“The release of several political prisoners in Iran, who included Nasrin Sotoudeh, winner of the 2012 Sakharov Prize, is an encouraging sign”, commented Minister Emma Bonino when informed of the news from Teheran of the liberation of a group of well known political reformists, journalists and human rights activists condemned in 2009 for crimes of opinion”.
“It is my hope that other initiatives of this sort will follow, and that we will see a general improvement of the human rights situation in Iran, but we are certainly in the presence of encouraging gestures that point toward a dialogue that needs to be pursued. Next week’s UN General Assembly in New York will offer opportunities to directly confront a variety of dossiers with the Iranian leadership”, Minister Bonino added.
