Europe says doing business with Iran is 'not normal' after Ruhollah Zam's execution

EU member states withdraw from economic summit with Iran in protest of Ruhollah Zam's execution

France's furious reaction to the execution of Ruhollah Zam: This action is "barbaric and unacceptable."

Monday, December 14, 2020 – Several major European countries that were scheduled to participate in a trade meeting between Europe and Iran today withdrew from the meeting and did not participate in protest against the execution of Ruhollah Zam, a journalist opposed to the Islamic Republic. 

Ambassadors from France, Germany, Austria and Italy all cancelled their attendance at the online gathering. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell was scheduled to attend the online Iran-Europe economic summit today, along with Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Ruhollah Zam, 42, the host of a news channel critical of the Islamic Republic, was previously charged with “corruption on earth” and sentenced to death in July of this year. He was executed three days after his death sentence was confirmed by the Supreme Court of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Hadi Ghaemi, director of the Human Rights Campaign in Iran, says: "Europe's refusal to participate in the trade meeting with Iran sends a clear message that the world will not turn a blind eye to the widespread and profound violations of human rights in the Islamic Republic."

France, Germany, Italy, and the European Union issued a statement on December 13 saying, “The European Union strongly condemns the execution of the death penalty.” The statement emphasized that “the authorities of the Islamic Republic must stop using forced and televised confessions to prove the guilt of prisoners.”

On December 14, the French Foreign Ministry tweeted that it would not participate in the joint economic meeting with Iran due to the "barbaric" and "unacceptable" execution of #RuhollahZam, using the hashtag #UnusualTrade.

The German Foreign Ministry also announced in a tweet that it would not participate in the event.

According to the official website of this economic meeting between Iran and Europe, the aim of the meeting was to "pave the way for expanding trade and investment relations, especially in light of the outcome of the US elections."

The Islamic Republic has used the death penalty extensively to suppress peaceful dissent in Iran over the past year. The use of the death penalty has increased in political cases and has been imposed on protesters and dissidents.

The executed journalist was the host of an anti-establishment news channel.

Ruhollah Zam was arrested and sentenced to death in connection with managing a Telegram news channel called "Amadnews" that had a large audience in Iran.

Zam, who was living in exile in Paris, made a sudden and unjustified trip to Baghdad on October 12, 2019. Zam was kidnapped in Baghdad by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) during an operation whose details are not known and returned to Iran.

His first trial was held on February 11, 2020, at Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati. Salavati has a long history of issuing harsh sentences against civil society activists, journalists, and human rights lawyers. Ruhollah Zam’s trial was held in six sessions without the usual court formalities. The last session was held on July 1, 2020. .

According to the court's indictment, Ruhollah Zam had committed "corruption on earth" and a wide range of national security crimes against the Islamic Republic from 2016 until his arrest.

Charging dissidents, activists, human rights lawyers, and other critics of the government with charges such as acts against national security, and sentencing individuals without a fair trial, are common tactics of judicial authorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The United Nations condemned the execution of Zam, calling it a "cruel" act.

The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran and the UN Special Rapporteur on arbitrary executions issued a statement condemning the execution of Ruhollah Zam, calling it "unwise" and a "serious violation of Iran's commitments."

"It is clear that Ruhollah Zam was executed for expressing opinions and providing information on the Amad News channel that were contrary to government views," the UN experts said in the statement.

The statement continued: “There are serious concerns that his trial process violated fair trial. This includes the broadcast of forced confessions made by Ruhollah Zam while he was in detention. His execution is a deprivation of the right to life. We strongly condemn the actions of the Iranian government.”

The statement said: “Iran must end its systematic use of the judicial process to issue arbitrary arrest and execution warrants against human rights defenders, journalists, and others who express their opposition to the government.

Kamil Ahmadi, a dual citizen, was sentenced to eight years in prison.

In addition to the expansion of the death penalty in cases of political prisoners, other gross human rights violations in Iran have also intensified.

Kamil Ahmadi, a British-Iranian anthropologist, social researcher and writer, was sentenced to eight years in prison by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran on charges of “collaborating with a hostile state.” Kamil Ahmadi had been researching issues such as female genital mutilation, child marriage and so-called white (unofficial) marriages in Iran.

In addition, harsh prison sentences are being handed down against dissidents and human rights defenders, and new convictions are being issued “hastily” under stereotypical charges, sentences that further close down civil society and severely suppress street protests.

Source: Iran Human Rights Campaign