Angelika Beer
MdEP

Open letter to Iranian Foreign Minister regarding two cases of stoning

11.07.2007

Breach of the moratorium on stoning in Iran


Excellency,

On behalf of the European Parliament I am turning to you in my capacity as Chairwoman of the Iran Delegation. We were informed that Mr Ja'far Kiani, with whom Ms Ebrahimi has two children, was already stoned to death on 5 July, and that Ms Mokarrameh Ebrahimi is set to be stoned to death.

I already turned to the Iranian Representation to the EU some weeks ago to address these tragic cases and obtained the assurance that the stoning would not be carried out. Let me recall that the Iranian authorities imposed a moratorium to prevent the execution of any stoning. The Iran Delegation of the European Parliament and I myself as its Chairwoman were repeatedly assured by the highest ranks of the Iranian government that this moratorium would be absolutely respected.

We consider the latest incidents as proof that this moratorium has been broken and will continue to be broken. We deem the stoning of Mr Ja'far Kiani and the imminent stoning of Ms Ebrahimi a violation of international legal human rights norms, such as the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which the Islamic Republic of Iran has committed itself.

Such a breach contrary to all assurances can only be considered a betrayal of our trust, which will hamper the continuation and deepening of the relations between the European Parliament and the Majlis.

We expect the Iranian government to respond to this breach of the moratorium by finally putting into action the long promised legal abolition of stoning. On this occasion I would like to reiterate that the European Parliament calls for a global ban of capital punishment.

The European Parliament expects an immediate written statement on the latest incidents.

Yours respectfully,

Angelika Beer
Chairwoman of the Iran Delegation

Cc: President Pöttering, Iran Delegation

 

 

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