Iranian people.”
With regards to the nuclear talks on the Iranian regime’s nuclear program the statement said: “Iran needs to adhere to all UN Security Council resolutions with regard to its nuclear program and it should respond to all outstanding IAEA questions while allowing intrusive inspections of all its military and non-military sites whether declared or undeclared.”
The signatories expressed their ‘growing concern’ about the ‘destructive meddling of Iran in the region.
“Iran is at the heart of the crisis in this region and not part of the solution. If fundamentalism and extremism is to be uprooted in this region, Iran’s destructive influence and interference should end.”
The statement highlighted the suppressive measures and the siege that is imposed on Iranian dissidents in Camp Liberty in Iraq.
“So far, 117 have been killed by the orders of Tehran and 25 have been tormented to death due to an anti-human medical blockade,” the MEPs said.
The European lawmakers emphasized the following urgent measures:
1. The situation of human rights in Iran needs to be heeded in all relations with this country. Iran should end the executions, free political prisoners, stop the repression of women and respect the rights and freedoms of the Iranian people.
2. Iran needs to adhere to all UN Security Council resolutions with regard to its nuclear program and it should respond to all outstanding IAEA questions while allowing intrusive inspections of all its military and non-military sites whether declared or undeclared.
3. Protection of Camp Liberty residents must be secured and ensured by Iraq, United States and the United Nations. Camp Liberty needs to be recognized as a refugee camp and its siege, in particular its medical blockade, must be revoked in its entirety.
