15 January 2003
On Tuesday 14th January, a
meeting, called by the International Committee Against Stoning to protest
against the recent wave of mass executions in Iran, was held outside the European Union headquarters in central Brussels.
Meanwhile, Mina Ahadi and Maryam Namazie, coordinators, respectively, of the International Committee Against Stoning and the Campaign Against Executions in Iran, met with Charles Whiteley, of the European Commission’s External Relations Directorate-General (Human Rights). Charles Whiteley said that the Islamic regime in Iran had retreated and suspended stoning under the pressure of organisations such as the International Committee Against Stoning. He reported on the HR section’s latest actions against stoning, and said that they were working to pass through a resolution this year to condemn the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Mina Ahadi and Maryam Namazie mentioned the recent wave of public executions in Iran, and, specifically, the death sentences that have been passed on a number of youths in the last few days, as well as the brutal sentences of amputation of hands, feet and fingers of several people. They called on the EU and the Commission to take urgent steps to prevent these brutal sentences from being carried out. The details of the death sentence against Saasan Al Kan’an, who is a political activist from Kurdistan, and of a number of others awaiting execution were handed over to the HR section.
Charles Whiteley said that thousands of protest letters had been received against these executions and the sentences of amputation of limbs of four young people in Iran. He said that they would put the discussion of the recent wave of executions in Iran on the agenda of a meeting of EU officials on 15th January, who would take a position on this matter.
Finally, it was agreed that a meeting be arranged in the near future for Mina Ahadi and Maryam Namazie with the members of the Human Rights section who are due to visit Iran as part of an EU delegation, as well as with members of the European Parliament.
The International Committee Against Stoning condemns these acts of savagery of the Islamic Republic. Once again we call on all international human rights organisations to protest against these atrocities.