Cop26: Massacre victims and family of victims call for arrest of Iran's president Ebrahim Raisi ahead of Glasgow climate talk
The UK’s office of National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) held a press conference in Glasgow announcing the filing of two complaint procedures against Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Iranian regime, and called for Police Scotland to arrest Raisi - nicknamed ‘the Butcher of Iran’ – if he visits the country.
The NCRI claims that Ebrahim Raisi – who has been invited to the climate talks in Scotland – took part in the execution of 30,000 political prisoners in Iran in 1988.
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Hide AdAhead of Cop26, former MEP Struan Stevenson chaired the conference which saw three out of five of the plaintiffs to the formal complaint Mr Stevenson sent to Police Scotland outline their reason for seeking persecution of Raisi.
Mr Stevenson claims that if President Raisi enters Glasgow for the Climate Change summit he should be ‘arrested immediately’ for genocide and crimes against humanity under universal jurisdiction.
Former Chief of the UN Human Rights Office in Iraq Tahar Boumedra also attended the conference and explained that there had been another complaint registered with the Metropolitan Police in London against Ebrahim Raisi.
During the conference, the plaintiffs talked about the experiences of torture and the genocide themselves and their family allegedly endured under the Iranian President’s Regime.
Plaintiffs Mr Ahmad Ebrahimi and Mr Rezza Fallaha claim they were political prisoners from 1981 to 1991. Mr Ebrahimi claims he was subjected to physical and psychological torture and talked about how he was taken to a corridor in 1988 named ‘death corridor’ and personally saw the Iranian President among the ‘Death Committee which killed many people.’
Mr Ebrahimi said: “I am one of the witnesses of that massacre. We are making a complaint in England and Scotland against him we want if he comes anywhere near this country to be questioned and examined for crimes against humanity.”
Plaintiff Farzaneh Majidi claims she lost five family members including ‘two aunties who were hanged under the order of Ebrahim Raisi.’
Ms Majidi said: “We want Police Scotland to immediately support Iranian people and we ask them to arrest Ebrahim Raisi and other criminals in the death committee.”
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Hide AdDuring the conference, the plaintiffs all agreed that they are happy for Police Scotland to talk to them and ask them the details of ‘the numerous crimes Raisi has committed.’
Mr Stevenson commented that he has so far had two responses from the police to his formal request to arrest the Iranian president under universal jurisdiction if he steps foot in Scotland.
He said Police Scotland originally addressed his submission of a letter with the signature of the five plaintiffs and the 111-page dossier by claiming that the ‘deputy chief constable had been assigned to deal with this’.
In anticipation of the press conference, Mr Stevenson asked for an update and he was told by Police Scotland that the matter is ‘being reviewed.’
Mr Stevenson said: “This is a matter of major importance.
“This man must not be allowed to set foot in Scotland. Scotland does not take well to mass murderers coming here and if this man dares to attend Cop26, he should be immediately arrested by the Police.”