On Wednesday, October 10, 2018, the Mayor of the 5th District in Paris hosted a conference against the death penalty in Iran, organized by the Committee for the Support of Human Rights in Iran (CSDHI). Several mayors, politicians, and celebrities spoke at this conference marking the World Day Against Death Penalty.
Message from Iranian opposition President Maryam Rajavi:
In a message to the conference, Maryam Rajavi recalled that 120,000 Iranian dissidents have been executed by the clerical regime and that the ordeal continues with thousands of death row inmates in the regime’s prisons.
This regime has become the first state executioner minors in the world in violation of international conventions, said the leader of the Iranian opposition. The executions serve to maintain the climate of terror and are an instrument of regime survival in Iran.
She explained that the mullahs’ terrorism abroad is an extension of the policy of executions and torture in Iran.
The president of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) called on the governments of the world to condition their political and economic relations with the regime in Iran to stop torture and executions and dismantle its terrorist apparatus.
“The eternal sign of barbarism”
Florence Berthout, Mayor of the 5th District of Paris, began by hailing the fight of the National Council of Resistance of Iran.
She recalled the words of Victor Hugo: “The death penalty is the eternal sign of barbarism… On this World Day Against the Death Penalty, we raise a cry of alarm to Iran,” she said.
Jean-François Legaret, mayor of 1st district of Paris, paid tribute to the 30,000 victims of the 1988 massacre in Iran, while reminding that “these barbarities still continue.”
The Mayor of the 1st District also discussed the foiled bombing against an Iranian opposition rally in Paris last June. “An Iranian minister sponsored the attack on Villepinte,” Legaret said and added, “The Iranian regime is desperate and is trying to execute those outside, who stand in solidarity with the resistance in Iran.”
“I call on the French government to launch an international investigation under the auspices of the UN to shed light on this state terrorism and the barbarities in Iran.”
Former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt said this was an attempt to “eliminate once and for all, a friend who is dear to us, Mrs. Rajavi, who carries the torch of this Iranian opposition.”
The former FARC hostage emphasized that it is the Iranian regime’s diplomatic network that sets up this terrorist plot. She praised the French government for its courage, for standing up to Iran’s pressure and for demanding accountability. Betancourt called upon EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini “who did not have a word to denounce the facts of the terrorist attack in Villepinte.”
Betancourt asked all those who were present in Villepinte to file a civil law suit (a case that is now opened in Belgium) regarding this attack.
“The world champion of the executions”
“Iran is, unfortunately, the world champion, the world record holder of executions,” said Gilbert Mitterrand in turn. The President of the Danielle Mitterrand Foundation was indignant at the impunity of the 1988 massacre perpetrators, “who are there, whereas the institutions exist, whereas the legal instrument exists, whereas the proofs have been established for a long time, while the procedures exist.”
“The regime in Iran is using the death penalty to stay in place, just like using their state terrorism,” said François Colcombet. “We must fight on this subject and find international structures to crack down,” added the former magistrate.
Jean-Pierre Béquet, former Mayor of Auvers- sur-Oise, congratulated the Iranian Resistance for having abolished the death penalty in their platform for the Iran of tomorrow.
“When we went to Tirana to see the Ashrafians who had just arrived, with many wounded and maimed as a result of the regime’s attacks. These people had no hatred or revenge,” said the former Mayor.
“A day of solidarity with the People’s Mojahedin”
“This fight for freedom in Iran is a long marathon; the one who knows how to suffer two minutes more is triumphant,” said Pierre Bercis, chair of the French nouvel human rights who also discussed the June terrorist plot near Paris.
“The People’s Mojahedin, Maryam Rajavi, are brave men and women who fight for freedom, equality, and fraternity,” said Jean-Pierre Muller, Mayor of Magny- en-Vexin. “There are no moderates in Iran, only barbarians,” he added referring to the Iranian regime officials.
Mr. Muller proposed to declare a day of solidarity between the people of France and the PMOI/MEK.
“People who want to set up a secular democracy”
Jean-Pierre Brard, Mayor of Montreuil, spoke about the June terrorist plot near Paris, emphasizing “the attack not only targeted the Resistance, but it also targeted our country. This embodies the hate seen in the mullahs.”
Mr. Brard also rejected the moderates’ thesis in Iranian politics. “A fascist is always a fascist,” he added.
The Mayor of Montreuil joined the idea raised by Ingrid Betancourt to launch a civil case regarding the foiled Paris plot.
Bruno Macé, Mayor of Villiers-Adam, stressed that among all the causes that can be defended, Iran is a priority because the Iranian regime destabilizes its people and the region.
He spoke about visiting the PMOI/MEK in Albania and said: “I saw the people (PMOI/MEK) in Tirana who want to set up (in Iran) this secular democracy that we all aspire.”
(Source: PMOI/MEK)