the woman who has faced death by stoning, urged European officials last week to put more political pressure on Iran for human rights violations.
According to Mohammad Mostafai, offenses of the Iranian government include death by stoning, executions of juveniles, and amputations for theivery, making the rulers “the worst human rights offenders.”
In testimony before the European Parliament’s subcommittee on human rights in Brussels, he asserted that Iranian women are in a state of slavery and that there is excessive censorship in the country with anyone who opposes the government subject to arbitrary arrest.
Mostafai, who fled Iran in July after questioning by Iranian authorities, said the West should focus more on human rights issues in Iran than its nuclear agenda. He said the oil in Iran provides sufficient wealth to recruit and maintain enforcers of a repressive political system and the West has a responsibility to discourage government abuses, particularly when the voice of activists, professors, lawyers and others in the country are so restricted.
“When a country fails to respect the rights of its own citizens, it won’t respect the rights of any other country,” he said.
Mostafai proposed the European Union and UN Security Council impose more political sanctions on Iran, rather than economic sanctions if it wants to see change. The latter more greatly affect the people, while the former increase pressure on the real offenders, limiting their travel. “Why should Iranian rulers who are violating human rights be able to go abroad to give speeches?” he asked.
Mostafai also advocated for an easier path for asylum seekers from Iran in Europe.