Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Ireland opposes the use of the death penalty in all circumstances, and I am deeply concerned by the recent reports that the Iranian Government has sentenced a number of people to death for their involvement in the ongoing protests.

Ireland has consistently raised our concerns around the high number of executions in Iran, including though the Universal Periodic Review process at the Human Rights Council. I urge Iran to declare a moratorium on executions, and to consider alternative sentencing.

The vast majority of those who have been arrested by the Iranian authorities in recent weeks, by some estimates more than 15,000 people, were by and large exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of speech.

I commend the courage of the Iranian women and men who continue to exercise their fundamental rights. The Iranian security and police forces have continued to respond with lethal force and the level of violence perpetrated against protestors has only continued to rise in recent weeks.

Ireland raises human rights issues with Iran at every suitable opportunity, including in our direct contacts with Iranian officials, in contributing to EU policy on Iran, and in international fora such as the UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council. I have spoken directly to my Iranian counterpart about these issues, most recently in September at the UN and on 6 October directly by phone. I reiterated Ireland’s position when I summoned the Iranian ambassador to Iveagh House on 20 October.

In 2022, as in the past, Ireland co-sponsored the annual Canadian-led resolution at the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, which was adopted on 16 November. The resolution addresses a broad range of issues related to severe human rights violations in Iran. Ireland has also supported the call to hold a special session of the Human Rights Council on 24 November to discuss the concerning human rights situation that continues to develop in Iran. This is an evolving situation. It is very worrying. Many protesters are in a very vulnerable situation. The resolve of the Iranian people, particularly younger generations, has been extraordinary in recent weeks and I expect it will continue.

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