Council for Managing Transition Calls for UN Intervention to Prevent Killing of Protesters in Iran
The Council for Managing Transition, a coalition of opposition forces against the Islamic Republic, in a letter to António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, called for the intervention of the UN Security Council to prevent the continued killing of protesters in Iran.
In a letter from the Transition Council signed by Hassan Shariatemadari, Secretary-General, and Kaveh Mousavi, Secretary of the Justice Group of this political organization, with reference to the violent suppression of protesters, it was requested that “the UN Security Council immediately demand that Iran cease the use of lethal force against unarmed civilians immediately.”
The Transition Council also requested that the UN Security Council force the Islamic Republic to “immediately cease all actions that constitute crimes against humanity, including killings, massacres and unlawful trials, without procedure or arbitrarily, as well as forced disappearances; and refrain from violating the human rights of protesters, including the right to peaceful assembly and demonstration.”
The letter also stated: “Furthermore, we request that the Security Council, pursuant to Chapter VII of the UN Charter, refer investigations into these crimes against humanity to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.”
In the latest report by Amnesty International, it was stated that at least 143 Iranian citizens have been killed during protests last week by gunfire from law enforcement and security forces of the Islamic Republic. Many observers have reported the death toll to be considerably higher.
Meanwhile, reports indicate hundreds have been wounded and thousands have been arrested. Islamic Republic officials have not yet provided accurate figures in this regard.
In the letter from the Council for Managing Transition to the UN Secretary-General, it was written: “Unfortunately, we have concluded that no internal solution remains to prevent these atrocities and to protect civilians in Iran. It is clear that Iranian citizens urgently need international humanitarian support against a regime that, over several decades, has acted with impunity against anyone who held opposing political or religious beliefs.”
The signatories concluded their letter to the UN Secretary-General by writing: “Specifically, we ask you to request urgent international contacts and demand that Iran immediately cease its use of lethal force against its own people and the commission of other international crimes and human rights violations, and that an urgent resolution be submitted to the UN Security Council before referring to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for investigations into alleged crimes against humanity.”
