For Democracy and Human Rights in Iran

What originally began as a reaction to the violent death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini at the hands of the "moral police" is no longer a protest against compulsory headscarves or a purely women's movement! It is now about the regime itself. The brave demonstrators are literally risking their lives every day by taking to the streets. The repressive mullahs' regime is using the handbook for despots to brutally crack down on the protests. It responds with indiscriminate and unimaginable violence, even using live ammunition against unarmed citizens. The Internet was throttled so that as little news or pictures of the atrocities as possible were sent abroad. Gangs of thugs and the Basij militias as well as other henchmen of the regime roam the streets and beat up, abduct, rape, kill and shoot the protesters, some of whom are minors. While the death toll is rising every day, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi disdainfully, maliciously and cynically describes the demonstrators on state television as “flies”. In view of the countless crimes committed against the Iranian civilian population every day, the international community and especially the Federal Republic of Germany can no longer stand idly by.

We therefore call on the Federal Republic to take the following measures:

1. Abortion of negotiations on the nuclear agreement. One should not negotiate with terrorists, murderers and despots.

2. Far-reaching sanctions against the architects and main actors of the brutal crackdown on the protests, above all the generals of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) based on the Canadian model. Ratify a German “Magnitsky Law” as soon as possible.

3. Helping Iranians to have free access to the Internet and thus a voice to the outside world.

Reason:

At a time when rights and enemies of democracy are on the rise all over the world, the free world must prove that it actually stands by the values ​​it propagates, such as human rights, the right to freedom of expression, the right to demonstrate and assembly, etc. Iranian prisons are filled with journalists, writers, students, intellectuals, dissidents, etc. While there is vehement support for the poisoned and imprisoned Russian Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, corresponding and comparable reactions to the death of innocent Iranian protesters are missing. This creates the impression that it is okay if Iranians die or are unjustly imprisoned, from which the accusation of double standards derives.

Unfortunately, the Islamic Republic is not capable of reform. The Islamic Republic has proven this in the brutal way they handeled all protests and movements of the last 43 years, regardless of whether moderate forces or conservative forces held the scepter in their hands. The Iranian people aspire to democracy, equality and peace and are in dire need of foreign support. A democratic Iran will be a much more reliable and stable partner for Germany and the world. 

In conclusion, we would like to state that our concern is primarily about elementary human rights and the right to a free, self-determined life without constant fear. Show the world that you are serious about the new orientation of German foreign policy and that human rights are more important than economic interests.

Act now!