Thank you, Mr. President,
The World Jewish Congress, the representative body of Jewish communities in 100 countries, would like to bring to the attention of this Council the Iranian regime’s disregard for human rights.
Iran is not only denying the Holocaust, supporting international terrorism via proxies, genocidally threatening Israel and other states in the region and causing global instability, but this malign regime is holding its own people hostage - and the UN must take action.
Iranian President Raisi’s own reputation precedes him since 1988 when a “death commission” which he was part of approved the massacre of more than 5,000 political prisoners.
Indeed, Sweden is holding a trial against Hamid Nouri, a former Iranian official who was working in one of the prisons where the same 1988 atrocities took place. Thanks to a survivor of the massacre, Nouri was arrested in Sweden for suspected war crimes under the principal of universal jurisdiction.
The torture and execution of political dissidents continues to this very day. How many executions before the UN listens to the voices of those who are silenced by death, but also to the human rights defenders around the world who call for action?
The World Jewish Congress implores this Council to act and condemn the Iranian regime, so that all Iranians and their neighbours can lead purposeful lives without fear.
Thank you.