US and Europe Must Take Firmer Stances to Prevent Further Bloodshed in Iran
August 27, 2021 – As Iranian security forces continue to violently suppress peaceful protests in Khuzestan that have spread to other parts of the country, the Campaign for Human Rights in Iran is calling on the United States and the European Union to strongly condemn violent and deadly acts against protesters and urge Iranian authorities to respect the right to peaceful protest, release detainees, end security cordons around many residential neighborhoods, and restore internet access so people can share information and opinions about the conduct of government forces.
Hadi Ghahemi, director of the Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, referring to the killing of hundreds of protesters and passersby by security force gunfire in November 2019, said: “The last time widespread protests occurred in Iran and the internet was shut down, a massacre took place.”
Demonstrations that began on July 15 in Khuzestan initially protested water shortages caused by drought conditions and the government’s economic mismanagement. After violent suppression by security forces, these protests have transformed into a movement expressing widespread discontent with the ineffective Islamic Republic system.
According to Amnesty International, several people have been killed by gunfire directed at protesters and many have been arrested. Meanwhile, protests have spread to other cities across Iran, including Tehran, and have been quickly suppressed.
According to Hadi Ghahemi, director of the Campaign for Human Rights in Iran: “It is time for President Biden to formally take a position in defense of the right to peaceful protest by the Iranian people, as he has taken positions against other countries that have violated human rights.”
Ghahemi added: “In government negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, human rights must be a priority alongside other security issues. Otherwise, there is a serious risk that protesters will face severe and widespread violence, and tragedies like those of November 2019 will be obscured from world view due to internet shutdowns.”
Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated in her August 6 statement: “I find the occurrence of deaths, injuries, and widespread arrests over the past week deeply concerning.”
While emphasizing that the Iranian people have no mechanism other than protest to express their discontent, she added: “The Iranian government, which urgently needs to change course, must start by ordering security forces to comply with international laws regarding the use of force.”
Source: Campaign for Human Rights in Iran
