Iran's Judiciary Chief Sets Conditions for Human Rights Dialogue with Europe

Ayatollah Sadegh Amoli Larijani, the head of Iran's judiciary, has requested the "Human Rights Headquarters, the Supreme National Security Council, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs" to initiate discussions on human rights with Europeans. Speaking at the ceremony for "Islamic Human Rights and Human Dignity Day," he stated that dialogue on human rights with Europe is conditional on being "mutual." According to him, "Europe must explain various instances of human rights violations." "Islamophobia" and "mandatory hijab enforcement in high schools and universities in France" are among the issues that he believes should be raised in bilateral human rights discussions with Europe. Larijani added, "They incite Islamophobia in Europe; however, if someone has a leftist view on the Holocaust, they must go to prison. These issues should also be addressed in human rights dialogues with Europe." He noted that "the Americans are separate; they are deceitful, as demonstrated in the JCPOA." He then emphasized, referring to Ayatollah Khamenei's statements, that "we do not have JCPOA two, three, four, or five." International human rights organizations have consistently criticized human rights violations in Iran in recent years. The United Nations General Assembly expressed concern about the "deterioration" of the human rights situation in Iran in a resolution passed in December 2015. That resolution also welcomed Hassan Rouhani's efforts to reduce inequalities and increase freedom of expression and opinion. The Islamic Republic of Iran has always assessed these criticisms, including the periodic reports of Ahmed Shaheed, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, as politically motivated and unfair. In his speech on Wednesday, Larijani described the prevailing view and ideology of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as "secular and liberal" and questioned the Western world, asking, "Who gave you the right to impose your liberal and secular ideology and Western way of life on us?" He also criticized the West's "double standards" regarding human rights, stating, "Westerners use human rights as a tool." The remarks by the head of Iran's judiciary came a day after the judiciary announced that at least seven people had been executed in Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj on charges of terrorism. The execution of these prisoners has drawn reactions and criticism from international human rights organizations.