HL Deb 19 July 1979 vol 401 cc1502-3

3.26 p.m.

Lord AVEBURY

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have protested to the Government of Iran about the mass of executions carried out in that country, and the absence of fair trial of those condemned to death.

Lord CARRINGTON

My Lords, the people of this country were shocked by the political trials and executions in Iran. The Government share their feelings. Her Majesty's Government have registered disapproval of the trials and executions in Iran on several occasions, both privately and in a joint statement with the Nine. We are somewhat encouraged by the recent announcement of Ayatollah Khomeini granting an amnesty for political prisoners. We hope the Iranian Government will take a moderate path and ensure the application of the due process of law.

Lord AVEBURY

My Lords, though I welcome the expressions of concern and condemnation which the noble Lord the Foreign Secretary has just given, am I right in thinking that we have not directly protested to the Iranian Government but have contented ourselves with public statements of the kind he described? Can the noble Lord confirm that only this morning it was announced on the Iranian radio that four executions took place, including that of Dr. Sheikh Aleshanzadeh, a distinguished orthopaedic surgeon who was formerly Minister of Health under the Shah? Is it not an indication of dual standards that we were ready to protest twice about the small number of executions in Ghana since the coup there, while in the case of the much larger number of executions in Iran since the overthrow of the Shah we have contented ourselves with mere public statements?

Lord CARRINGTON

My Lords, as a matter of fact we have protested on several occasions to the Iranian Government. I had not heard what the noble Lord has told me, and I will of course consider what else we can do. One does have to remember that sometimes if one goes on protesting it is counter-productive.