|
Home | Forums | Gallery | Register | Video Directory | FAQ | Members List | Calendar | Games | Today's Posts | Search | Chat Room |
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
||||
|
||||
116 Iranian Rights Defenders Warn Of “Devastating” Consequences Of US-Iran Military C
116 Iranian Rights Defenders Warn Of “Devastating” Consequences Of US-Iran Military Conflict
By: The Center for Human Rights In Iran - 6-29-19 RE: https://lobelog.com/116-iranian-righ...tary-conflict/ Note: This is no doubt a propaganda reply - but I posted it anyway. In response to soaring tensions between Iran and the United States, 116 Iranian human rights defenders and groups based inside and outside the country have signed a statement warning of the “devastating” consequences of a military conflict. The impact of military action on Iran would “lead to an accelerated human rights and humanitarian crisis and would only serve to destabilize an already troubled region,” said the statement co-organized by United for Iran and the Center for Human Rights in Iran. The signatories–including activists, lawyers, journalists, and lawyers–have long advocated for the rights of the Iranian people. Those who are based in Iran have done so despite the grave risks of arrest and imprisonment for engaging in peaceful activism. Following is the letter, which is also available on our Persian-language website. We, the undersigned Iranian and international human rights organizations and advocates, express grave concerns over the rising tensions between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran, which risks a military confrontation that would cause massive human rights harms. We urge all parties and international actors to take immediate and clear steps to prevent a conflict. The impact of any military action in Iran, as we have seen in neighboring countries, would be devastating. It would likely lead to an accelerated human rights and humanitarian crisis and could only serve to destabilize an already troubled region. Only peace-focused policies that prioritize the rights and well-being of ordinary people in Iran and the region can provide meaningful, long-term benefits. We have a deep understanding of the problems in Iran, including human rights challenges and corruption within some government sectors. We have dedicated our lives to strengthening the rights of women and girls, ethnic minorities, religious minorities, workers, journalists, university students, LGBTQ people, artists, and political prisoners in Iran. We have fought for the freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to a fair trial, socio-economic rights of the Iranian people, and an end to discrimination. We have consistently opposed Iranian authorities in their abuse of power and oppressive policies. It is from this perspective that we warn against the threat posed by military conflict. We also fear that military action against Iran will be disastrous for millions of ordinary people and could lead to the type of violent sectarian civil conflict seen in neighboring countries. The instability of these conflicts and the extent to which they pit groups of people against each other has led to immeasurable human rights abuses. Many Iran-based human rights defenders have expressed dismay that broad economic sanctions imposed by the US and the specter of war have already made their work more difficult. Many of them are struggling to make ends meet in a depressed economy, while their activities have become increasingly risky in a heightened security environment. The threat of war has strengthened support for the Iranian state’s security approaches and has been used as a pretext to crack down on activists. Minority communities, who have little space for civic activism, suffer the brunt of crackdowns at such times. Many Iranian human rights defenders fear that an actual military conflict would give the Iranian security forces an opportunity to finally put a complete stop to their advocacy efforts. These concerns reflect some of the likely outcomes of any military confrontation in Iran, underscoring the need for peaceful and legal solutions to any tensions between states. We urge all parties to show maximum restraint. We ask that the United Nations Secretary-General, the European Union, and the government of Japan, as well as countries in the region that have stepped in the past to foster peace, to intervene to prevent the outbreak of war and deepening human rights and humanitarian crisis. Sincerely, Isa Saharkhiz, Journalist Mehrangiz Kar, Human Rights Lawyer and Women’s Rights Defender Zia Nabavi, Student Activist Mahdiye Golrou, Women’s Rights Activist Emad Bahavar, Political Activist Ali Akbar Mousavi, Former member of Iran’s Parliament and Internet Freedom Advocate Guissou Jahangiri, Women’s Rights Defender and Executive Director at the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) Mohammad Oliyafard, Human Rights Lawyer Maedeh Soltani, Human Rights Defender Majid Dori, Civic Activist Hadi Ghaemi, Executive Director of the Center for Human Rights in Iran Sussan Tahmasebi, Women’s Rights Defender and Executive Director at FEMENA Fatemeh Haghighatjoo, Nonviolence Initiative for Democracy Alieh Mottalebzadeh, Women’s Rights Defender and Journalist Jinous Sobhani, Human Rights, Women’s Rights, and Children’s Rights Activist Thomas Hughes, Executive Director at ARTICLE 19 Firuzeh Mahmoudi, Executive Director at United for Iran Masoud Bastani, Journalist Nahid Mirhaj, Women’s Rights Defender Amin Ahmadian, Member of the Central Committee of Advar-e Takim-e Vahdat Niki Akhavan, Associate Professor at the Catholic University of America Leila Alikarami, Human Rights Lawyer and Women’s Rights Defender Mahsa Alimardani, Technology and Human Rights Researcher ARTICLE 19 Mehdi Aminzadeh, Human Rights Researcher Leila Asadi, Women’s Rights Defender and PhD Candidate in Justice Studies Zeinab Asgharpour, Political Activist and member of the Central Committee of Advar-e Takim-e Vahdat Kamran Ashtary, Executive Director at Arseh Sevom Kaveh Azarhoosh, Senior Researcher at Small Media Arash Azizi, Writer and Scholar PhD Candidate at New York University Maryam Bahrman, Women’s Rights Defender Narges Bajoghli, Scholar, Assistant Professor at SAIS, Johns Hopkins University Rudi Bakhtiar, Journalist Fereidoon Bashar, Executive Director at ASL19 Amir Bayani, Head of MENA Program at ARTICLE 19 Farangis Bayat, Women’s Rights Defender and Researcher Farhad Davoodi, Translator and Writer Parastoo Dokouhaki, Women’s Rights Defender Arefe Elyasi, Women’s Rights Defender Reza Fani Yazdi, Human Rights Activist Nima Fatemi, Researcher and Founding Director of Kandoo Roja Fazaeli, Professor at Trinity College, Dublin Alireza Firoozi, Former Student Activist Saghi Ghahraman, Iranian Queer Organization (IRQO) Reza Ghazinouri, Human Rights Activist Sourena Hashemi, Project Coordinator at Net Freedom Pioneers Mo Hosseini, MENA Program Officer at ARTICLE 19 Sirous Hosseinifar, Artist Maryam Hosseinkhah, Journalist Mahboube Hosseinzadeh, Women’s Rights Defender Mehri Jafari, Lawyer and Human Rights Activist Mahdieh Javid, Human Rights Attorney Sepideh Jodeyri, Poet and Women’s Rights Defender Hadi KahalZadeh, Researcher on Public Policy at Brandeis University Parvin Kahzadi, Journalist and Civic Activist Parisa Kakaee, Women’s and Children’s Rights Activist Mina Keshavarz, Film Director Nooshin Keshavarznia, Women’s Rights Activist Azam Khatam, Researcher and University Professor Mostafa Khosravi, Director of Communications at Arseh Sevom Nasim Khosravi Moghaddam, Writer and Theatre Director Masoud Ladani, Meli-Mazhabi Activist Mahtam Mahmoudi, Women’s Rights Defender Feri Malek-Madani, Women’s Rights Activist James Marchant, Research Manager at Small Media Sara Masoumi, Journalist Maryam Mazrooei, War Photographer and Journalist Roozbeh MirEbrahimi, Journalist and Researcher Ziba Mir-Hosseini, Researcher Manijeh Moazen, Journalist Azin Mohajerin, Civic Activist and Researcher Sohrab Mokhtari, Writer and Translator Zahra Moshtagh, Journalist Laleh Mostofi, Film Director Mani Mostofi, Senior Human Rights Advisor at United for Iran Sarvenaz Mostofi, Artist Negar Mottahdeh, Professor Mojtaba Najafi, Researcher Gissou Nia, Human Rights Lawyer Shahriar Paknia, Researcher and University Professor Zeinab Peyghambarzadeh, Gender Equality Activist Mohammad Pourabdollah, Political Activist Azadeh Pourzand, Executive Director at Siamak Pourzand Foundation Somaye Qodousi, Civic Researcher Hossein Raessi, Human Rights Lawyer and Professor at Law Keyvan Rafie, Director at Human Rights Activists in Iran Neelam Raina, Associate Professor at Middlesex University Niloofar Rajaeifar, Actress Somayeh Rashidi, Women’s Rights Defender Negar Razavi, Scholar and Visiting Assistant Professor in Anthropology at William and Mary Sabra Rezai, Women’s Rights Activist Afsaneh Rigot, MENA Officer ARTICLE 19 Simin Rouzgard, Human Rights Activist Touraj Saberivand, Social Activist Setareh Sabety, Journalist Aida Sadat, Human and Women’s Rights Activist Sima Saeedi, Former Journalist Mousa Saket, Political and Civic Activist and member of Advar Tahkim Vahdat Afsaneh Salari, Filmmaker Faraz Sanei, Human Rights Lawyer Rod Sanjabi, Human Rights Lawyer Nasim Sarabandi, Women’s Rights Defender Daisy Schmitt, Women’s Rights Programme Officer at FIDH Kevin Schumacher, Human Rights Defender Mahdis Sdeghipouya, Women’s Rights Defender and Gender Researcher Afshin Shahi, Senior Lecturer at the University of Bradford Sima Shakhsari, Professor at the University of Minnesota Mansoureh Shoajee, Researcher and Women’s Rights Activist Amir Soltania, Author, Zahra’s Paradise Bita Tahbaz, Women’s Rights Activist Maziar Tataei, Attorney at Law Nayereh Tohidi, Professor and Director of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at California State University, Northridge Soheila Vahdati, Independent Scholar Adrienne van Heteren, Director at Small Media Kyra Wigard, Legal Fellow at Armanshahr and OPENASIA Mitra Zargar, Sociologist and Human Rights Advocate Parvin Zarrabi, Women’s Rights, Peace, and Environmental Activist ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Personal note: I would bet money that the majority of these folks whose names are listed were forced to sign this petition or be severely punished - if not shot. Boats
__________________
Boats O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. "IN GOD WE TRUST" |
Sponsored Links |
|