In a significant development, over 250 members of the UK Parliament, including former government ministers, have united to endorse a global campaign aimed at ending executions in Iran. This initiative, led by Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi, emphasizes the urgency of abolishing the death penalty and upholding human rights. The MPs and peers have also expressed their support for Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan for Iran’s future, which includes a commitment to safeguarding human rights and dismantling the regime’s machinery of repression.

Condemnation of Politically Motivated Executions

The cross-party statement unequivocally condemns the Iranian regime’s systematic use of the death penalty to silence dissent and crush opposition. It highlights that these executions, which target dissidents and detained demonstrators, are politically motivated, serving as a tool to instill fear and prevent future uprisings.

The signatories also draw attention to the regime’s history of crimes against humanity, from mass executions in the past to ongoing atrocities. These actions, documented by UN mandate holders and human rights organizations, underline a pattern of state violence aimed at maintaining authoritarian control.

Criticism of International Inaction

The statement criticizes the international community for its failure to hold the Iranian regime accountable. This inaction, the MPs argue, has emboldened Tehran to intensify its crackdowns with impunity. Recent protests and the alarming increase in executions under the current president are cited as evidence of the regime’s escalating repression.

Political prisoners in Iran have also shown remarkable resilience, with many staging weekly hunger strikes last year to demand an end to executions. The MPs call for urgent international solidarity with these justice-seeking efforts.

Calls for UK Government Action

Prominent voices within the campaign have urged the UK Government to take decisive steps. Prof. Lord Alton of Liverpool, co-president of the British Committee for Iran Freedom (BCFIF), emphasized the need for immediate action:

“The time to act is now to prevent further atrocities and support the Iranian people’s fight for justice and freedom. We urge the UK Government to prioritize human rights, justice, and accountability in its 2025 Iran policy. The international failure to hold the regime to account is inexcusable and has fueled atrocity crimes and record executions reported from Iran today.”

He further called for an international coalition to refer the Iranian regime to the UN Security Council and prosecute its leaders under international mechanisms for crimes against humanity.

Cross-Party Solidarity

Bob Blackman CBE MP, president of the International Committee of Parliamentarians for a Democratic Iran (ICPDI), highlighted the growing cross-party support in the UK Parliament for the Iranian people:

“Today, growing cross-party support in the UK Parliament stands with the Iranian people to end repression and executions. The UK Government must deliver on its promise to hold the regime accountable, and we expect it to act with concrete sanctions, legal measures, and the establishment of international mechanisms. We also call on the UK Government to recognize the work done by the NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi to provide a lasting solution to abolish executions, torture, and repression in Iran by endorsing her democratic platform for the future of the country.”

Defending Democracy and Human Rights

Baroness O’Loan DBE underscored the broader implications of Iran’s repressive policies for global democracy and security:

“As Iran’s regime exports its repression to the UK, threatening our democracy and intimidating pro-democracy Iranian dissidents, our Government must stand with the regime’s primary victims—the Iranian people and their organized resistance, the NCRI, and help their justice-seeking campaign to succeed in securing the prosecution of the regime’s leaders. Defending our democracy and security starts with ending the culture of impunity in Iran.”

A Call for Justice

The statement from the British Committee for Iran Freedom underscores the urgency of the situation and the need for immediate action to address the Iranian regime’s human rights violations. The MPs and peers call on the UK Government to lead international efforts to hold the regime accountable and support the Iranian people in their fight for justice and democracy.

This unified stance by UK parliamentarians sends a powerful message of solidarity to the Iranian people and reinforces the global call for accountability, justice, and the abolition of the death penalty in Iran.