The spokesperson for EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell added: ‘’The EU believes that the death penalty is a cruel and inhumane punishment, which fails to act as a deterrent to crime and represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity. The European Union calls on Iran to refrain from any future executions and to pursue a consistent policy towards the abolition of the death penalty.’’
The European Union condemned the execution on Saturday in Iran of Ruhollah Zam, a journalist, editor of the Amad News Telegram channel, ‘’convicted of playing a role in provoking violent riots.’’
Iranian authorities executed Zam today by hanging, according to The Associated Press and Reuters, both citing government-affiliated news sources.
‘’The EU condemns this act in the strongest terms and recalls once again its irrevocable opposition to the use of capital punishment under any circumstances,’’ an EU spokesperson said.
‘’It is also imperative for the Iranian authorities to uphold the due process rights of accused individuals and to cease the practice of using televised confessions to establish and promote their guilt.’’
The spokesperson for EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell added: ‘’The EU believes that the death penalty is a cruel and inhumane punishment, which fails to act as a deterrent to crime and represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity. The European Union calls on Iran to refrain from any future executions and to pursue a consistent policy towards the abolition of the death penalty.’’
Despite the condemnation of Iran by the EU and the recent adoption by the EU of a global human rights sanctions regime against responsible for grave human rights violations, including states, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell is to participate Monday in a business networking conference organised by the EU-funded Europe-Iran business forum, together with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif.
Earlier this week, the EU and Iran held the fifth meeting of the High Level political dialogue, a regular exchange between the European Union and Iran. During the meeting, the EU External Service (EEAS) ‘’touched upon the importance of human rights and conveyed the intention to hold a human rights dialogue as soon as the situation will allow physical meetins,’’ according to an EEAS statement issued after the meeting.
According to the Berlin-based STOP THE BOMB group, the Islamic Republic holds thousands of opposition members prisoner, including many European and German citizens. It said that there is particular concern for the life of the Swedish-Iranian doctor Ahmad Reza Jalali, who has been sentenced to death.
The group called on the German ambassador to withdraw from participating in the EU-Iran forum.
Ulrike Becker, who heads STOP THE BOMB, declared: “The execution of Zam shortly before a high-level meeting of representatives with EU officials follows a model of the Iranian regime of having its executions legitimized by diplomatic meetings that take place shortly afterwards. Germany’s and Europe’s advances to Tehran encourage more regime terror instead of limiting it. This policy must be ended, it directly endangers the lives of the other regime hostages. ”
Last September, Iranian wrestler Navid Afkari was executed despite worldwide protests. Shortly afterwards, the Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif was expected to visit Berlin but the meeting was canceled after protests. [
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has condemned ‘’in the strongest possible terms’’ the execution of Ruhollah Zam.