MEPs: Iran election not free or fair

BRUSSELS, Belguim (Kurdistan24)- On Thursday, 156 members of the European Parliament issued a joint statement condemning Iranian Election.

“The elections in Iran are not free and fair. Opposition is banned. All candidates have to declare their heartfelt belief to the concept of supreme clerical rule," the lawmakers wrote.

They pointed out that "An unelected body named the ‘Guardian Council’, whose members are appointed by supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei, disqualifies most of the candidates.”

Referring to the high number of executions in Iran, the lawmakers quoted President Hassan Rouhani saying in a public speech on state TV, that "executions as ‘a good law’ and ‘the law of God!’"

The Members of Parliament also condemned Rouhani's blunt support for the Syrian president.

"He also openly expressed full support for Bashar Assad even after the chemical attack in April which killed many people, including children,” they wrote.

The MEP’s emphasized that Rouhani’s Justice Minister was a key member of the so-called “Death Committee” that approved the summary mass executions of over 30,000 political prisoners.”

Rouhani’s main rival in the elections, Ebrahim Raisi, was also himself a member of that Death Committee.

From the young age of eighteen, Raisi was a deputy prosecutor in Tehran and has always maintained top positions in the Iranian judiciary, signing orders of execution for thousands of political opponents.

“Any further expansion of relations with Iran must be conditioned to a clear progress on human rights, women’s rights and a halt to executions,” the MEPs concluded.