Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development

Sous-comité des droits internationaux de la personne du Comité permanent des affaires étrangères et du développement international

For immediate release

Ottawa, May 17, 2019 -

Over the last 40 years, hundreds of thousands of Iranians from all walks of life have been arrested and jailed for standing up for their human rights, including civil and political rights, gender equality, labour rights and environmental rights. The regime, notably through the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a highly politicized judiciary, has arbitrarily detained and directly harassed human rights defenders and their families

Iranian citizens live in an atmosphere of fear and oppression. The Iranian regime heavily relies on capital punishment, including for youth. Alarming reports have emerged about torture and deaths in detention, including those related to neglect or a lack of medical care. Furthermore, the regime systematically suppresses investigations of suspicious deaths of individuals within its custody. Defense lawyers are frequently imprisoned with their clients. In some cases, dual nationals, including Canadians, are taken as hostages for political gain.

These were only some of the disturbing issues highlighted by witnesses to the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (the Subcommittee) during its seventh annual Iran Accountability Week, as part of its ongoing monitoring of the Iranian regime’s human rights record.

During two special meetings, the Subcommittee heard testimony from activists, lawyers and academics – all human rights defenders with intimate knowledge of the Iranian regime. Their testimony highlighted severe and systematic violations of the right to life by the Iranian regime against its citizens, as well as violations of the rights to freedom of expression, of assembly, and of religion.

The Subcommittee condemns the Iranian regime’s human rights record and calls on Iran to immediately release prisoners arrested on political charges.

The Subcommittee extends its support to the people of Iran, and particularly to the tireless human rights defenders working in Iran and abroad to improve respect for human rights. The Subcommittee takes note of the following individuals, who are among countless Iranian citizens who have placed themselves in danger or risked their liberty to advocate for their rights and the rights of others.

Aras Amiri

Monireh Arabshahi

Yasaman Aryani

Emadoddin Baghi

Esmail Bakhshi

Atena Daemi

Sepideh Gholian

Mojgan Keshavarz

Reza Khandan

Barzan Mohammadi

Narges Mohammadi

Rezvaneh Mohammadi

Abdullah Momeni

Arash Sadeghi

Abdolfattah Soltani

Nasrin Sotoudeh

Mustafa Tajzadeh

The Subcommittee calls on the Government of Canada to continue to apply sustained diplomatic pressure on Iran to abide by its domestic and international human rights obligations. The Government of Canada should question the Iranian regime on these issues at the upcoming Universal Periodic Review to be held by the UN Human Rights Council.

The Subcommittee calls on the Government of Canada, in line with the 12 June 2018 motion of the House of Commons, to name Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist entity, to better allow Canada to hold their collaborators to account.

The Subcommittee calls on the Government of Canada to consider imposing targeted sanctions on individuals responsible for the gross violation of human rights in Iran.

Finally, the Subcommittee calls on the Government of Canada to increase the enforcement of money laundering provisions in existing legislation.

QUOTES

“Canadians stand in support of the Iranian people and we will continue to rally the international community until Iran respects the fundamental human rights of all of its citizens. Women have been particularly targeted and denied even the most basic freedoms in Iran. Women are at the forefront of movements calling for change and we especially condemn the targeting of women human rights advocates and those who defend them.”

- Anita Vandenbeld, M.P., Chair

“A culture of impunity and repression has persisted in Iran for far too long. The human rights situation in the country demands urgent and reinvigorated international attention. Simply put, the ongoing arrests of human rights defenders, journalists, and activists in Iran, and the repeated violations of the rights of religious and ethnic minorities must stop.”

- David Sweet, M.P., Vice-Chair

“It is so important that Canada continue its focus on the ongoing human rights abuses and repression committed by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran against its own people. This government needs to understand that our focus will never waver. At the same time the Government of Canada must be on constant guard against extremist campaigns within our own country that are at this very moment attempting to contaminate informed discussion on Iran.”

- Cheryl Hardcastle, M.P., Vice-Chair