Over 100 Belgian MPs Support “No to Executions” Campaign

Last updated: 16 December 2024 6:27 pm
Ali Bagheri

Conference with Some of Women’s Rights Activists at the European Parliament – 20 November 2024

In a powerful joint statement, over 100 Belgian Members of Parliament, representing the country’s major political parties and regions, have expressed deep concern over the rising number of executions in Iran. They have spoken out against the systematic human rights abuses by the Iranian regime and endorsed the international “No to Executions” campaign, which calls for an end to daily executions and arbitrary death sentences in Iran.

Daily Executions as a Reign of Terror

The campaign highlights the horrifying reality of executions in Iran: young people being hanged daily, women unjustly sentenced to death, and a regime instilling terror through the gallows as a symbol. According to Amnesty International, Iran was responsible for a staggering 74% of all recorded executions worldwide in 2023. This alarming trend has escalated since Iran’s new president took office. In August 2024 alone, more than 600 prisoners, including 20 women, were executed.
Among the victims was Reza Rasaei, a political dissident arrested during the November 2022 uprising in Shahriar, Tehran Province. As reported by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission (FFMI) in March 2024, many of these executions follow rushed and unjust trials. The mission concluded that many of the serious human rights violations in Iran, including murder, torture, and rape, constitute crimes against humanity.

Political Prisoners on Hunger Strike

Since the beginning of 2024, political prisoners in at least 20 Iranian prisons have been staging hunger strikes every Tuesday to protest against executions. On November 13, 2024, prisoners in the notorious Evin and Qezel Hesar prisons voiced their determination:
“With one voice, united in resolve, we will stand firm until the death penalty is abolished.”
Currently this campaign is gaining momentum to call for stopping the execution of 6 political prisoners who have been sentenced to death for their support of the Iranian opposition movement, PMOI.
Belgian Support for Maryam Rajavi’s Vision
More than 100 Belgian MPs, including four party leaders from N-VA, Les Engages, Vooruit, and Défi, and several chairs of parliamentary groups and committees, have expressed their support for the call of Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the Iranian opposition coalition (NCRI), to end executions in Iran. They praised her unwavering commitment to abolishing the death penalty, as outlined in her Ten-Point Plan for a free and democratic Iran. This plan includes a ban on executions, freedom of expression, and equality for women and minorities.

International Silence Fuels Impunity

The Iranian regime uses executions as a political weapon to sow fear and suppress uprisings. This was recently confirmed by Javaid Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran. He described the executions and torture of political dissidents, including the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners, as “genocide” and “crimes against humanity.” The lack of international action has emboldened the regime to continue its atrocities.
The “No to Executions” campaign has sparked a powerful movement both inside and outside Iran. While prisoners in Iran protest with hunger strikes, more than 3000 international personalities have joined this call, and activists worldwide are mobilizing support for the campaign.