Amnesty International: Mogherini Should Demand the Release of Human Rights Activists in Tehran

Amnesty International has issued a statement urging Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, to call for the release of all imprisoned human rights activists during her visit to Tehran. At the same time, a spokesperson for Mogherini has stated that she will address human rights issues during her trip. Ms. Mogherini is scheduled to attend the inauguration ceremony of Hassan Rouhani in Tehran on Saturday, and as her office announced last week, she will also meet with Iranian officials regarding the JCPOA and other bilateral issues. However, according to Agence France-Presse, Amnesty International, based in London, has called on the EU to adopt a stricter stance against repression in Iran. Nasim Payapani, an Iran reporter for Amnesty International, stated that the organization urges Ms. Mogherini to request a meeting with imprisoned human rights activists in Iran but to ensure that such a meeting would not have negative consequences for the prisoners. Payapani added that they also want her to demand the immediate release of all human rights activists imprisoned in Iran. She specifically called for Mogherini to meet with Narges Mohammadi, the former head of the Defenders of Human Rights Center. Narges Mohammadi has been in Evin Prison since May 2015, sentenced to five years for 'collusion and conspiracy to commit a crime against national security,' one year for 'propaganda against the regime,' and ten years for 'forming and managing an illegal group called Legam.' Meanwhile, on Thursday, Catherine Ray, a spokesperson for Federica Mogherini, emphasized that Ms. Mogherini will pursue the issue of human rights during her visit to Tehran. Ms. Ray stated that human rights will remain a central topic in our communications with Tehran officials, although according to Agence France-Presse, she did not mention any potential requests from imprisoned activists in Iran. On Wednesday, Amnesty International reported on the status of 45 imprisoned activists, some of whom have been sentenced to ten years or more. Amnesty states that these individuals have been detained on charges such as contacting Amnesty International, the EU, or other human rights organizations. The human rights organization adds that several activists working for justice for victims of the executions in the 1980s have also received shorter prison sentences. Amnesty International has accused Iran's judicial and security institutions of creating a cycle of repression against human rights defenders by imprisoning and constantly intimidating them, seemingly aiming to end hopes for reforms in human rights. The report states that several defenders and activists in Iran have been imprisoned on charges related to 'actions against national security.' According to the organization, many others have been placed under surveillance and interrogation and have resorted to self-censorship under the shadow of criminal charges.