Human Rights discussed in Geneva – Iran fails as ever
The 26th session on Human rights in Iran at the Un in Geneva – Side event organized by Südwind Developmental Organization concerning Iran
Speech of Helmut Gabel for the Internationa Organization to Preserve in Iran
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g1K0aDYMus&feature=youtu.be&hd=1
There are those who fight for improvements in human rights within the Iranian society; but they face a fierce faction that hides itself like a wolf in a sheep’s skin. The faction of the wolves believes in a Fardidian version of messianic ideals, which covers itself behind a mask they call Islam.
These people belong to the network of Ammaryioun. Two influential persons belonging to this dangerous messianic sect are: Mehdi Taeb, director of Ammar startegic base and Hossein Shariatmadari, director of Keyhan. Their ideology promises salvation from earthly agony and misery by ways they hold are the right ones. For dissidents they have all kinds of harsh and cruel sanctions. They don’t shy at breaking international or national rights and even principles they name islamic. These people don’t spare any efforts to demonize dissidents or to heap constructed accusations on them or agitate against dissenters. This business has a name: mental arson/incendiarism. (Geistige Brandstiftung)
Mr Rohani, the new president of Iran might turn out to be a part-time hero who at least tries to unveil the wolves and their intentions, although the way towards respect for citizen rights and for human rights might still be a long way in Iran.
But why should anyone want to violate Human Rights in Iran?
According to members of the system of Velayat-e Faghi in Iran, like Makarem Shirazi, Ahmad Alamolhoda and Ahmad Khatami, the government should force people to align themselves with the system in Iran as the only way to paradise is the path that the system leads.
Leading people to paradise may sound quite attractive to many people, if you look at it superficially. For this seemingly noble intention, the clerics propose the application of violence against people who oppose their vision and path to paradise.
Some narrow-minded people might ask:
“But why should people not want to go to paradise and why a government should not pave the way for them?”
Maybe people have their own ways, maybe they choose not to go to paradise, maybe this, maybe that. Whatever way an individual chooses, it should be up to them and not up to any system or government to choose for the people!
The universal human rights declaration’s answer to such a question is:
“Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.” (Article 18)
So this declaration implies that each person should have the right and the freedom to choose his own religion, his point of view, and how to reach paradise.
As we hear from different groups and speakers and representatives of ethnic and religious minorities in Iran, this is still not at all the case in Iran.
Imagine – just a few days ago a law has been passed by the memebers of parliament that protects clerics who advocate violance against women who don’t respect the dress code.
Furthermore, the efforts of the Ammaryioun group and its members consistently impede the steps that the government of Rohani has undertaken.
While Rohani released Mrs Sotoudeh, presumably to achieve some credibility on an international level, at the same time Bassidji forces attacked the political prisoners in Evin and continued to destroy Baha’i cemeteries.
While Dervishes were allowed to publish their books after 8 years, and were allowed to attend the Teheran book fair and deliver speeches at conferences on Sufism, they were still being oppressed through deliberate arrests, refusal of medical treatment, exertion of force in prison and condemnations without any type of hearing. Here are some well documented cases: Seyed Ebrahim Bahrami, Mohammed-Ali Dehghan-Borki, Mohsen Esmaili, Kasra Nouri, Mohammad Ali Sadeghi, Abbas Salehian-Barzeki, Farshid Yadollahi, Omid Behrouzi.
Mr Rouhani fought back with his comments against some Friday prayer clerics, when he said: “Some people seriously have nothing better to do. They have no work, no profession, they live with delusions and they are incessantly worried about people’s religion and the afterlife. They know neither what religion is nor the afterlife, but they’re always worried.”
So if we ask: “Is there an improvement or deterioration of the Human Rights situation in Iran since the new government started its work?” – The answer will be Yes and No.
But what is more important is the type of signals that the international community will give to people in Iran who are suffering and what signals it gives to the representatives of a system that mercilessly imposes its viewpoint of how to reach paradise, on each individual.
We think that speaking up against this oppression, as for example Mr Shaheed did recently, is still necessary and should occur more often – even though the importance of the situation in Iran concerning international awareness has been overshadowed by many outrageous conflicts outside of Iran.
Finally let’s remember not to tire of repeating Sa’adis famous advice to his fellow citizens 800 years ago: “If the ants unite their forces, they will easily overcome the wolves.” – and let me add – even those in sheeps skins.
Helmut N. Gabel, Mehriran.de
Source: http://mehriran.de/en/article/yes-and-no.html
IOPHRI