“Women’s rights are a measure of the state of a society (…) if women are not safe in a country, no one is safe,” said the German Foreign Minister.
The German foreign minister Analena Burbok called yesterday Monday for new sanctions to be imposed against Iran following the harsh crackdown on anti-government protests sparked by the death of a 22-year-old woman at the hands of the Islamic Republic’s moral police.
The tally of casualties and arrests over the past ten days in Iran is far from clear, but estimates suggest over 54 dead. At least 1,000 arrests have been reported in the north alone, and thousands more are estimated to have been detained in other areas.
“We must now discuss very quickly in EU circles further consequences, and for me these must include sanctions against those responsible” for the violent crackdown, the head of German diplomacy explained to dpa.
“Trying to quell peaceful protests with even more deadly violence it must not go unanswered”, he added. “Women’s rights are a measure of the state of a society (…) if women are not safe in a country, no one is safe.”
He also confirmed to the German Agency that the ambassador of Iran was summoned to the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Berlin.
Tehran rejects the criticism
Earlier yesterday, Tehran rejected EU criticism of its handling of the protests.
He spoke of “interfering in Iran’s internal affairs and supporting rioters,” said Iranian diplomatic spokesman Nasser Kanaani.
The new case is being investigated, but Brussels and Western governments are ignoring this fact and supporting the “troublemakers” who are endangering Iran’s national security, he added.
After Mahsa Amini died, tens of thousands of people took to the streets to protest across the country in the last ten days. Authorities imposed extensive restrictions on internet access to prevent protesters from communicating.
The 22-year-old was arrested by the morality police earlier this month and her death, under undisclosed circumstances, was confirmed on September 16. Authorities initially reported that she had underlying illnesses and suffered a cardiac arrest; the family of the young woman from Kurdistan province rejected the official version.
Threats against protesters
Special courts will be set up to try those involved in the riots, a judicial official, Ali Algashi Mehr, said yesterday, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency. No leniency will be shown to “leaders of troublemakers in the employment of foreigners,” he added, declaring that their treatment would be similar to that of rapists and perpetrators of other particularly heinous crimes.
The government describes the arrested protesters as mercenaries paid by foreign agents. Several observers believe that those who have been arrested will be given very heavy sentences.
Iranian artists and athletes will face prosecution if they speak out in support of the protests, authorities have said.
RES-EMP
Read the News today and get the latest news.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news.
I am currently a news writer for News Bulletin247 where I mostly cover sports news. I have always been interested in writing and it is something I am very passionate about. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
