Struan Stevenson, was a member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Scotland from 1999-2014. During that time, he chaired the Friends of a Free Iran intergroup, which became the centre of pro-democracy campaigns in Europe in support of human rights in Iran. He also chaired European Parliament’s official Delegation for Relations with Iraq. He has written several books on different topics including a book called Self Sacrifice, originally in English and translated to French and German, which explains about the Iranian resistance.
The following is an interview done by him with the PMOI/MEK website.
Q. As you know, the Movement Seeking Justice for more than 30,000 political prisoners massacred in 1988 has grown to a new level in Iran and internationally. Recently the UN Secretary-General submitted the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran with a note to the General Assembly of the United Nations. In several articles, this report addresses the 1988 massacre. What is your opinion on the request of the families of the massacred prisoners on the need for a United Nations Human Rights Council investigation commission to fully investigate the massacre and the need for referring this dossier by the Security Council to the International Crimes Tribunal and do you see the grounds for such an action?
A. My answer lies in your question: Yes, this issue has now become a demand by the Iranian people and the victims of this crime, as well as the international community. The fact is that the massacre of political prisoners in 1988, based on legal definitions, is a prima facie crime against humanity. Crimes against humanity are the major crimes that the international community is responsible for seeking justice. At the same time, these crimes are never subjected to a time lapse. The reason is that crimes of this kind are neither personal nor national but from the human and international viewpoint are outstanding. These are crimes that harm the conscience of all humanity and all the people of the world are victims of such crimes. That’s why international courts are set up to deal with them. Dictatorial regimes, such as the ruling clerical regime in Iran, do not wish to be held to account by the international community. That is why the determination of the Iranian people and leaders like Mrs Maryam Rajavi have changed the situation in a way that has drawn international attention to this horrific crime and made the possibility of an international prosecution for the 1988 massacre a reality. There is no doubt that this case should go to the UN Security Council and be referred to an international tribunal. There must be no question of impunity. Commercial and political considerations must not be allowed to stand in the way of justice.
Q. For many years the Iranian regime committed many crimes without any response by the international community and hence it found a free hand for an unbridled meddling in the region. However today, the regime is under pressure due to the Justice-Seeking movement and is on the verge of being brought to justice. Could you please explain about the role of the Justice-Seeking Movement for the 1988 massacre in Iran on preventing and restraining the Iranian regime’s meddling in the region?
A. Inaction by the international community in the wake of these atrocities has encouraged the Iranian regime to believe it has open hand in committing these crimes. Atrocities like the massacre of more than 30,000 political prisoners in 1988, most of whom were supporters of the PMOI, are unique in modern history. Sadly, crimes, massacres and carnage during recent decades have happened in many parts of the world. Massacres such as those that took place in Rwanda, Cambodia, Syria and Srebrenica have become familiar items on the world’s news. But the extra-judicial execution of tens of thousands of political prisoners who were already serving their sentences is unique in the history of mankind. This was a crime against humanity, committed by the clerical regime in Iran and their Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The international community stayed silent for too long. Now they must stand up against this horror, hold the mullahs to account and bring them to justice before the international courts.
It is no longer acceptable that political considerations and economic interests can be used as an excuse by the international community to overlook these crimes; there can be no hiding place in the face of such atrocities. To ignore such immense crimes against humanity simply sends a message to the mullahs that they can continue their criminal behaviour with impunity, without fear of prosecution. Decades of inaction by the West allowed the Mullahs to institute a wave of assassinations outside Iran against leaders of the opposition and important figures like Dr Kazem Rajavi, the brother-in-law of Mrs Rajavi. The regime realized it had a free hand to export terror and conflict to other countries. State sponsored terrorism by the Iranian regime has led to horrific conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and other countries and to the death, wounding and displacement of millions. The policy of appeasement by the international community must stop.
Q. Now that you see everybody talks about the need for confronting the Iranian regime’s meddling, what is the benchmark for a serious confrontation with the Iranian regime?
A. We must deal with the origin of the problem. The fundamental solution to the issue of Iran and its sponsorship of terrorism, warmongering and sectarian conflicts, is to bring the regime and its guilty leaders to face trial before the international courts for their continuing violation of human rights and crimes against humanity. There is no doubt that these crimes and abuses of human rights are the Achilles heel of the clerical regime. Therefore, for those who long to live in a world of peace and security, it is necessary to support the PMOI and the Iranian resistance in their quest for justice. This is no longer an Iranian issue alone, but a global one. Since almost all the leaders of the current Iranian regime were involved in the 1988 massacre and in on-going crimes against humanity, holding them to account for their crimes against the Iranian people and other nations during the past four decades, will act as a signpost to the seriousness of the international community in its fight against oppression and terrorism in the 21st century.
