PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
Incoming Iranian President and human rights abuses (4 July 2021)

That this House expresses concern about the selection of known human rights abuser Ebrahim Raisi as President of Iran; notes that he was elected with the lowest turnout in the history of the Islamic Republic in an election marred by undemocratic processes and where moderates were barred from standing; further notes with extreme concern Raisi’s role in a death commission, which forcibly disappeared and extrajudicially executed in secret thousands of political dissidents; recognises the increasing restrictions placed on those practicing minority faiths and beliefs in Iran, including Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Bahaism and the Sunni branch of Islam; is alarmed by reports of a forced exodus of the Christian community and the warnings of Release International that the persecution of Christians in the country is set to intensify following Raisi’s election; echoes Amnesty International’s call for Raisi to be investigated for crimes against humanity; calls on the Iranian government to repeal its blasphemy laws, which specify that blasphemy can be punished by death for men; and further calls on the Iranian government to release all prisoners held for demonstrating their peacefully-held beliefs and urges the it to allow its citizens’ full religious freedom, including the removal of restrictions that prevent Iranians from choosing their own faith.

Sponsored by:
Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party)