End Appeasement of Iranian Regime to Address Human Rights Abuses in Iran

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Staff Writer
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1988 Massacre
Reuters confirmed in a special report on December 23, 2019, about the deadly crackdown on November nationwide protests in Iran the death toll of 1500 that was announced by the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI / MEK Iran) on December 15, 2019.

1988 Massacre

Nearly a year after a major protest was brutally crushed in Iran and 1,500 protesters killed by Iranian forces, during less than two weeks of unrest that started in November 2019. Reuters confirmed in a special report on December 23, 2019, about the deadly crackdown on November nationwide protests in Iran the death toll of 1500 that was announced by the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI / MEK Iran) on December 15, 2019.

The U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran gave his report to the U.N. General Assembly. The main Iranian umbrella opposition organization, the National Council of Resistance of Iran’s (NCRI), hosted an online conference a week before the report was due in which many foreign politicians gave a commentary on the situation in Iran.

The NCRI’s president-elect, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, highlighted the importance of appeasement by Europe, in particular, to explain why the Iranian regime thinks it can do what it likes both within and outside of Iran. “The policy of appeasement has greatly emboldened the regime over the past 40 years,” she emphasized.

Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi to stand trial on terrorism charge in Belgium

Assadi was the Iranian diplomat based in Vienna whose mission was to help organize a bomb attack on the National Council of Resistance of Iran’s (NCRI), and the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI / MEK Iran), Free Iran Rally near Paris, France in 2018. He and his accomplices were captured before the attack could take place. The trial on terrorism charges, the first of any foreign diplomat in Europe, is due to take place on November 27th later this month.

Assadi has always denied the attack attempt but has dropped veiled threats against Belgian authorities during questioning by Belgian police.

The NCRI’s conference urged European authorities to take Iran’s role in state-sponsored terrorism outside its borders and its abysmal human rights record seriously. It is not just a single rogue diplomat involved.

The plot to blow up the rally and kill Mrs. Rajavi and many other people present was hatched and financed in Tehran with the complete acquiescence of the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and President Hassan Rouhani, as well as the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) officials and leaders of the IRGC (Revolutionary Guards). Justice will not be done unless those who ordered the attack to be held to account.

Since the failure to destroy the opposition movement leaders and key activists, the regime has concentrated on ramping up internal repression with death sentences, executions, and arrests of anyone thought to be a threat to the regime. The regime has for a long time tried to insinuate that the (PMOI / MEK Iran), as a force has been crushed, but more recently its officials and leaders have acknowledged begrudgingly that it is now a force to be reckoned with.

Human rights abuses in Iran have long been ignored or a blind eye has been turned towards some of the worst instances of abuse by European and other foreign governments. Easily the worst abuse took place in 1988 when a fatwa issued by the then Supreme Leader, Ruhollah Khomeini, resulted in mass arrests of anyone suspected or believed to be a member of the (PMOI / MEK Iran). 30,000 were finally executed and secretly buried in mass graves. Those responsible for ordering the massacre especially those who took part in the so-called “Death Commissions” are still alive today and part of the regime’s elite.

The international community at the time had been warned in advance of a possible massacre but its gaze was turned away, allowing the regime to carry out one of the worst massacres of the twentieth century without being held accountable.

The trial of Assadi represents a potential opportunity for European authorities to take Tehran’s motives and actions seriously and confront the regime on its heinous record.

Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), describing the 1988 massacre as one of the regime’s “most horrifying and indescribable crimes”. She explained that the Supreme Leader at that time was trying to get completely rid of the (PMOI / MEK Iran), but emphasized that the organization is more determined than ever.

MEK Iran (follow them on Twitter and Facebook)

and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTube

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