VZCZCXRO1090
RR RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR
DE RUEHPG #0083 0420912
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 110912Z FEB 10 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2143
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0002
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0284

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 000083 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/CE JBERGEMANN, STATE FOR NEA/IR MSPRING AND 
BMARWAHA, STATE FOR DRL/NESCA JHUTCHINGS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2015 
TAGS: PGOV PREL IR PHUM
SUBJECT: CZECHS PRESS IRAN PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY ON HUMAN 
RIGHTS 
 
REF: A. STATE 12108 
     ¶B. CARNIE-CASSAYRE E-MAIL DATED 2.8.2010 
     ¶C. PRAGUE 44 
 
Classified By: POLEC Counselor Charles O. Blaha for reasons 1.4 (b) and 
 (d). 
 
¶1. (SBU) Emboff provided talking points (Ref A) to the Czech 
MFA Middle East, United Nations, Human Rights and 
Transformation Policy, as well as the Common Foreign and 
Security Policy Departments.  According to MFA Human Rights 
and Transition Policy officer Barbora Reprova, the Czechs are 
particularly concerned not just about the January 28 
execution of Mohammad Ali-Zamani and Arash Rahmanipur, but 
also about the nine other Iranians that have been similarly 
charged.  On February 9, the Czech MFA released a statement 
regarding this issue (see text in paragraph 4 below). 
 
---------- 
Czechs Highlight Rights of Sentenced Iranians 
---------- 
¶2. (C) Reprova stated that both the MFA Middle East 
department and the Human Rights and Transformation Policy 
department have met individually with Iranian Embassy 
officials here in Prague in the last two weeks to discuss the 
rights of these sentenced individuals to freedom of 
expression and to a fair trial.  She indicated that the 
Iranian response, while "not a complete rejection" of Czech 
comments, was close to it and not a surprise. This Czech 
engagement is in addition to the U.S.-EU joint statement on 
Iran released on February 8 condemning the continuing human 
rights violations in Iran, as well as Czech pressure within 
the UN's Universal Periodic Review of Iran for answers in 
several areas, front and center of which is Iran's lack of 
compliance with human rights commitments (Ref B and C). 
 
---------- 
UN Human Rights Council - Not Planning to Support Iran 
---------- 
¶3. (SBU) Barbora Reprova noted that the Czechs are well aware 
that Iran is interested in a seat on the UN Human Rights 
Council.  She stated that the Czechs do not plan to support 
Iran's candidature as there are currently five candidates 
(Iran, Thailand, Malaysia, Qatar, and the Maldives) for four 
seats.  Reprova flagged, however, that the Czechs are 
concerned as to what might happen if one of the candidates 
drops out of the running.  Reprova inquired as to whether the 
U.S. planned to encourage any other nations to run as a 
candidate to ensure that there are more than enough 
candidates with solid records to compete for the four 
vacancies. 
 
¶4. (U) Begin text of February 9 MFA declaration: 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic 
condemns political processes and execution of opponents of 
the regime in Iran 
 
Two Iranian citizens, Mohammad Ali-Zamani (aged 37) and Arash 
Rahmanipur (aged 19), sentenced to death for "conspiracy 
against the state authority and membership in an armed 
subversive group," were executed by hanging on 28 January 
¶2010.  At least nine other Iranian citizens have been 
sentenced to death and are currently awaiting confirmation of 
the sentence by the appeal court.  It seems most likely that 
these events are related to the current ongoing 
demonstrations against the regime in the country. 
 
The Czech Republic and the European Union continuously point 
out serious flaws in Iranian judicial processes.  The right 
to fair trial is enshrined both in international covenants, 
that Iran has undertaken to respect, as well as in Iranian 
national legislation.  Applying death penalty in cases where 
the right to fair trial is not guaranteed is particularly 
condemnable. 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic calls 
on the Iranian authorities to refrain from violent crackdown 
against peaceful protesters and to guarantee the right to 
fair trial, particularly in the light of the imminent 
confirmation of death sentences against other persons accused 
in connection with the ongoing political unrest.  The MFA 
calls on the Iranian government to meet recommendations, 
which the international community repetitively addressed to 
Iran in resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly. 
End text of MFA declaration. 
Thompson-Jones