The world must listen when the Iranians scream
The West must not forget human rights violations in Iran, demands CDU politician Martin Patzelt in an op-ed for ntv.de. The Revolutionary Guards should be added to the list of terrorist organizations.
On June 28, the Iranian regime will hold a new presidential election. This unexpected move was necessary following the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, "the butcher of Tehran."
Certainly, there will be no free election, and most Iranians are expected to stay away from the action. However, this situation offers an opportunity to examine the ongoing execution series in Iran, which continues unabated without much attention from the world.
According to Amnesty International, the number of executions worldwide in 2023 reached its highest level since 2015, with Iran contributing significantly with 853 executions. The Islamic Republic had the highest execution rate per capita. This was to be expected, as Raisi sat as one of four judges in Tehran's "Death Commission" at the beginning of his career, overseeing the massacre of political prisoners in 1988.
Raisi's "election" in 2021 was significantly guaranteed by the personal approval of the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His death was a heavy blow to Khamenei, who had made Raisi a key figure in the pursuit of his dark goals over the years. Regardless of who takes on this role now, the inevitable consequence will be that the current wave of executions will continue unabated.
The world remembers the uprising in Iran from 2022 to 2023. The fact that the people reject the theocratic dictatorship like any other despotism was once again evident in this year, as most people boycotted the parliamentary elections in the country - despite repeated calls for higher voter turnout from Khamenei and others. The next boycott is expected on June 28.
On June 29, a day after Raisi's successor's election, the main opposition - the National Council of Resistance of Iran - will hold a large gathering in Berlin to draw the world's attention to the ongoing human rights abuses in Iran.
The West must not forget these human rights abuses. The international community must take action and help the Iranians in their quest for freedom and democracy. This endeavor begins with acknowledging that the world listens when Iranians call for help and ends with designating the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), which is responsible for executions in the country and terrorism abroad, as a terrorist organization.
The most important thing everyone can do right now is to make it clear that the world is listening when Iranians cry for help.
Author: Martin Patzelt, former Mayor of Frankfurt (Oder), was a member of the Human Rights Committee of the German Bundestag from 2013 to 2021 and served as its rapporteur for Iran.
Guest contributions: Martin Patzelt, the former mayor of Frankfurt (Oder), urges the West not to forget the ongoing human rights abuses in Iran, including the death penalty, as exemplified by the high execution rate in Iran under the Islamic Republic. The Revolutionary Guards, responsible for executions in the country and terrorism abroad, should be added to the list of terrorist organizations.
