Iran rally in Berlin to highlight abuses, call for democratic change

Iran Focus:

Iranians are planning a massive rally in Berlin on the twenty-sixth anniversary of the 1979 Iranian revolution to call for an end to theocratic rule in their country. The announcement comes after the barring of a similar rally on Iran which was scheduled for the same day in Paris.

Organisers are expecting a huge turnout in the event scheduled for February 10 at the Brandenburger-Tor in central Berlin, despite the original Paris demonstration having been barred by French authorities, days before the event. ...

It said, "According to reports from organisers of the demonstration in Paris, more than 40,000 Iranians from across Europe were expected to attend the rally, something which would terrify the ruling mullahs". ...

The demonstration was sponsored by more than 250 European parliamentarians and dozens of international human rights organisations", the NCRI statement added.Organisers are putting up a list of prominent European political figures to address the rally. ...

The worsening human rights situation in Iran is coming under increasing international scrutiny. In January, the European Parliament adopted a resolution by majority vote censuring human rights violations in Iran in the second such move over the past six months.

The toughly-worded resolution denounced practices such as execution of juveniles and stonings carried out by the Iranian regime.Iran was also censured by the United Nations General Assembly in December for its flagrant violations of human rights.

Human rights agencies report that at least 174 forms of torture such as flogging, limb amputation, and eye gouging are used in Iranian prisons.

The Berlin rally is expected to highlight these violations and call on the EU to develop a new firm policy to induce genuine change in Iran by supporting the Iranian people’s democratic aspirations.According to a press release for the event "Participants in the demonstration will underscore that the solution to the Iranian problem is neither appeasement nor military invasion. Democratic change in Iran is possible through supporting the Iranian people and their organised resistance".