14 non-governmental organizations taking part in the current session of the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva, warned against any form of compromise by some European countries over the resolution condemning rights violations in Iran. The NGOs announced that offering concessions to the mullahs will only aggravate the situation of human rights in that country. They emphasized that the UNHRC resolution must not be used as a vehicle to further political agenda. Text of their press release follows.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
April 16, 1998

A compromised resolution on Iran is unacceptableNews received recently, reveals that some European countries are in preparation of a compromise on the Human Rights Commission's Resolution regarding violations in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Given the political considerations, the goal this year is to adopt a resolution containing a weak text . As such, by distorting the reality, the satisfaction of the Iranian regime will be obtained.

This compromise is occurring at a time when not only the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran has not improved, but it has rather worsened since last year. The increase within the past months in number of execution, assassination of dissidents abroad, continuation of torture, flogging and widespread arrests of especially women, etc.... attest to this reality.

Therefore, clearly any kind of compromise on this resolution will result in nothing but encouragement of the Islamic Republic of Iran to continue with violation of human rights in Iran.

As such, we the undersigned organizations, express our deep concern and call the public's attention to this urgent issue. We condemn any attempt at weakening the text resolution on Iran by offering concessions to the mullahs' regime.

The Commission's resolution should not be used as a vehicle to further a political agenda.

1 - Asian Center for Women's Human Rights
2 - Center for Women's Global Leadership
3 - Center for Health and Human Rights
4 - CHANGE
5 - Commission for Defense on Human Rights in Central America
6 - International Association of Democratic Lawyers
7 - International Educational Development, INC.
8 - International Human Rights Law Group
9 - International League for the Rights and Liberation of Peoples
10 - Indigenous World Association
11 - Movement against Racism and for Friendship among Peoples
12 - Pax Christi International
13 - Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
14 - World Organisation against Torture

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