DISINFO: The EU is acting hypocritically toward the protests in Iran
SUMMARY
The leaders of the European Union are seeking to put pressure on Iran amid protests in that country, yet during the 'Yellow Vest' demonstrations within the EU they condemned the actions of the protesters. The EU is discussing adding Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to the list of terrorist organisations and is preparing new sanctions against Iran. They are developing economic measures that could escalate even this protest into disorder if addressed in the manner typically employed by the European Union.
During the height of the 'Yellow Vest' protests, the European Commissioner for Financial Programming and the Budget, Günther Oettinger, stated that the protesters were dealing a blow to the economy of all of Europe.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative accusing European countries of using double standards. This disinformation ignores the scale and severity of human rights violations in Iran, including the alarmingly high numbers of reported deaths and injuries. It also falsely suggests that European countries are seeking to destabilise Iran. There is no credible evidence supporting allegations of foreign interference of any kind by European countries in Iran or in any other country or region.
The protests in France and Iran were addressed differently by the respective police forces. The newspaper Le Monde published a study on 'Yellow Vests' protest which stated that in 8 months (from November 2018 to June 2019) 10,000 people were arrested, 3100 were condemned and 400 went to jail. By contrast in Iran, a violent response to the nationwide protests has claimed 3,308 lives, with another 4,382 cases still under review according to US-based Iranian Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). This data is as of January 17, the 21-st day of the protests. An internet blackout has made it extremely difficult to get clear information. In a speech, on January 17, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has for the first time publicly acknowledged that thousands of people were killed during recent protests.
The EU expressed its solidarity with the Iranian people as they voice their legitimate aspiration for a better life, freedom and dignity. It condemned the use of violence, arbitrary detention, and intimidation tactics by security forces against demonstrators.
The G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union issued the following statement:
We urge the Iranian authorities to exercise full restraint, to refrain from violence, and to uphold the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Iran’s citizens, including the rights to freedom of expression, to seek, receive and impart information, and the freedom of association and peaceful assembly, without fear of reprisal.
The members of the G7 remain prepared to impose additional restrictive measures if Iran continues to crack down on protests and dissent in violation of international human rights obligations.
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