A Letter to Prime Minister Trudeau by CDI
May 20, 2023
Rt. Honourable Justin Trudeau, PC, MP
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A2
Fax: (613) 941-6900
Dear Prime Minister Trudeau,
We the members of Canadians for Democracy in Iran (CDI), an Ontario registered nonprofit organization, write to you today with grave concerns regarding the recent executions in Iran.
On Friday, May 19, 2023, the Islamic Republic of Iran, with the execution of three more young men—Majid Kazemi, Saleh Mirhashemi and Saeed Yaqoubi— in Isfahan has continued intensifying use of the death penalty to silence dissent in Iran. Friday's executions brought to 14 the number of protesters hanged since the beginning of the nationwide protests triggered by the death of Mahsa (Jina) Amini last September as part of a brutal and violent crackdown of the protests that have turned into one of the boldest challenges to the clerical rulers since the 1979 revolution.
The Islamic Republic’s death machine is in high gear. Only within the last eight months, well over 500 people have been killed, including 70 children, and nearly 20,000 people have been arrested, jailed and tortured in the hands of the monstrous judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran. According to Amnesty International, scores of others face the death penalty in connection with protests.
The arbitrary arrests and executions that date to the first day of this regime’s assuming power are tantamount to deprivation of life under international law, revealing how the Iranian authorities have continued to wield the death penalty as a weapon of repression. The Islamic regime’s contempt for humanity is limitless, and its monstrosity is unfortunately emboldened by the West’s inaction.
Mr. Prime Minister, Iranians, despite such oppression, are continuing their brave struggle for basic human rights and democracy, but they need help. It is therefore of paramount importance that the international community not only stand united with the people of Iran but also take urgent action to hold the Iranian authorities to account.
It remains to add that Canada is uniquely positioned to lead this effort. Not only has Canada steadfastly been most outspoken in condemning human rights violations in Iran, it has also, unlike the majority of other Western countries, severed its diplomatic relation with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Accordingly, Mr. Prime Minister, we urge that your government take the leadership role to demand an immediate halt of all executions and also to step up to investigate the Regime’s officials who have been involved in crimes under international law. Only firm and concrete action by the international community can halt Tehran’s regime from continuing to trample on the basic rights of individuals. The political cost of Iran’s executions must increase.
Sincerely yours
Farrokh Zandi, PhD
Chairman, CDI Board of Directors
CC: Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Honourable Pierre Poilievre, Leader of Opposition, MP, pierre.poilievre@parl.gc.ca
Heather McPherson, MP,
Ali Ehsassi, MP,