CZECHS PRESS IRAN PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY ON HUMAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 000083 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/CE JBERGEMANN, STATE FOR NEA/IR MSPRING AND BMARWAHA, STATE FOR DRL/NESCA JHUTCHINGS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2015 TAGS: PGOV PREL IR PHUM SUBJECT: CZECHS PRESS IRAN PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY ON HUMAN RIGHTS REF: A. STATE 12108 ¶B. CARNIE-CASSAYRE E-MAIL DATED 2.8.2010 ¶C. PRAGUE 44 Classified By: POLEC Counselor Charles O. Blaha for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) Emboff provided talking points (Ref A) to the Czech MFA Middle East, United Nations, Human Rights and Transformation Policy, as well as the Common Foreign and Security Policy Departments. According to MFA Human Rights and Transition Policy officer Barbora Reprova, the Czechs are particularly concerned not just about the January 28 execution of Mohammad Ali-Zamani and Arash Rahmanipur, but also about the nine other Iranians that have been similarly charged. On February 9, the Czech MFA released a statement regarding this issue (see text in paragraph 4 below). -------------- Czechs Highlight Rights of Sentenced Iranians -------------- ¶2. (C) Reprova stated that both the MFA Middle East department and the Human Rights and Transformation Policy department have met individually with Iranian Embassy officials here in Prague in the last two weeks to discuss the rights of these sentenced individuals to freedom of expression and to a fair trial. She indicated that the Iranian response, while "not a complete rejection" of Czech comments, was close to it and not a surprise. This Czech engagement is in addition to the U.S.-EU joint statement on Iran released on February 8 condemning the continuing human rights violations in Iran, as well as Czech pressure within the UN's Universal Periodic Review of Iran for answers in several areas, front and center of which is Iran's lack of compliance with human rights commitments (Ref B and C). -------------- UN Human Rights Council - Not Planning to Support Iran -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Barbora Reprova noted that the Czechs are well aware that Iran is interested in a seat on the UN Human Rights Council. She stated that the Czechs do not plan to support Iran's candidature as there are currently five candidates (Iran, Thailand, Malaysia, Qatar, and the Maldives) for four seats. Reprova flagged, however, that the Czechs are concerned as to what might happen if one of the candidates drops out of the running. Reprova inquired as to whether the U.S. planned to encourage any other nations to run as a candidate to ensure that there are more than enough candidates with solid records to compete for the four vacancies. ¶4. (U) Begin text of February 9 MFA declaration: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic condemns political processes and execution of opponents of the regime in Iran Two Iranian citizens, Mohammad Ali-Zamani (aged 37) and Arash Rahmanipur (aged 19),sentenced to death for "conspiracy against the state authority and membership in an armed subversive group," were executed by hanging on 28 January ¶2010. At least nine other Iranian citizens have been sentenced to death and are currently awaiting confirmation of the sentence by the appeal court. It seems most likely that these events are related to the current ongoing demonstrations against the regime in the country. The Czech Republic and the European Union continuously point out serious flaws in Iranian judicial processes. The right to fair trial is enshrined both in international covenants, that Iran has undertaken to respect, as well as in Iranian national legislation. Applying death penalty in cases where the right to fair trial is not guaranteed is particularly condemnable. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic calls on the Iranian authorities to refrain from violent crackdown against peaceful protesters and to guarantee the right to fair trial, particularly in the light of the imminent confirmation of death sentences against other persons accused in connection with the ongoing political unrest. The MFA calls on the Iranian government to meet recommendations, which the international community repetitively addressed to Iran in resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly. End text of MFA declaration. Thompson-Jones