The German government has condemned Iran’s planned execution of five Arab cultural activists from Khalafieh in 
Al-Ahwaz.
In a statement released today, the Auswärtige Amt, the German Federal Foreign Office, human rights commissioner Markus Löning criticised the lack of transparency in the trials and stated that the Supreme Court had “run contrary to the principles of the rule of law” in upholding the death sentences.
He added that “it is completely unacceptable and displays a disregard for human dignity” for Iran to break international law and its own constitution by condemning to death people who were only “advocating for cultural rights and political participation.”
Löning called for Iran to overturn the death penalties and immediately release the five men – Mohammad Ali Amouri Sayed, Jaber Alboshoka, Mokhtar Alboshoka, Hashem Shaabani Amouri and Hadi Rashidi.
In its statement, the Auswärtige Amt said that “the Ahwazi Arab minority in Iran suffer marginalisation and discrimination in education, employment, adequate housing, political participation and cultural rights. Ahwazi Arabs are sentenced by the Iranian judicial authorities for standing up for cultural rights and political participation.”
The British government has also condemned the executions. Last August, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said: “I am deeply disturbed by the human rights abuses perpetrated by Iran in recent months.
“The torture and sentencing to death of Mohammad Ali Amouri, Sayed Jaber Alboshoka, Sayed Mokhtar Alboshoka, Hashem Sha’bani Amouri and Hadi Rashidi, from the Ahwazi Arab minority, comes less than a month after the secret execution in June of four other members of this minority group. This sets a very worrying trend.
“Sadly, these are not isolated incidents and many other Iranians are currently suffering at the hands of their government. Iran’s continued, widespread persecution of ethnic minorities, human rights defenders and political prisoners is a disgrace and stands as a shameful indictment of Iran’s leaders.
“The Iranian government should know that its systematic attempt to curtail the freedom of its citizens will not go unchallenged by the international community and only adds to its isolation.
“I call on Iran immediately to commute these death sentences, to stop torturing its citizens and to end the systematic persecution of its ethnic minorities.”
http://www.ahwaziarabs.info/2013/01/germany-planned-executions-are.html
http://www.ahwaziarabs.info/2013/01/germany-planned-executions-are.html
+ There are no comments
Add yours