Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is not coming to Geneva
Published: Tuesday, Dec 12th 2023, 18:30
Updated At: Tuesday, Dec 12th 2023, 18:31
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Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will not be attending the World Refugee Forum in Geneva. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland confirmed to Keystone-SDA that it had received a complaint of crimes against humanity but had been unable to initiate an investigation.
Raisi was due to give a speech to the forum on Wednesday. However, three Iranian opposition figures living in Switzerland had called on the Office of the Attorney General to arrest him. A call supported by over 350 personalities in a separate statement. The call is also supported by five Swiss citizens, including National Councillor Philippe Nantermod (FDP/VS).
"The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland immediately initiated various investigations", it stated in a statement on Tuesday. However, the "person mentioned" had "canceled their trip" and was "currently not in Switzerland".
The Swiss Criminal Code only permits investigations into international crimes if the suspect can be identified on Swiss territory. Heads of state and government can rely on immunity during their term of office, even for acts committed before their term of office.
Satisfied opposition members
As a member of a commission that decided who should be killed, Raisi would be responsible for the deaths of thousands of people, according to the appeal. At the time, he was deputy prosecutor general of Tehran province. The three opposition activists living in Switzerland point out that immunity does not apply to crimes against humanity.
"I am satisfied," said lead plaintiff Reza Shemirani to the media in Geneva on Tuesday. "We have won," he emphasized, without giving up hope that the Iranian president would one day be prosecuted.
According to the complainants, the Iranian president's participation in the World Refugee Forum would have been tantamount to supporting executions and torture. "I was shocked when I heard that he was coming to Switzerland," said Shemirani.
The Iranian exiles accuse the international community of being blind to the crimes allegedly committed by Raisi. Other members of the Iranian delegation expected in Geneva also pose a problem in their opinion.
©Keystone/SDA
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