British MEP, Marina Yannakoudakis, has tabled a parliamentary question to The EU´s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Vice President of the European Commission Catherine Ashton regarding alleged human rights abuses by the Iranian government against its Arab citizens in Al-Ahwaz to raise further awareness on this issue and to gain more information.

She called on European Commission to  consider  whether political pressure can be exerted by the European External Action Service (EEAS) on Iran to bring an immediate end to ethnic, religious, economic and cultural human rights violations faced by its own Arab citizens in Al-Ahwaz.

Ms. Yannakoudakis requested the EEAS to consider alleged abuses, which include unfair trials, torture, forced confessions and executions, have been well documented by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch and whether there is a need for the EEAS to contact the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, to request a UN fact-finding mission to Al-Ahwaz/Khuzestan to investigate these disturbing claims in their reply.

Saturday, 26 May 2012