By Pooya Stone

Last week, during a conference held at the headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, politicians from all across Europe, well-known jurists, and defenders of human rights called on the UN to urgently set-up an independent commission to look into the so-called 1988 massacre in Iran.

Speakers included Tahar Boumedra, former director of the UN Human Rights Office in Iraq (UNAMI) and expert rapporteur of JVMI (Justice for victims of 1988 massacre in Iran); Alejo Vidal-Quadras, Vice-President of the European Parliament (1999-2014) and President of the International Committee in Search of Justice (ISJ); Alfred Zayas, a United Nations Special Rapporteur; Kirsty Brimelow, Chairwoman of Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales; and Rama Yade, former French Secretary of state for Human Rights.

Iran Focus

London, 18 Sep – The Iranian regime has a history of detaining foreigners in its prisons. At the minute, there are said to be three Americans in the notorious Evin prison in the country’s capital. There is Siamak and Baquer Namazi, an Iranian-American businessman and his elderly father – both charged with espionage. The third one is Xiyue Wang.

Wang travelled to Iran between January and March 2016, returning a few months later in May. Two months after that, Wang’s passport was taken from him and he was arrested not long later. Like the Namazis, Wang was charged with espionage.

Princeton University hired a lawyer for him when he was charged in February this year, and convicted in April. He has been sentenced to ten years in prison.