President Obama Addresses the Human Rights of Iranian

Today President Obama addressed the tragedy of last years election violence and the consequences of ignoring the human rights of the citizens of Iran. He also describes how the actions of the Islamic Republic of Iran affect others.

"Saturday will mark one year from the day that an election captivated the attention of the world -– an event that should have been remembered for how the Iranian people participated with remarkable enthusiasm, but will instead be remembered for how the Iranian government brutally suppressed dissent and murdered the innocent, including a young woman left to die in the street.

Actions do have consequences, and today the Iranian government will face some of those consequences. Because whether it is threatening the nuclear non-proliferation regime, or the human rights of its own citizens, or the stability of its own neighbors by supporting terrorism, the Iranian government continues to demonstrate that its own unjust actions are a threat to justice everywhere."

Remarks by the President on United Nations Security Council Resolution on Iran Sanctions

Sanctions not for Human Rights

We Must Not Forget Those Imprisoned in Iran

Kate Allen of Amnesty International points out in the telegraph that the sanctions on Iran are still ignoring the blatant human rights violations.

"This repression is part of a wider pattern. Iran's authorities have criminalised contact with over 60 foreign institutions, media organisations and NGOs, isolating Iranians and preventing news, including on human rights violations, from leaving the country. Newspapers have been closed down, websites and email services have been filtered or blocked and the police have warned that SMS messages are monitored. University professors and staff have been fired on the grounds that they do not have sufficient “belief” in the Islamic Republic. Renewed efforts to implement “morality” codes concerning dress and gender segregation are underway which impede women’s ability to function freely in society. And numerous threatening statements have been issued, backed up by executions of political prisoners, to make it absolutely clear that those who express any form of dissent – whether by speaking out, writing or attending demonstrations – will face the harshest penalties."