Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I take note of item 67 on page 10, the FADT committee's report of the human rights implications of recent violence in Iran. I'm speaking to the report—from the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee about the human rights implication to end the violence occurring in Iran—with a heavy heart in the full knowledge that this violence continues and also filled with pride, having heard so convincingly and in such great numbers from the many community members of the Iranian diaspora and many other communities who gave evidence to the committee.

The Greens support all recommendations of the report; however, we do think that the report did not speak loudly enough about the incredibly slow response of the Australian government, particularly in regard to sanctions. I am here this evening as the proud political sponsor of one Majid Kasimi. Majid will continue his call for freedom and justice for all of the peoples of Iran, and he does so alongside many other members of the community who are, right now, imprisoned by the regime—because they dared to speak out.

Every day, we wake up to more news that Iranian freedom protesters have been sentenced to death or wrongly jailed after unfair trials. I want to make it really clear to the Senate this evening: Majid and so many other of his fellow protesters are facing death at the hands of a regime that is imprisoning its community members on mass because they are daring to speak out and to push back. This must end. The international community must keep building the pressure on Iranian authorities to free those innocent civilians who are subject to fatal penalties because they are crying out for freedom in their country. The Greens, along with the community, have been campaigning for Magnitsky-style sanctions to be used against Iran for a very long time. It was a welcome piece of news to hear the foreign minister expand these sanctions last week. Targeted sanctions are exactly what the Magnitsky act was put in place to do.

In giving this statement on the report, I must acknowledge the role of women in boldly and courageously raising their voices against the regime that is so desperate to silence them in Iran, and in taking the lead in giving evidence to the Senate committee. They have been the drivers of activism, lobbying and protests, despite the Iranian regime acting egregiously to minimise their impact. The system of law and order which the Iranian regime implements is one of authoritarianism, violence, terror, fear and the silencing of the community.

This is intensely felt by women and by minority groups, particularly those who can identify themselves as members of the Kurdish Iranian community, such as Jina Amini. The Greens have been advocating for direct actions against the regime since the week of Jina Amini's death. We have done this because the community has been active in providing us with the key demands and requests that they have of their Australian government. We know that their understanding of the Iranian regime, its tactics and its practices is strong. They need the Australian government to listen to them and they need swift and appropriate response.

Jina Amini died on 16 September 2022. To place the Australian response into context, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Canada's intention to sanction Iranian officials just 10 days later. In comparison, Australia waited more than three months to apply narrow sanctions—narrow sanctions, it must be clearly understood by the Senate, because they were limited in scope and in no way went as far as was needed in an attempt to defer and deter the regime. The delayed nature of this response was and remains an unacceptable failure on the part of the Australian government and of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Further, the European parliament has called on its council to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp as a terrorist organisation. The United States and Canada have made this designation. Yet, we are yet to see this from the Australian government.

Yesterday speculation began that Ayatollah Khamenei would give pardons to thousands of political prisoners involved in protests. This must happen and must include all those who have already been given death sentences and are awaiting execution. The Greens will continue to work with the Iranian diaspora community to call on the Australian government to extend its targeted sanctions list and to put heavier financial sanctions and travel restrictions upon the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp.

In concluding my contribution, I want to offer my profound thanks and acknowledgement on behalf of the Australian Greens to the Iranian diaspora communities and to all individuals who took the time and demonstrated the courage to give evidence to the committee and its inquiry. I acknowledge that to do so for many was to risk harm to themselves and their family members, to say nothing of the emotional burden they felt themselves. I appreciate, as a committee member—and our movement appreciates collectively—the effort that they demonstrated and commit ourselves to solidarity with them in their struggle for women, for life and for freedom.