Iranian-Americans condemn Rouhani UN visit, seek justice for the mass execution of political prisoners in IranT
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
New York, United Nations – Thousands of Iranian-Americans hailing from across the United States vehemently denounced the upcoming visit to the United Nations by the Iranian regime’s president Hassan Rouhani in a large and boisterous rally in New York on Tuesday.
In a rally, organized by the Organization of Iranian American Communities in the U.S., the participants also urged the UN Security Council to investigate the gruesome massacre of 30,000 political prisoners in Iran in 1988, seen as one of the biggest human atrocities since World War II. They called for the prosecution of regime officials directly involved in the crime against humanity.
Rouhani’s justice minister, Mostafa Pourmohammadi, recently proclaimed that he is “proud” to have been involved in the brutal killings.
The rally stood out for its vibrant display of inspirational musical performances and the reenactment of the ’88 mass executions. It also featured a harrowing display of the pictures of the massacre’s victims.
Rouhani’s three-year record is seen as a troubling continuation of the regime’s repressive policies, marked by a staggering 2,500 executions, the arrest of thousands of disaffected Iranians, execution of political prisoners, and a massive crackdown on women and youth. Iran is now the leading executioner of prisoners in the world on a per capita basis.
Citing Rouhani’s dismal policies, the participants at the New York rally denounced what they described as the international community’s silence about the human rights atrocities committed by the ruling regime, saying western political and economic relations with Tehran should be predicated on a halt in executions by the theocratic regime.
Speakers at the rally included former Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, the British Barrister and President of the UN Court for War Crimes in Sierra Leone Sir Geoffrey Robertson, QC, who compiled a report on the 1988 massacre and Pastor Saeed Abedini, until recently imprisoned in Iran for his Christian faith.
“We say to the United Nations don’t’ be fooled by Rouhani’s smile. The Iran nuclear agreement has not changed the behavior, civilized or moderated the behavior of the regime in Iran. The only way to change the regime in Iran is for the people in Iran to rise up and oust the regime that suppresses them and threatens most of the rest of the world,” Lieberman said.
In her remarks, the National Council of Resistance of Iran’s President-elect Maryam Rajavi said, “As long as the United States allows the leaders of a regime that Washington itself describes as the leading state sponsor of terrorism to set foot on American soil, and so long as the United Nations hosts them at the General Assembly instead of arranging for the ruling mullahs to face international tribunals for crimes against humanity, it means that they are standing against the Iranian people’s desire for freedom and democracy.”
She added that without the eviction of the Iranian regime “from Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon, there is no conceivable end in sight for the crises in the region. Appeasing this regime and standing on its side is a policy that has harmed the entire world.”
Robertson told the crowd, “By mid-August 1988 thousands of prisoners had been killed in this manner by the state, without trial, without appeal, and utterly without mercy. What happened in 1988 was a crime against humanity. Crimes against humanity are of a special hideousness. This dreadful act has never been punished, has never even been investigated… They cannot be forgotten and they cannot be forgiven. There is a duty on the world community represented by the United Nations to take action.”
Pastor Abedini said, “Still we stand with the victims. Still we stand with people in prison. Still we are going to be a voice for them. You are alive in our heart. You are alive in our voice, and still we are standing with you.”
Demonstrators stage a protest near U.N. headquarters in New York on Sept. 20, 2016, against mass executions of political prisoners in Iran as the country’s president, Hassan Rouhani, arrived for the U.N. General Assembly. (Kyodo via AP Images) ==Kyodo
A man looks at photos of some of the people executed in Iran during a rally outside the United Nations headquarters in New York on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016. The rally, organized by the Organization of Iranian American Communities, highlighted human rights abuses and called for democratic change in Iran. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
Demonstrators symbolically re-enact the mass execution of 30,000 Iranian political prisoners in Iran during a rally outside the United Nations headquarters in New York on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016. The rally, organized by the Organization of Iranian American Communities, highlighted human rights abuses and called for democratic change in Iran. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
Demonstrators chant during a rally outside the United Nations headquarters in New York on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016. The rally, organized by the Organization of Iranian American Communities, highlighted human rights abuses and called for democratic change in Iran. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
Demonstrators symbolically re-enact the mass execution of 30,000 Iranian political prisoners in Iran during a rally outside the United Nations headquarters in New York on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016. The rally, organized by the Organization of Iranian American Communities, highlighted human rights abuses and called for democratic change in Iran. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
Simin Boorchi, right, who was a political prisoner in Iran, sheds tears as she watches demonstrators symbolically re-enact the mass execution of 30,000 Iranian political prisoners in Iran during a rally outside the United Nations headquarters in New York on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
As the largest, most active grass root body of Iranian Diaspora in the Unit Free Iran Rally New York, NY UN Plaza #1988Massacreed States, Organization of Iranian-American Communities-US (OIACUS) and other peace seeking Iranian American NGOs, invites all concerned citizens to join its supporters at the “Iran Freedom Rally”, scheduled for Tuesday, September 20, 2016 outside the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.
PLEASE CLICK BELOW IMAGE FOR RALLY DETAILS
