Iran: EU Condemns Crackdown on Minorities
The Presidency of the European Union has condemned the sentencing of two Kurdish journalists to death in
Below is an article published by Al Ahwaz News:
The EU Presidency, currently held by
In a statement released on Friday [03 August 2007], the EU stated that it was "also particularly troubled by the growing repression against all groups which exercise their right to freely express their opinions, in particular in Kurdish and Arab minority regions."
The EU has urged the regime to fully respect its Criminal Procedure Code and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which
The Presidency reiterated its "longstanding opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances" and expressed its concern about "the series of collective public executions that have been taking place in several regions of
The EU Presidency's statement was backed by the candidate countries
In February [2007], the EU Presidency - then headed by Germany - condemned the group execution of Ahwazi Arab opposition activists, who were sentenced to death following secret trials that were dismissed as unfair by UN experts. The activists were accused of threatening national security. The convictions were reportedly based on confessions extorted under torture. Four Ahwazi political prisoners were executed in January [2007] during Moharam, a month when executions are forbidden in Islam.