The sale of any technology aimed at repressing the opposition in Iran must be stopped

Rahana - The Islamic Republic of Iran has shown that it’s efforts in achieving growth and excellence in science and technology are not for the good of its citizens, but rather for strengthening the power of the regime.

In the past month there have been reports in news outlets disclosing that several European companies have been involved in transactions and sales of telecommunications and computer technologies to the Iranian regime used for the tracking and identification of dissidents. Stockholm-based Ericsson AB, U.K.-based Creativity Software Ltd. and Dublin-based AdaptiveMobile Security Ltd are companies that did business with Telecommunication Company of Iran and also companies that provide phone lines in Iran such as Irancel.

In official and unofficial circles of the human rights community in Iran the recent disclosure of the sales of security systems to the Islamic Republic for the restriction of civil and political liberties has been well known. Iran has been condemned by the EU for it’s jamming of international satellite transmissions into the country in order to prevent their broadcasts. But now there is new documentation, along with interviews with witnesses and victims substantiating how the regime’s agents use these acquired technologies to suppress, investigate, and prosecute it’s citizens. Activist groups have always maintained, that these technologies sold to Iran by companies that are based in countries claiming to value human rights and democracy, are used for censoring and blocking the free flow of information between the citizens of Iran. By now the world community should clearly see how these technologies not only limit the flow of information in Iran, but they also assist in suppressing the country’s civil and human rights activists.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has shown that it’s efforts in achieving growth and excellence in science and technology are not for the good of its citizens, but rather for strengthening the power of the regime. Certainly the European companies that sell technologies for their own economic profit, that are used for suppressing citizens of Iran and violating their human rights, cannot morally justify being affiliated with one of the most oppressive governments and biggest violators of human rights in today’s world.

Empowering the Islamic Republic of Iran by providing them with these tools gravely hurts the human rights of Iran’s citizens and it will end up disrupting the world order and stability. Earlier the Dutch government announced that Internet users in Iran were spied on by hackers after a security breach enabled hackers to steal security certificates. This was considered a huge threat to global cyber security.

Western governments should be mindful that the perils stemming from an irresponsible government that is supporting or organizing such threatening operations will eventually reach the gates of their lands.

Human Rights House of Iran condemns the irresponsible behavior of the above named companies along with all individuals who in the name of profit making sell intelligence, equipment and technologies to help a government known for it’s dismal human rights record. These opportunist firms are partners of the regime and therefore bare responsibility for the repressive actions taken by the regime. The sale of any technology that works for filtering, detection or identification resulting in the restriction of personal freedoms and the arrest of dissidents, is a gross violation of human rights. Those who sell these technologies must be held accountable for their actions.

Human Rights House of Iran while condemning any act that violates the fundamental freedom of Iranian citizens, asks the governments of the free world to show responsibility by preventing the actions of the profit seeking firms in their countries, demanding that these companies respect human rights and not be the advocates of governments that are violators of human rights.

Human Rights House of Iran asks all human rights agencies and activists, specially the UN Human Rights Council, to along with their condemnation of such acts, ask the countries that are signatories of the Human Rights Charter to refrain from supporting non democratic governments that are known violators of human rights and abuse their citizens. The free world must be accountable to its international obligations to protect, develop and expand the freedom of all nations, be the advocate of the free flow of information, while rejecting censorship, suppression of freedom and abuse of human rights.

Article in Persian: http://www.rahana.org/archives/45757