The petition of residents of the United Kingdom,
Declares that the protests and anti-regime uprisings in Iran led by women and youth are incredibly powerful and have spread across the country; notes that the signatories support the effort to help bring democracy to Iran; furthermore that at least 700 protestors have been killed and another 30,000 have been arrested in the first two weeks of the uprising and that this is an injustice to the people of Iran and their human rights; further declares that more support to Iranian protestors is required.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to support the Iranian people’s uprising and their desire for democracy.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Official Report, 29 March 2023; Vol. 730, c. 12P.]
[P002824]
Observations from Lord Ahmad, Minister of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office:
The UK stands with the people of Iran, who must be empowered to determine the future of their country. Recent protests following the death of Mahsa Jina Amini were a clear demonstration that the Iranian people have had enough and demand a better future. These protests were an authentic, bottom-up and grassroots-led call for change.
The UK and international partners support those standing up for their fundamental freedoms, by ensuring the regime is held to account for its appalling human rights record. In response to the authorities’ crackdown on protests we have announced eight rounds of human rights sanctions—on 10 October, 14 November and 9 December 2022, and 23 January, 20 February, 8 March, 20 March and 24 April 2023—targeting political, security and prison officials. In addition, the UK sanctioned Iran’s Prosecutor General, one of the most powerful figures in Iran’s judiciary and responsible for unfair trial process and the use of the death penalty.
We work closely with our international partners to ensure accountability in international fora, including establishing a UN Fact Finding Mission at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, and securing Iran’s expulsion from the UN Commission on the Status of Women. And we continue to raise human rights directly with the Iranian authorities in London and through our Ambassador in Tehran.
We are clear that the future of Iran is a matter for the Iranian people to decide. The people of Iran have made it clear that the regime cannot continue as it has. It must now demonstrate real change—for the sake of Iran’s peace, prosperity and future standing in the world.