Switzerland condemns the violence of Iranian security forces
The Swiss foreign ministry has called on the Iranian government to protect Iranians’ right to freedom of expression amid violent crackdowns on anti-government protests that broke out after the death of a young Iranian woman.
This content was published on October 6, 2022 – 09:29
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In a statement published on Twitter on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry condemned the excessive use of force by Iranian security forces against demonstrators and wrote that Switzerland was “dismayed by the high number of victims in connection with the protests in Iran”.
The ministry called on the Iranian government to exercise restraint and guarantee Iranians’ right to freedom of expression, including on social media.
The statement comes in response to a crackdown on anti-government protests that have spread across the country over the past two weeks. It was triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian woman who died shortly after being arrested by Iran’s Morality Police on September 13 for allegedly violating the strict law requiring women to wear a headscarf.
Her family has claimed that the police are responsible for her death. However, the Iranian government has denied this, claiming she suffered a heart attack. Iranian security forces have been accused by human rights groups of killing dozens during the protests.
The Swiss government also reiterated earlier calls on the Iranian government to quickly fulfill its promise of an impartial and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Amini’s death.
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