London, 14 December 2015: Justice for Iran welcomes the ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to uphold restrictions imposed on two officials of Iranian broadcasting authority due to their documented human right violations.
The ruling upholds the European Council’s decision in 2013 to freeze the assets, and restrict movement in the European Union, of Mohammad Sarfaraz, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, IRIB, and Hamidreza Emadi, the Press TV’s Newsroom Director.
“The victims had neither agreed to the recording nor the broadcast of their interviews and the audience were in no way pointed to the special circumstances under which the interviews were recorded,” ECJ judgment stated.
The two men had challenged the decision by taking their case to ECJ. Justice for Iran, which participated as a third party in the hearing session on May 5, 2015, played a major role in the court’s decision by providing the relevant documentation to ECJ about torture and other human rights violations of the two officials.
The Court ruled that under their leadership, IRIB and Press TV had both repeatedly and closely collaborated with the Iranian security apparatus and the Revolutionary Court prosecutors to coerce confessions from prisoners of conscience and then broadcast them under the pretext of interviews conducted with approval of the prisoners.
“This is a great victory for Justice for Iran and for all human rights advocates,” said Shadi Amin.
“The victims had neither agreed to the recording nor the broadcast of their interviews and the audience were in no way pointed to the special circumstances under which the interviews were recorded,” ECJ judgment stated.
“This is a great victory for Justice for Iran and for all human rights advocates,” said Shadi Amin. This marks the first time that ECJ has rendered a judgment in an Iran-related human rights case. “We don’t just seek justice in the political geography of Iran. Justice across borders is relevant today and throughout the world.” says Shadi Amin, Co-founder of Justice for Iran.
In its ruling on December 4, 2015 ECJ adopted some of the language used by Justice for Iran stating “Press TV is the propaganda organ of the Islamic Republic of Iran with close ties to the “Iranian intelligence and security services”.The court concluded that Press TV officials have violated their personal and professional honor.
