Switzerland condemns violence by Iranian security forces
The Swiss foreign ministry has called on the Iranian government to protect Iranians’ right to freedom of expression amid a violent crackdown on anti-government protests that erupted after the death of a young Iranian woman.
In a statement released on Twitter on Wednesday, the foreign ministry condemned the excessive use of force by Iranian security forces against protestors, writing that Switzerland is "dismayed by the high number of victims in relation to the protests in Iran".
The ministry called on the Iranian government to exercise restraint and guarantee Iranians’ right to freedom of expression, including on social media.
The statement comes in response to a violent crackdown on anti-government protests that have spread across the country in the past two weeks. They were triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian woman who died shortly after being taken into custody by the Iranian morality police on September 13 for allegedly breaking the strict law requiring women to wear a head scarf.
Her family has alleged that the police are to blame for her death. However, the Iranian government has denied this, claiming she suffered a heart attack. Iranian security forces have been accused by human rights groups of killing dozens of people in the protests.
The Swiss government also repeated previous calls for the Iranian government to deliver swiftly on its promise for an impartial and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Amini’s death.
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