In a resounding condemnation of the ongoing brutal suppression in Iran, 71 cross-party members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), including four Vice-presidents, have joined forces to advocate for the rights of the Iranian people. The statement underscores the alarming human rights situation, citing the execution of 864 prisoners, including political detainees, in 2023 alone. It further highlights the grim history of tens of thousands of political prisoners executed over the past four decades, with a staggering 30,000 political prisoners massacred in 1988, predominantly from the opposition PMOI.
The PACE members express deep concern over the violent response to the 2022 protests, where 750 people lost their lives as they rejected any form of dictatorship, whether religious or monarchic. According to a UN Special Rapporteur, verified videos depict security forces deliberately shooting unarmed protesters from close range.
Characterizing the Iranian regime as irreformable, the statement invokes the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), recognizing “rebellion against tyranny and oppression” as a last resort. The regime is also accused of being a primary source of terrorism and warmongering, particularly in ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and the Red Sea.
In solidarity with 3,600 parliamentarians and 125 former world leaders, the PACE members support the 10-point plan proposed by the National Council of Resistance of Iran President Maryam Rajavi. This plan advocates for the establishment of a secular democratic republic in Iran, grounded in principles of free elections, gender equality, and peaceful coexistence.
The call to action includes holding regime leaders accountable for the killing of political prisoners and demonstrators, recognizing the inherent right of the Iranian people and resistance to fight for freedom, and urging the blacklisting of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist entity. This collective plea amplifies the global demand for justice, accountability, and the realization of fundamental human rights in Iran.
The full text of the declaration of 71 representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is as follows:
