According to statistics published by the state-run media, human rights activists including the Human Rights Monitor (HRM), Iran’s regime continues executions and holds the record of execution per capita.

According to the HRM, in the first six months of 2019, Iran announced 99 executions. This includes two women and eight public executions. In addition, HRM reported that in 2019, at least three of the executed people were under the age of 18 at the time of their arrest.

The Iranian regime is the world record holder of executing women and minors. According to a report by the Amnesty International, two of the executed minors in April were also condemned to lashing.

The Iranian Regime’s Judiciary condemns political activists and Iranian dissidents, under the term of “Moharebeh” or waging war against God, and “Mofsed-e-fel Aarz” or corruption on Earth. The regime frequently uses these charges for condemning the supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI, MEK). In May 2018, Mohammad Mogheyseh head of the regime’s 28th branch of Tehran Revolutionary Court, condemned Abdollah Ghasempour, 34 years old, to execution for having relationships with the MEK.

The Iranian regime has a record of political purges and executions. In the summer of 1988, more than 30,000 members and supporters of the MEK and other dissident groups were executed with a Fatwa (religious decree), issued by the regime’s founder Ruhollah Khomeini.  After nearly 30 years, there are very few signs of their burial locations.

A quick glance at the Iranian regime’s systematic human rights violation sparks this question that shouldn’t European powers include human rights in their political relations and negotiations with the regime?

Do EU governments care about the human rights in Iran, in particular the 1988 massacre, as much as they are interested in creating a mechanism to fund this regime and continue their business with it?

It is high time that in any negotiations or relations with dictatorial regimes, such as the one in Iran, human rights be the central condition.