In a resounding move for human rights advocacy, the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) has issued a scathing written declaration, No. 790 | Doc. 15915, denouncing the severe repression of people in Iran.
This bold statement, endorsed by over 70 members of the assembly, sheds light on the ongoing human rights violations in the country, including alarming instances of mass executions and suppression of protests.
The declaration underscores the execution of 864 prisoners in 2023, a figure that includes political prisoners, drawing attention to the disturbing trend of silencing opposition. The document further delves into Iran’s troubling past, highlighting the massacre of tens of thousands of political prisoners over the last forty years. Among these, the 1988 massacre stands out for its sheer brutality, where 30,000 political prisoners, predominantly from the People’s Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK), were executed.
The PACE declaration also casts a spotlight on the violence that marred the 2022 protests in Iran. As reported by a UN Special Rapporteur, the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) were responsible for the deaths of 750 protestors. The declaration characterizes the regime in Iran as a central figure in regional instability, describing it as the main source of terrorism and warmongering in the Middle East and the Red Sea.
The 2022 protests are specifically mentioned as a critical juncture where “the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) killed 750 people.”
In an expression of solidarity, the declaration aligns itself with the National Council of Resistance of Iran President Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan for a secular democratic republic. The plan, which advocates for gender equality, free elections, and peaceful coexistence, calls for holding regime leaders accountable for their actions, recognizing the rights of the Iranian people and resistance to fight for freedom, and blacklisting the IRGC as a terrorist entity.
The declaration states, “We condemn the brutal suppression of people in Iran. In 2023, 864 prisoners, including political prisoners, were executed.” It notes the long-standing pattern of human rights abuses, adding, “In the past four decades, tens of thousands of political prisoners have been executed.”
“In the past four decades, tens of thousands of political prisoners have been executed.”
This firm stance by PACE echoes the sentiments of 3,600 parliamentarians and 125 former world leaders in support of a secular democratic Iran. The declaration concludes with a call to action, urging the international community to hold the Iranian regime accountable, recognize the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom, and officially designate the IRGC as a terrorist entity, marking a significant moment in international human rights advocacy.
MEK Iran (follow us on Twitter and Facebook), Maryam Rajavi’s on her site, Twitter & Facebook, NCRI (Twitter & Facebook), and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTu