A Call for Action: Standing With the Peoples of Iran
A new initiative is urging the German government to take decisive action in support of the ongoing protests in Iran. Since late December, millions of Iranians have braved the risk to their lives by taking to the streets to demand freedom, dignity and basic human rights. These demonstrations are part of a countrywide movement against a regime that is violently repressing peaceful demonstrators.
The initiative draws attention to the severe human rights violations perpetrated by the Iranian authorities, including internet shutdowns, the use of live ammunition against unarmed protesters, mass arrests and the involvement of the Revolutionary Guards in suppressing dissent. It also draws attention to reports that injured protesters are being detained in hospitals instead of receiving medical care. Rather than mere words of concern, the initiative demands concrete measures, such as the immediate expulsion of the Iranian ambassador from Germany, a ban on the activities of the Revolutionary Guards in Germany, and direct engagement with democratic and secular Iranian opposition and human rights organizations.
Supporters of the initiative argue that there is a historic opportunity for political change in Iran, and that hesitation by Western governments only prolongs the suffering of the peoples of Iran. The message is clear: Germany, and the West as a whole, must visibly and decisively stand with the peoples of Iran and not leave them to face repression alone.
