UN Security Council must consider Iran’s Rights abuses

British Parliamentarians: UN Security Council must consider Iran’s Rights abuses
Protection for 1000 women of Camp Liberty urged

More than 110 members of both Houses of Parliament including Chairpersons of Parliamentary Committees, former Ministers and religious leaders supported a statement about the Iranian women’s struggle for freedom and gender equality. The statement also pressed for assurances on safety, security and well being of 1000 brave women at Camp Liberty who are facing serious threats by Iraqi armed forces at the behest of the Iranian regime.

While honoring the International Women’s Day, our hearts bleed for the Iranian women who have been the prime victims of the ruling religious dictatorship for more than three decades. On March 8, the International Women’s Day, 80 women were arrested in the streets of Tehran. A few days prior to that a 26-year-old woman was hanged in the city of Isfahan leaving behind her 8-year-old daughter.

The statement underscores the prominent presence of Iranian women in the resistance movement for democracy and the leading role played by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the movement, in bringing together thousands of women as the vanguards of the resistance against religious fundamentalism side by side the freedom-loving men.

It also highlights the humanitarian crisis in Camp Liberty where nearly a thousand women, recognised as protected persons under the Fourth Geneva Convention, face serious risks, including unlawful extradition to Iran. Six of them, who were taken hostage on 1st Septemberfrom Camp Ashraf, are currently at grave risk of extradition.

As the session of the UN Human Rights Council going on in Geneva, the statement strongly urges the United Nations Security Council to examine Tehran’s appalling human rights record, particularly women’s right, and take punitive measures. It also calls on the UN, US and EU to take immediate actions for the release of the 7 Camp Ashraf hostages that include six women. It goes on calling for assurances of security for Camp Liberty residents by stationing UN Blue Helmet forces.

In the end, the British parliamentarians expressed their support for Mrs. Rajavi’s 10-point charter for fundamental freedoms in Iran which includes holding free and fair elections, respect for human rights and democracy, gender equality, non-nuclear Iran, separation of church and state, independent judicial system, rule of law and abolition of death penalty.

Baroness Turner of Camden
British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom
25 March 2014

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