[FREE IRAN Project] In The Spirit Of Cyrus The Great

[stefania]

Famous NGO places Iranian regime in top three executioners list for 2003

SMCCDI (Information Service)
Jun 24, 2004

http://www.daneshjoo.org/generalnews/article/publish/article_6785.shtml

The famous Human Rights body, Hands Off Cain , has placed
the current Iranian regime among the top three executioners
in its 2003 report. Hands Off Cain is a famous NGO seeking
for the abolishment of Death penalty worldwide and has an
observation status at the United Nations.

The parts of the Hands Off Cain's 2003 report related to
Iran are as follow:

" Top executioners for 2003: China, Iran and Iraq

Of the 63 countries worldwide retain the death penalty, 48
are dictatorial, authoritarian or illiberal states. These
countries accounted for at least 5,525 executions, or 98.7%
of the world total of executions in 2003. One country
alone, China, carried out at least 5,000, or 89.3% of the
executions that took place during 2003. Iran was
responsible for at least 154 executions. Iraq, up to April
9 when US Central Command chief General Tommy Franks
suspended the death penalty - as the US-led coalition
invaded the country and toppled Saddam Hussein?s regime -
had already executed at least 113 people.

Vietnam carried out 69 executions; Saudi Arabia 52;
Kazakhstan at least 19; Pakistan at least 18; Singapore at
least 14; and Sudan at least 13.

Many of these countries do not issue official statistics on
the practice of the death penalty therefore the number of
executions may be much higher. In some countries,
executions are completely covert, and news of them does not
even filter through to the local media. Two cases in point
are North Korea and Syria.

The conclusion that can be drawn from such a picture is
that the definite solution to the problem of capital
punishment - more than by tackling the issue in itself - is
better achieved through the establishment of democracy, the
rule of law and the promotion and respect of political
rights and civil liberties.

Authoritarian states once again take the podium as the top
executioners of the year in 2003: China, Iran and Iraq (up
to April 9, 2004)

Iran, again in the top three

Iran, along with China, regularly features among the
countries that execute most people in the world. Though
China remains by far the most prolific executioner, Iran,
in proportion to its population, applies capital punishment
just as much. In 2003, 154 executions were recorded in
Iran, including a woman and a minor. This total is
significantly less than in 2002, when 316 executions were
registered, including a woman stoned to death, but as with
other illiberal countries, the real number of people put to
death by the state is probably much higher. Iranian
authorities do not issue official statistics on the death
penalty, and HOC?s total is based on news reports by
Iranian media, that very likely do not carry news of every
single execution.

Iran does not limit itself to the death penalty. Its
interpretation of Sharia law prescribes whippings for
sexual relations before marriage, lashings for drinking
alcohol and amputation of hands and feet for petty thieves.
..."

It's to note that the Movement was chosen for the last
July's conference of this credible NGO, held in Rome/Italy,
in order to represent the Iranian Nation which is forcibly
subjugated to the illegitimate rule of the Islamic republic
regime.

Nicole Sadighi, the SMCCDI's representative in UK, was
among the Hands Off Cain Conference panelists along with
the distinguished Elisabetta Zamparutti and Fidel Castro's
daughter entered into dissidence against his father's
repressive regime. The conference was highly midiatized and
the Movement'ss envoy made a public speech followed by
several interviews with main Italian media, newspapers and
radios, which put an unprecedented light, in Italy, on the
plight of the Iranian nation and its true aspirations.
In the same day, July 9, 2003, the SMCCDI envoy gathered
with tens of Italian activists and members of the
trans-National radical Party in front of the regime's
Embassy in Rome in order to demonstrate against the regime.

These events paved the way, in Italy, for several following
meetings and interviews with the Movement's members helping
the start of an awakness among the Italians in refernce to
Iran.

The SMCCDI's speech at the Hands Off Cain conference was as
follow:

" Distinguished Delegates and Guests

I would like to thank the Association of "Hands off Cain"
for inviting me to be a part of today's forum on Capital
Punishment and Human rights violations.

Today, in this Millennium, I am fortunate enough to have
the opportunity to speak out on issues close to my heart.
Today, I can stand here and exercise my right to speak as a
woman and a fellow human being without fear of punishment
or reprisal. Today I can walk away from here as a free
woman. In this respect I am lucky.

But there are those less fortunate in the world. Those
whose basic fundamental human rights have been and continue
to be violated and dishonoured by the irrational and brutal
laws of their land. I refer to such famous, yet, tragic
cases of Amina Lawal and Sufiyata Husieni of Nigeria who
were condemned to death by stoning. These cases have caught
the world's attention.

However I come here as a representative of the "Student
Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran"
(SMCCDI) and as the voice of the hundreds of thousands who
are being continuously silenced by the theocratic regime of
the government of the Islamic Republic.

At this very moment as we sit here, in the comforts of our
democratic discussion, thousands of innocents have been
imprisoned in secret prisons. Many have been accused of
treason or blasphemy and condemned to death by stoning or
hanging, and many more condemned to flogging or torture,
simply because they have tried to bravely challenge this
tyranny. They are punished purely because they wish to
uphold their freedom of speech by peaceful demonstrations
and instead they are beaten and arrested by the notorious
Basiji and plain clothed police. There are tens of Amina
Lawals and Sufiyata Husienis in the Islamic Republic
where stoning to death is prescribed for certain offences
under the country's Penal Code - still they are not as
widely publicised by the free press. How can such
atrocities and butcheries go unnoticed?

The young people of Iran are struggling for human rights,
democracy and political and social freedom. Yet one of
their greatest hindrances is the European Union's
continuing relationship with the Islamic Republic, which is
seen by millions of Iranians in the country as unfriendly
behaviour and a deliberate disregard to the legitimate
demands of the Iranian people for democracy.

If the European Union wishes to demonstrate that it truly
does care about the democratization of Iran and wishes to
show respect for global human rights, then the best policy
for them would be NOT to side with an oppressive regime,
but to STOP dealing with the Mullahs and support the
Iranian people, and invest in the people of Iran who WILL
bring down the Mullarchy sooner or later, along with its so
called Reformist government of Mr. Khatami who betrayed the
nation and delayed the demise of this evil regime. It is
difficult to understand that any civilised government can
have dealings with a regime that publicly executes, lashes
and stones its own people. They should have no business
cooperating with such a regime and no business interests
can justify such involvement - the European Union had
better be a friend with the Iranian nation and sever its
relations with the Islamic Republic.

The Reform in Iran is dead! And the majority of people and
especially the university students and other youths in Iran
no longer respects President Mohammad Khatami and the rest
of the so-called reformists camp. During the last 6 to 7
years they have done nothing for the nation.

On the contrary, during his presidency, more people have
been killed, executed, imprisoned, tortured, flogged and
over a 100 newspapers and weekly publications were closed
down, journalists were silenced, and even websites were
filtered so the young generation cannot communicate with
their fellow-countrymen living in free countries.

Today, on the order of this very Reformist President,
peaceful demonstrations of students to commemorate the July
9th, 1999 Tehran university dormitory killings by the plain
clothed agents has been banned and any person not observing
this ban shall be regarded as 'Mohaareb' meaning Enemy of
God!

In fact on July 4th a young man named M. Ghiaas, was
severely punished in the Southern and Oil-rich city of
Dezfool, for encouraging people to revolt against this
regime. Both of his arms and legs were amputated. This is
the breed of character of Islam we are dealing with.

We must travel this road together. For nearly 25 years the
citizens of Iran have been crying out to be heard. They
want to be a part of the democratic community of nations.

Our sense of duty is to speak out honestly and openly for
the endorsement and defence of all those whose fundamental
human rights are violated. No one should be forced to live
in silence for fear of persecution, arrests, imprisonments,
torture, abuse or death.

We must fight for liberty and justice, for freedom of
thought, freedom of will, freedom of being. Every man,
women and child has ownership of these rights by birth, no
matter what their colour, creed or religion, race or
gender. Everyone has a right to a free and dignified life
in a democratic state.

To quote the famous words of Martin Luther King:"All men
are created equal". Yet in a country that is a signatory of
the Universal Declaration of Human rights and has clearly
ignored the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of
all forms of Discrimination Against women, the people of
Iran are not being treated equal. Countries that do not
respect the human rights of their own, ultimately do not
respect the human rights of their international neighbours.


It is organised committees such as Hands off Cain that
increases awareness and forces the governments and the
international community to face the important human rights
issues around the world. The heart of today's meeting is to
be the voice of those who are not heard. To be the catalyst
of the message of those who are suppressed and silenced.
Yes! Our voices here, are those of Aminas and Sufiyatas of
Iran.

Nevertheless, Iranian people are not quitters! However they
need and deserve the support, compassion and solidarity of
the world community in freeing the country of the current
regime and for it to be replaced with a secular government
with a complete separation of church and state; which
demands democracy and liberty.

Thank you very much and may all of us be successful in our
noble fight for justice, liberty and freedom for all of
mankind.

END..."
_________________
Referendum AFTER Regime Change

"I'm ready to die for you to be able to say your own opinions, even if i strongly disagree with you" (Voltaire)

[Guest]

U.S. was number 5 on the list, BTW, and executes minors.

[Equality]

Yeah but atleast in US they are not political dissidents. Though states like Texas won't think twice about executing any criminal they can.