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Amid the alarming escalation of executions and the intensifying repression of political opponents in Iran, and on the eve of the 38th anniversary of the massacre of more than 30,000 political prisoners in the summer of 1988 (1367 in the Iranian calendar), delegations representing Iranian communities from different states across Australia took part in a series of political meetings and engagements during the mid-year sittings of the Australian Federal Parliament.
The delegations held meetings and discussions with Members of Parliament, the offices of party leaders, and representatives of various parliamentary committees.
As part of this programme, an important briefing session was held with the participation of a number of Members of both Houses of the Australian Federal Parliament. The briefing focused on the critical human rights situation in Iran, the growing number of executions, the systematic repression of political opponents, and the urgent need for an effective response from the international community.
During the briefing, tribute was paid to the memory of all the martyrs and heroes who, during one of the darkest periods in Iran’s contemporary history, stood against dictatorship and, by refusing to surrender to tyranny and oppression, immortalised their names in the history of the Iranian people’s struggle.
The briefing also emphasised the urgent need to end the cycle of impunity and to hold accountable those who ordered, carried out, and facilitated these crimes.
It was further stressed that the 1988 massacre of political prisoners should not be regarded merely as a crime belonging to the past. From the perspective presented by the participants, the continuation of executions, torture, arbitrary detention, repression of political opponents, and systematic violations of human rights in Iran demonstrate the continuation of the same structures of repression and impunity.
Accordingly, international accountability for past crimes and ongoing human rights violations were presented as two inseparable dimensions of the same essential objective: ending impunity for those responsible for these crimes.
Members of both Houses of the Australian Federal Parliament expressed their concern and condemnation regarding the widespread violations of human rights in Iran and conveyed their support for the demands raised by the Iranian communities. They emphasised the importance of using Australia’s political and diplomatic capacities, together with those of the international community, to increase pressure on the Iranian regime to immediately halt executions, release political prisoners, and respect the fundamental rights of the Iranian people.
Political and Parliamentary Engagements on current executions in Iran
On the sidelines of the briefing, representatives of the Iranian delegations—including a delegation of professionals and experts, representatives of families of martyrs and political prisoners, representatives of women’s associations, representatives of the Association for the Defence of Freedom and Human Rights in Iran–Australia, and members of the Australian Supporters of Democracy in Iran from Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT)—held meetings and discussions with a number of Members of Parliament, as well as with the offices of party leaders and chairs of various parliamentary committees.
During these meetings, the Iranian delegations presented an overview of the current situation in Iran and highlighted the repressive and misogynistic nature of the ruling structure and the consequences of its policies for the Iranian people.
They also urged Australian parliamentarians to adopt clear and practical positions in support of the demands of the Iranian people, including an end to executions and repression, the release of political prisoners, and the realisation of a democratic future for Iran.
The meetings also highlighted the important role that the Australian Parliament can play in amplifying the voice of the Iranian people and drawing greater international attention to the human rights situation in Iran.
The participants called for continued political and diplomatic support for the Iranian people and stressed that the issue of human rights in Iran should remain firmly on the agenda of the Australian Parliament and Government.
Demands Raised During the Meetings to End Executions in Iran
According to the briefing published by the Australian Supporters of Democracy in Iran, the main issues and demands raised by the Iranian delegations included:
- Immediate protection for political prisoners and individuals at risk of execution, together with urgent action to halt executions and overturn politically motivated death sentences.
- International accountability for serious and systematic human rights violations in Iran, including the 1988 massacre of political prisoners, as well as continued international investigations and monitoring of arbitrary detention, torture, executions, and enforced disappearances.
- Referral of Iran’s human rights case to the United Nations Security Council, with the aim of examining the scale and dimensions of the crisis and taking appropriate action within the framework of its international responsibilities.
- Support for the right of the Iranian people to determine their own political future through a peaceful and democratic transition led and chosen by the people of Iran, as well as support for the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) as one of the political alternatives proposed in opposition to the current regime.
- Support for a democratic, secular, and republican future for Iran—a future based on respect for human rights, equality of citizens, fundamental freedoms, popular sovereignty, and a non-nuclear Iran.
- Increased political and diplomatic pressure on the Iranian regime to end repression, executions, and systematic human rights violations, and to ensure that these issues remain a priority within Australia’s foreign policy and human rights agenda.
The Need for Continued International Support
This series of meetings and engagements took place from 11 to 19 August, providing an important opportunity to communicate directly to Australian Federal Parliamentarians the concerns and demands of the Iranian community.
At the conclusion of the meetings, participants emphasised that, under the current circumstances, international silence in the face of executions and the repression of the Iranian people could contribute to the continuation of impunity for those responsible for these crimes.
For this reason, increased political and diplomatic pressure, support for political prisoners, and clear condemnation of executions and other forms of repression are of particular importance.
The meetings also underscored the need for continued communication and cooperation between Iranian communities and Australian parliamentarians, so that the voice of the Iranian people—particularly at a time of escalating executions and repression—can be heard more strongly in political and international forums.
Overall, the central message of these meetings was clear:
An end to executions and repression;
an end to impunity for those responsible for human rights violations;
support for the rights and freedoms of the Iranian people;
and support for the Iranian people’s right to determine their own democratic political future.
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