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O 052022Z FEB 10
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INFO IRAN COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 STATE 012108
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: IR PHUM PREL
SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST II: PRESSURING IRAN ON HUMAN RIGHTS
REF: 09 STATE 7242
1. (SBU) SUMMARY. This cable is a follow-on action request
to reftel. Please see paragraph four. In addition to
coordinating with host governments on the upcoming Universal
Periodic Review (UPR) process on Iran, Department requests
posts to engage host governments at high levels to call on
them to make the Iranian human rights issue central to their
bilateral engagement with Iran and their own public
statements. END SUMMARY.
----------------
ACTION ADDRESSES
----------------
2. (SBU) This is an action request for Embassies Rome, New
Delhi, Madrid, Brasilia, Oslo, Paris, Berlin, Ottawa, The
Hague, Brussels, Vienna, Stockholm, Sophia, Nicosia, Prague,
Copenhagen, Tallinn, Helsinki, Athens, Budapest, Dublin,
Riga, Vilnius, Luxembourg, Valletta, Amsterdam, Warsaw,
Lisbon, Bucharest, Bratislava, Ljubljana, Mexico City,
Pretoria, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Ashgabat, Ankara, Tbilisi,
and USEU.
---------
Rationale
---------
3. (SBU) We are deeply disturbed by the dramatic and
continued human-rights violations that have occurred in Iran
in the aftermath of the June 12 election. The Iranian
government has undertaken large-scale detentions and show
trials, threatened the execution of protestors and political
activists, and it continues to deny its citizens the right to
peaceful expression of independent views. Our human-rights
concerns about Iran are based on our commitment to universal
respect for human rights and are not unique to Iran. Reports
indicate there may be more, potentially larger-scale,
demonstrations February 1-11 during the "Ten Days of Dawn,"
which commemorate the 1979 victory of the Islamic Revolution
in Iran. Out of concern the Iranian government will use
increasing levels of violence and repression to disrupt these
demonstrations, we ask that you share these talking points
with governments to raise international visibility of Iran's
human rights violations and increase pressure on Iran to live
up to its international obligations. We also note that Iran
is seeking a seat on the Human Rights Council (HRC) in the
HRC election scheduled for May 2010 in New York. A
successful Iranian bid would undermine the UN human rights
STATE 00012108 002 OF 004
system and reward and embolden the regime in its human rights
abuses. The United States, along with others, will be urging
governments not to support Iran's candidacy.
---------------
Action Request
---------------
4. (SBU) Posts are requested to approach appropriate host
government officials at high levels as soon as feasible and
request host countries publicly and privately express their
concern about the declining human rights situation in Iran
and condemn Iran's human-rights abuses. We encourage
governments to use any interactions with Iranian officials to
make clear the increasing levels of repression in Iran are
unacceptable, are not in keeping with Iran's international
obligations, and are not in the interest of Iran's bilateral
relations with the host country. Posts should draw from the
points in paragraph 7.
----------
Objectives
----------
5. (SBU) Posts should seek to achieve the following:
-- Emphasize the commitment of the United States and the host
country to universal rights and freedoms of all people.
-- Urge the host country to convey to Iranian officials, at
every opportunity, that repression is unacceptable and not in
the interest of their bilateral relationship with Iran.
-- Express concern about the Iranian government's practice of
jailing individuals based on their political and religious
beliefs.
-- Emphasize that Iran must abide by its international
human-rights obligations and respect the international
treaties it has ratified, including those that prohibit
torture.
-- Convey that Iran appears sensitive to diplomatic isolation
and the use of high-level statements. The latter have been
effective in drawing attention to Iran's continued human
rights abuses.
-- Express concern regarding Iran's candidacy for the UN
Human Rights Council.
---------------------------
Talking Points
---------------------------
STATE 00012108 003 OF 004
6. (SBU) Begin talking points:
-- We have been concerned about the human rights situation in
Iran for some time, especially the brutal, repressive tactics
the Iranian government has employed against its own
population following the June 12 election.
-- Our concerns are based on our commitment to universal
rights for all people, and are not unique to Iran.
-- We are particularly concerned by the potential for further
violence and repression during the coming weeks, especially
during the period from February 1-11 (the "Ten Days of Dawn").
-- We ask you to join us in condemning the human-rights
abuses taking place in Iran, and that you publicly and
privately reinforce the following messages:
-- The international community will not lose sight of the
plight of political and religious prisoners in Iran and calls
on the government to ensure their humane treatment, legal
rights under Iran's Constitution and international
commitments, and immediate and unconditional release.
-- The Iranian government should consider why it fears the
aspirations of its own people and realize that a government
that represses its population can never be strong or
respected at home or in the community of nations.
-- Iran is isolating its own population from the world. By
suppressing the Internet and mobile-phone networks, and by
harassing those who seek to engage in scholarly exchanges,
Iran is harming essential family interactions, professional
growth, and business transactions of its own people.
-- We urge you to use any upcoming interactions with Iranian
officials to emphasize that Iran's repressive tactics )
including the recent execution of two protestors arrested
after the June elections - are not in Iran's interest if it
seeks international respect. Please join us in calling upon
Iran to hold accountable those who have committed human
rights abuses against its own people. Iran's leaders should
know the international community is united in its concern
about the ongoing repression in Iran.
-- Such a message will underscore to Iran that the world
notices it has yet to comply with the requests of the United
Nations General Assembly when it called on Iran to cooperate
fully with, and admit entry to, the UN Special Rapporteur on
torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and
protection of the right to freedom of expression, the Special
STATE 00012108 004 OF 004
Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, the
Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and the Working Group
on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance. We ask that you
continue to press Iran to comply with these requests from the
international community ) in both your private interactions
with Iran and in your public statements.
End points
----------------------
Reporting Requirement
----------------------
7. (U) Posts are requested to report the results of their
efforts by February 10.
----------------
Point of Contact
----------------
8. (U) Department POCs for follow-up are: Michael G. Spring,
NEA/IR, 202-647-2516, SpringMG@State.gov; Brianne Marwaha,
NEA/IR, 202-647-2569, MarwahaBC@State.gov; and Jill
Hutchings, DRL/NESCA, 202-647-9692, HutchingsJE@state.gov.
9. (U) Department thanks posts for their assistance. Please
slug all responses for NEA/IR, DRL, P, and the NSC.
CLINTON