Pax Christi Australia declaration of solidarity with Iran protests

It is imperative that human consciences and human rights organizations condemn the Iranian regime’s horrific acts of suppression against the Iranian people and support the ongoing popular protests in Iran that have turned into an uprising against the clerical regime. Parliamentarians, politicians, associations and human rights defenders are coming together to call for an end to the arbitrary killings and arrests in Iran.

Pax Christi Australia is part of a global Catholic peace movement dedicated to achieving peace, respect for human rights and justice, and reconciliation. Pax Christi Australia issued a declaration of solidarity with the popular uprising of the people in Iran.

Acording to reports by the network of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), also known as the Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MEK), inside Iran indicate demonstrations have taken place in more than 189 cities. More than 1,000 protesters have been killed, 4,000 wounded and 12,000 arrested during the Iran protests.  

Declaration of solidarity with the popular uprising of people, workers and students in Iran
December 2019

Reports emerging from Iran indicate that the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and other Iranian security forces have fired directly at peaceful demonstrations by masses and youth that began on November 15, 2019 in many Iranian cities. Regime officials are hiding the corpses in order to hide the level of their crackdown.

In this nationwide uprising, more than 600 people have been killed by direct shooting by these security forces. The People Mojahedins Organization of Iran (PMOI) has released the names of more than 200 dead. Among the dead were some just 13-14 years old. More than 4,000 people have been injured and more than 12,000 have been arrested. The actual statistics may be much higher. Internet was shut down by Iranian authorities on November 16 to keep the world unaware of their crimes.

We support the wave of mass uprisings and protests by the Iranian people to achieve their basic democratic and economic rights. Millions of Iranian people and workers live below the poverty line.

We believe that as long as dictatorship continues in Iran, Poverty, inflation, unemployment and repression will continue. And the popular uprisings of the Iranian youth will continue.

We support all political prisoners including; women, men, youth, students, workers and teachers who imprisoned because they only want change. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners detained during these recent uprisings and protests.

We urge all human rights organizations and individuals around the world to join this Declaration of Solidarity with the Iranian people and in every way possible to help the Iranian people and youth to uphold their rightful demands.
We urge the United Nations and the international community of human rights defenders to strongly condemn the suppression of the Iranian people’s protests. We call on the United Nations to urgently send a delegation to Iran to investigate the situation of martyrs, injured and arrested protesters.

Silence in the face of crime against humanity that is taking place in Iran every day is absolutely unacceptable. The UN Security Council must recognize the Iranian regime and its officials as responsible for crimes against humanity. They must be brought to justice. The Security Council must declare that the Iranian regime is committing crimes against humanity.

National President of Pax Christi Australia Father Claude Mostowik