More than thirty countries issued a joint statement condemning Iran’s executions of those who participated in protests earlier this year.
The countries behind the statement include Canada, Albania, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, the High Representative of the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
The statement declares that the countries “condemn in the strongest terms the ongoing executions of protesters and use of the death penalty by the Islamic Republic of Iran.” Using capital punishment to “silence dissent, intimidate communities, and punish individuals exercising their human rights can never be justified,” they said. “The people of Iran must be free to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly without fear.”
“We call on Iran to immediately end the use of the death penalty and release all those arbitrarily detained,” it adds. “We further call on Iran to listen to the voice of its people as they demand change, and to take meaningful steps toward ensuring respect for human rights.”
President Trump intervened in execution cases earlier this year, urging Iran to release female protesters. “Very good news! I have just been informed that the eight women protestors who were going to be executed tonight in Iran will no longer be killed. Four will be released immediately, and four will be sentenced to one month in prison,” Trump wrote on Truth Social in April. “I very much appreciate that Iran, and its leaders, respected my request, as President of the United States, and terminated the planned execution. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
