The petition of residents of the United Kingdom,
Declares that in response to protests and anti-regime uprisings led by women and youth throughout Iran, Iranian repressive forces have opened fire on protestors; notes that more than 750 protestors have been killed including 83 women and 75 children, as well as more than 30,000 protestors arrested; further notes that Amnesty International has reported that child detainees have been subjected to horrific torture, including beatings, flogging, electric shocks, rape and other sexual violence; further declares that the regime’s deliberate poisoning of schoolgirls across Iran is to take revenge on young girls for participating in demonstrations, with the number of executions increased to over 400 this year; further notes that the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran has categorised the atrocities during the uprising as Crimes Against Humanity; and further declares opposition to the killings and arrests of protestors, and support for the Iranian people’s uprising to achieve democracy and freedom.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to condemn the Iranian Government’s violent crackdown on protests led by women and youth, support democratic movements in Iran and put pressure on the Iranian regime to stop the repression.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Caroline Nokes, Official Report, Tuesday 30 April 2024; Vol. 749, c. 230.]
[P002969]
Observations from the Minister for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, United Nations and the Commonwealth (Lord Ahmad): We condemn the Iranian regime for its violent crackdown on protests led by women and youth. We continue to utilise targeted sanctions, and work alongside partners, to hold Iran to account.
Substantive response:
The UK Government condemn the Iranian regime for its continued repression of fundamental freedoms, including against women and girls, and human rights defenders. We have been clear that the “Woman Life Freedom” movement was an authentic, grassroots call for change.
Furthermore, the UK Government responded decisively to the Iranian authorities’ crackdown on protesters. In October 2022, one month after the death of Mahsa Amini, we sanctioned leading political and security officials responsible for serious human rights violations.
In November 2022, we worked alongside partners to establish a fact-finding mission at the UN Human Rights Council, to thoroughly and independently investigate the regime’s treatment of protesters.
In December 2022, we were instrumental in revoking Iran’s membership of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. The UK’s permanent representative to the UN, Barabara Woodward, delivered a statement to the UN Economic and Social Council, imploring members to remove Iran from CSW and expressing solidarity with Iranian women and girls.
After the protests were muted due to the authorities’ violent crackdown, we sought to maintain pressure on Iran in the international sphere. In November 2023, we co-sponsored an Iran human rights resolution at the UN Third Committee. The resolution condemned the measures used by authorities to respond to the protests, such as arbitrary detention, the disproportionate use of force, and the use of force resulting in the death of peaceful protesters.
The resolution also underscored the UK’s and partners’ serious concerns at reports of ill-treatment during arrest, physical and psychological abuse, and physical violence in detention, including sexual and gender-based violence.
In July 2023, the Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord Ahmad, condemned Iran for its brutal use of executions as a means of stifling dissent. Lord Ahmad called on Iran to issue a moratorium on the death penalty as a first step in changing course and listening to the concerns of the Iranian people.
We will continue to hold Iran to account for its human rights violations. Since Mahsa Amini’s death, we have sanctioned 94 individuals or entities responsible for human rights violations. The fact-finding mission has the UK’s full support until the completion of its mandate next year, and we welcome the findings of its first report, published on 8 March.
It is clear that human rights defenders in Iran continue to be targeted by the regime, with nine protesters being executed in association with the protests. We call on Iran to immediately release all those unjustly detained.
We stand with the Iranian people in their struggle for fundamental freedoms.