DEMOCRACY & HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

CONFERENCE FRIDAY 31 JANUARY 2025

Can I express my gratitude to all the remarkable volunteers and supporters of the Democracy & Human Rights Association for your tireless dedication, your compassion, and your belief in the power of justice that make this organisation what it is. The work you do, the hours you give, the sacrifices you make—they are not just actions. They are acts of defiance against tyranny, acts of hope for those in despair, and acts of love for humanity. We are all engaged in the campaign for democracy, equality, human rights and the establishment of a secular society in Iran. 95 million impoverished Iranians are tired and angry after almost five decades of repression and tyranny. They are ready to explode. Iranian women and young people are standing tall, their voices echoing around the globe as they demand justice, dignity, and freedom.

Stripped of its main allies in its ‘axis of resistance’, the theocratic Iranian regime is teetering on the verge of extinction. The mullahs are at their weakest point ever, with the collapse of their key ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria and the decapitation of their proxy affiliates Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. With the Iranian economy in freefall, the mullahs are desperately seeking a renewed deal with the West where sanctions could again be lifted in exchange for nuclear concessions.

But there is no point in futilely seeking diplomatic solutions with illusory ‘reformist’ factions in Tehran, such as the new Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian, who some ill-informed political leaders regard as a ‘moderate’. Pezeshkian is a puppet president, blindly following orders from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the fundamentalist Supreme Leader. He is also far from ‘moderate’, having presided over at least 774 executions since he took office last August. Indeed, two political prisoners – Mehdi Hassani (48) and Behrouz Ehsani (69) face imminent execution following the upholding of their death sentences by the Iranian regime’s Supreme Court. Their forced transfer on January 26, from Evin to Ghezel Hesar prison—commonly used for executions—has heightened concerns about their fate. Amnesty International has issued an urgent call to the Iranian regime to halt the executions and address allegations of torture and grossly unfair trials. So, there is no point in trying to negotiate any sort of deal with the mullahs. We’ve tried that before, and it never works. It is time we backed the Iranian people and their moral right to overthrow this evil regime.

Last week the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning the systemic violation of human rights by the Iranian regime, highlighting the increased use of executions and hostage diplomacy as their vehicle for silencing dissent at home and overcoming European justice abroad. The resolution called for the release of political prisoners, especially those sentenced to death, and for the abolition of the death penalty. It urged the European Council to extend EU sanctions to all those responsible for human rights violations, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and President Masoud Pezeshkian. We must heed their call.

That’s why we celebrate the courage of the Iranian people as they fight injustice and tyranny. But courage alone cannot break chains—it needs allies, and that is where your role becomes so vital. Through the work of the Democracy & Human Rights Association, you amplify the voices of those who risk everything for freedom. You ensure that their sacrifices are not forgotten; that their stories are heard, and that the world knows they are not alone. Thank you for your solidarity, your generosity, and your belief in a better future.