A March 2025 conference at the UN European HQ highlighted Iran’s escalating human rights violations, particularly a surge in executions. Distinguished speakers called for international accountability regarding the 1988 massacre and ongoing abuses. Emphasis was placed on the systemic violence against women and the geopolitical implications of state hostage-taking by the Iranian regime. The event underscored the urgent need for global intervention to address these issues.
On March 13, 2025, the UN European Headquarters in Geneva hosted a conference during the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council. This event aimed to discuss the alarming state of human rights in Iran, particularly the rising rate of executions. Attendees included political figures, legal experts, former political prisoners, and families of executed individuals, highlighting the serious international concern regarding Iran’s human rights abuses.
Speakers at the conference emphasized the necessity for the international community to adopt a robust stance against the Iranian regime and hold its leaders accountable for historical injustices, notably the 1988 massacre of political prisoners. Among the distinguished speakers were Kirsty Brimelow, Claude Nicati, Senator Roberto Rampi, and women’s rights advocate Sahar Sanaii, who shared their insights on the ongoing human rights violations in Iran.
Mojgan Joulaee, the event’s moderator, opened the conference by stressing the significance of international visibility and collective action in achieving justice for victims of the Iranian regime. She called attention to the escalating executions and broader human rights violations, underscoring the need for global scrutiny and intervention.
Kirsty Brimelow addressed the 1988 massacre that led to the execution of nearly 30,000 political prisoners. She described the systematic human rights violations as arbitrary executions and enforced disappearances that contravene international human rights treaties to which Iran is a signatory. Brimelow called for evidence collection to enable future accountability for these crimes.
Claude Nicati highlighted the assassination of Dr. Kazem Rajavi, a prominent human rights advocate. He noted that the Iranian regime’s lack of accountability for historical crimes has reinforced its persistent execution policies. Nicati warned that without decisive international action, the surge in executions, including that of recent political prisoners, would continue unabated.
Highlighting systemic violence against women, Sahar Sanaii remarked on Iran’s disturbingly high rates of female executions. She pointed out that despite severe repression, Iranian women have been at the forefront of protests for freedom, particularly during the 2022 uprisings. Sanaii emphasized the critical need for international support for Iranian women’s rights.
Senator Roberto Rampi condemned the Iranian regime’s tactics of state hostage-taking, citing recent instances of Western nationals being detained as leverage in diplomatic negotiations. He criticized the leniency shown by Western nations, which, according to him, has allowed the Iranian authorities to persist in their human rights violations and state-sponsored terrorism.
Behrooz Maqsoudi shared a poignant personal testimony about his uncles’ executions during the 1980s, advocating for international efforts like the “No to Executions” campaign. Behzad Naziri concluded the conference by linking past events, such as the 1988 massacre, to contemporary executions, urging the international community to strengthen investigations into Iran’s entrenched human rights abuses.
The conference at the UN European Headquarters served as a crucial platform for raising awareness of Iran’s severe human rights violations, especially the unsettling rise in executions. With notable speakers advocating for decisive international action, there is a clear consensus on the urgent need for accountability and intervention to combat the Iranian regime’s ongoing repression and violence against its citizens, particularly political dissenters and women.
Original Source: www.ncr-iran.org
