Situation of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani/ Human rights in Iran
Sudan/ Arrest of human rights activists
Côte d’Ivoire
Statement by Bernard Kouchner: Situation of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani/ Human rights in Iran
France is deeply concerned by the indications that the execution of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani could take place imminently.
This morning I called the Iranian Foreign Minister in order to express my dismay and to once again urge the Iranian authorities to definitively halt Sakineh’s execution and to pardon her. Manouchehr Mottaki assured me that the Iranian courts had not yet reached a final verdict in the affair relating to Sakineh Ashtiani, and that the information relating to her possible execution did not correspond to reality. I also expressed to my counterpart the international community’s incomprehension at the imprisonment of Sakineh’s son and lawyer.
France, together with its European partners, will continue to mobilize its efforts to save the life of this Iranian woman.
I urge the Iranian authorities to heed the appeals of the international community and to respect the international commitments into which Iran entered.
We remain, together with our European partners, deeply concerned by the human rights situation in Iran. We urge the Iranian authorities to respect fundamental freedoms, to end their policy of intimidation and repression and to release all those that are currently unjustly detained.
Sudan/ Arrest of human rights activists
France is very concerned by the arrest, during the last few days, of human rights activists in Sudan, including several members of the Human Rights and Advocacy Network for Democracy (HAND) and several employees of Radio Dabanga. We call for their release and for the respect of the right of independent media to operate freely.
France reaffirms its attachment to the respect of human rights and the freedom of expression and information everywhere in the world, which are a fundamental component of any political solution to the conflicts in Sudan and take on particular significance in the run-up to the referendum on the future of southern Sudan. We urge the authorities and all Sudanese parties to respect these rights and freedoms.
According to a set of results established on Wednesday by AFP, Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo is leading the first round of the presidential election held on Sunday, with almost 37% of the votes, followed by Alassane Ouattara (34%). What are your comments? Do you still have “full confidence in the reliability” and the “meticulousness” of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), whereas the European Union Election Observation Mission to Côte d'Ivoire complained about it?
Please refer to the statement issued yesterday by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs’ Spokesperson.
We invite all of the stakeholders to respect the results of the election whatever they are and to continue to work in the spirit of responsibility that they have all demonstrated until now.
The electoral process is under way and the final results have not been published.
The IEC should be allowed to continue its work in an atmosphere of calm.