voice of iran**International Community must hold Rouhani accountable for Iran’s 1988 massacre - Toronto Sun column

Toronto Sun columnist, Candice Malcolm has strongly criticized the United Nations for allowing the Iranian regime’s President Hassan Rouhani to address the General Assembly.
In an article for the Toronto Sun on Saturday, September 24, Ms. Malcolm wrote:
‘In the case of Iran’s Rouhani, democratic leaders are all too eager to believe the myth that he is a despot looking to clean up his act. The false notion that Rouhani is a ‘moderate’ led to the disastrous nuclear deal in 2015. The deal allowed billions of dollars to flow into Iran without any concessions on human rights abuses or any guarantees that Iran will stop its military aggression in the region.’
Not surprisingly, the article pointed out, the Iranian regime ‘uses its new cash to bankroll terrorism and prop up the Assad regime in Syria – perpetuating war and misery rather than benefiting the people of Iran.’
‘A few blocks away from the charade at the UN, however, a large protest sought to reveal a different side of the Iranian regime. Iranian human rights activists hosted a gathering to condemn Rouhani and demand justice for those killed by the Iranian regime.’
‘Specifically, the protest highlighted the extra-judicial killings of some 30,000 political prisoners during the summer of 1988.’
‘At the protest, I spoke with Geoffrey Robertson, a human rights lawyer and former appeal judge at the UN Special Court for Sierra Leone. Robertson told me that ‘killing prisoners of war is the worst kind of war crime,’ noting that Iran’s massacre was the worst since WWII.’
“There has been no reprisal, no retribution, unlike the other (similar) atrocities,” said Robertson. “The people who ordered it, most of them, are still in high command in Iran.”
Rouhani himself was a senior official in the government that oversaw the massacre, the article pointed out.
Former U.S. Senator, Vice Presidential candidate and lifelong Democrat Joe Lieberman also spoke at the protest, condemning the Iranian regime and calling it a “brutal dictatorship.”
In an interview, Lieberman told the Toronto Sun that the international community should treat the Iranian regime with the disdain that it treats North Korea, noting that “there is more blood on the hands of the regime in (Iran’s capital) Tehran.”
“Rouhani should not be treated as if he was a respectable world leader. He should be treated like Kim Jung Un would be treated if he came here.” said Lieberman.
The article added: ‘Canada’s Global Affairs Minister Stephen Dion noted on Twitter that he met with the regime to discuss the status of their relationship and consular cases. Dion failed to note any discussion on human rights, terrorism or justice for those killed in the 1988 massacre.’
The article urged the UN to identify, condemn and stop tyrants such as Rouhani who commit ‘crimes against humanity.’

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