17th July 2022 – Iranian communities from across Europe held 2 large rallies in Brussels and Stockholm. In Brussels, a rally was held for the outside the Belgian Parliament, urging them not to pass a Bill which could see convicted terrorists, serving time in Belgium, sent back to their country of origin. At the same time as this rally, the verdict for the court case of Hamid Nouri was announced in Stockholm. Hamid Nouri was one of the perpetrators directly responsible for the massacre of 30,000 political prisoners in the summer of 1989 in Iran. This trial resulted in Nouri getting a life sentence; between at least 20-25 years in prison.
Belgium: This Bill was written and prepared in March 2022 but was put forward to MPs in July 2022. The passing of this Bill would mean that Assadullah Assadi, the Iranian regime’s terrorist diplomat, could be sent back to Iran, even though he has just begun a 20 year prison sentence in Belgium. Assadi was the mastermind behind the attempted bombing of the ‘Free Iran’ gathering of Iranian communities in 2018 in Paris. At least 100,000 people attended this gathering including dozens of politicians, senators, members of parliament, legal and human rights experts from across the world. A large British delegation of Members of both Houses, lawyers, barristers, religious leaders and trade union representatives also attended this meeting. Assadi and his 3 accomplices were given between 15 and 20 years prison sentences following a 2 year court case in Antwerp, Belgium. Due to the immense amount of international pressure put on the Belgian Parliament and its leading parties, voting on the new law has been postponed twice; the first time on 5th July and the second on the 14th July. It was announced once more that MPs would return to vote on 19th July.
Sweden: Hamid Nouri had been arrested in 2019 while visiting family in Stockholm and after a public appeal by Swedish police, dozens of witnesses came forward so that the case continued for 2 years. On the days of every one of the 92 hearings, protests were held outside the court by Iranian communities, calling for justice for the victims of the 1988 massacre and for the courts to take a firm stance against this crime against humanity. In their closing statements, the judges that the only appropriate punishment for Hamid Nouri was a life sentence in light of the crimes in which he participated in the summer of 1988 in Iran. Upon hearing the news, those who had attended the final rally outside the court burst into celebration over the news they had longed to hear after more than 30 years. Family members of the victims shed tears as they finally got justice for these crimes but stressed that this case must now pave the way for all perpetrators of this crime, including the regime’s president Ebrahim Raisi, to be tried in the same manner and face justice.