A majority of the Netherlands Parliament, consisting of 77 representatives out of the total 150 lawmakers, has come together to express their solidarity with the popular uprising in Iran and its organized resistance movement.
This inclusive group includes 10 faction leaders, 10 foreign spokespersons representing current and former leaders of the Christian Democratic Party, as well as several members of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee.
The statement issued by these Dutch MPs unequivocally affirms their support for the Iranian people’s aspirations for a democratic republic that upholds the principles of religious and state separation. It underscores the shared belief that no individual should hold undue privileges over others based on their religion, ethnicity, family background, or race within this envisioned democratic system.
Additionally, the Dutch MPs firmly declare their support for the Iranian people’s strong rejection of all forms of dictatorship, including both the previously ousted Shah’s regime and the current religious leadership. The statement highlights the collective longing for a new era marked by freedom, democracy, and equal rights for all citizens of Iran.
The full statement signed by the majority of Dutch Parliament is as follows:
Support the Iranian People in Their Struggle
For a Secular and Democratic Republic
February 2023
For the past six months, the world has witnessed a sweeping popular uprising in Iran, demanding freedom and democracy. Some 750 protesters have been killed and 30,000 arrested. While any change should come from the Iranian people and their own resistance, the international community has its own responsibility.
We stand in solidarity with the people of Iran in their desire for a secular and democratic republic where no individual, regardless of religion or birthright, has any privilege over others. Through their slogans, the Iranian people have made it clear that they reject all forms of dictatorship, be it the deposed Shah or the current theocratic regime, and thus reject any association with either.
We believe it is for the Iranian people to decide their future. However, we recognize the fact that over the past four decades, the democratic coalition of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) has constantly and tirelessly pursued democratic change. In this respect, we believe the Ten-point Plan articulated by the NCRI President, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, deserves our support. It stands for free elections, freedom of assembly and expression, abolition of the death penalty, gender equality, the separation of religion and state, autonomy for Iran’s ethnicities, and a non-nuclear Iran.
The Iranian people’s courageous uprising can be attributed, on the one hand, to the explosive state of Iranian society, a product of suppression, poverty, discrimination, and government corruption, and, on the other hand, four decades of nationwide organized resistance. Tragically, in the summer of 1988 alone, over 30,000 political prisoners – the vast majority of whom were members of the MEK – were brutally massacred.
We condemn the Iranian regime’s meddling in the Middle East region and Europe, including its terrorist attempts and cyber-attacks in Albania.
We urge the international community to stand with the Iranian people in their quest for change and to take decisive steps against the current regime. This includes blacklisting the IRGC and holding regime officials accountable for their crimes against humanity.
