Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for
Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Foreign Minister of the
member states of the European Union
With great awe, we have been observing the positioning of members of the European Union regarding the poisoning of Alexei Anatoljewitsch Nawalny, the leading figure of Russian opposition. It is both prudential as well as moral to protect the lives of the Opposition in context of dictatorial political systems. In case of the Islamic Republic of Iran, nevertheless, we have not seen such positioning. Ever since the uprising and mass protests of August 2018 and November 2019, the regime in Tehran has been waging a full-scale war on the population under its custody. We have been witnessing a weekly punishment and hanging travesty of the member of the opposition, or those citizens who protested to demand their basic rights. We are aware of the instances where EU governments have criticized this situation in Iran, but these have had little to no effect. As a result, we ask whether a similar policy as has been the case with Russia and Alexei Nawalny should be enforced which can have a more effective resonance in case of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Following the case of Mykonos assassination of September 17, 1992 die EU states recalled their ambassadors and restricted their economic relations with the regime in Iran. In that instance 3 heads of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran and their interpreter were assassinated by hired killers of the Iranian regime in Berlin, Germany. The stance of EU states was effective and the assassination of the Iranian opposition members stopped in Europe.
In comparison with 1992, the Tehran regime has become unscrupulously out of control within the last couple of years.During the November 2019 protests alone, more than 1500 Iranian citizens were targeted and killed, with another 3000 citizens detained. The detainees have ever since been persecuted without the basic right of access to legal assistance or publicity. Death sentences are being handed down without any member of the public – domestically or internationally – becoming aware of them. It has been reported that Navid Afkari was severely tortured before being executed by hanging, and to prevent his family from learning about the bodily signs of that, his body was not shown to them and was indeed buried in the middle of the night. In addition to murdering members of the opposition inside Iran, the regime has started to follow and target the opposition overseas, as well. According to intelligence provided by the American security organizations, the regime in Tehran is now targeting the lives and livelihood of well-known opposition members in Europe. We are, therefore, of the opinion that the policies of EU states against the regime in Tehran must be subjected to immediate reconsideration and recalibration.
Dear Mr. Borrell, dear respected Minister, we believe that human-rights-oriented and life-saving policies of the EU States should not remain exclusive to the case of Mr. Alexei Anatoljewitsch Nawalny. The same steps you took against the regime of Mr. Putin must similarly be practiced against the murderous regime in Tehran. Such policies could also bring about a lowering of terrorist activities of militia branch of the regime in the region, and most notably in Yemen, which is in the interest of European states.
Sincerely,
On behalf of the Executive Board
Dr. N. Barati-Novbari
Aka Mehran Barati
International Affairs
September 14, 2020
