Censure Iran

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has publicly condemned Iran’s repression of protesters and has reportedly summoned Iranian representatives over its brutal crackdown, but clearly Australia can do more to send a stronger message to Iran that its behaviour is unacceptable.

While Australia has slapped some sanctions on Iran’s nuclear program, tighter sanctions are clearly needed in response to its current brutality, bringing us in line with the US, UK and Canada, who have already implemented stronger sanctions targeting Iran’s morality police and senior leaders.

This could be achieved with December 2021 amendments enabling “Magnitsky-style” sanctions against individuals and entities in specific countries responsible for, or complicit in, egregious conduct, including serious human rights abuses and violations.

This was a key point made by the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry in their submissions to the parliamentary inquiry into human rights implications of recent violence in Iran.

Both noted it is farcical that Iran sits on the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women. Not only is it one of only six countries which has neither ratified, acceded to nor signed the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Iran is currently attacking protesters including women and girls for advocating to abolish the hijab and for government accountability. As a liberal democracy committed to women’s rights, Australia should be leading the calls for Iran’s removal from the Commission.

We care about these issues not only because Iran threatens Israel and is believed to be developing nuclear weapons. We care due to our common humanity. Our hearts break for the women and girls removing their hijabs and cutting their hair in Iran’s streets, for the protesters tortured and beaten fighting for freedom, and for the Iranian athletes protesting on the world stage making themselves a target of the regime. But we must demand action from our government.

Iranians have time and time again bravely protested, demanding freedoms, but sadly they did not receive enough support and the protests were snuffed out. This time we must demand that their voices are heard before it’s too late.