2008-01-10

The European Commission has recently stated that it urges Iran to live up to its international obligations in granting Dutch human rights activist Abdullah al-Mansouri a fair and open trial.

Mr. al-Mansouri was arrested in Syria in May 2006 and deported to Iran, the country he had fled in 1988 after a death sentence was passed down to him. He was granted asylum in the Netherlands and continued to fight for human rights in Iran, especially for the Arab Ahwazi community.

In October 2007 it was reported by several sources that Mr. al-Mansouri faced imminent execution by Iranian authorities. Pressure was put on Iran by the international community, including UNPO, to clarify the situation, and Iran responded by confirming that no such sentence was passed.

In a letter to Dutch MEP Jules Maaten, Commissioner for EU External Relations Benita Ferrero-Wagner stated that the Commission remains concerned for the fate of Mr. al-Mansouri and is monitoring the situation carefully. The Commission “strongly urges the Iranian authority to ensure a fair and public trial, in accordance with international law and the international treaties that Iran has ratified”.

Moreover, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has consistently demanded that a representative of its office be allowed access to Mr. al-Mansouri and that a representative be present at all future legal proceedings in the case. Access of Dutch officials to Mr. al-Mansouri in prison has been granted by Iran, but the Dutch government and the European Commission are maintaining pressure to ensure that access to the trial is also granted.

[Source: UNPO]