Ms Nicola Sturgeon MSP
First Minister
Scottish Parliament
Pàrlamaid na h-Alba

4 July 2021

Madam First Minister

May I first congratulate you and your Covid team for progressive and firm policies throughout the past 18 months.

I am writing to you regarding the potential invitation that may be extended to the President-Elect of Islamic Republic, Ebrahim Raisi, to attend the COP26 in Scotland later this year. I have grave concerns regarding Raisi,s human rights record, and I am addressing this letter to you to request that you do everything within your power to not welcome such a man onto Scottish soil.

As I am sure you are aware, the theocratic regime established in the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution has a marked and bloody record of brutal violence, systematically silencing opposing voices through the repeated imprisonment of activists and numerous devastating fatwas. Although arrests and executions have been continuous since 1979, they notably peaked in the summer of 1988, a period that saw huge numbers of political prisoners subjected to summary justice and execution: estimates for the number of executions during this short period range from a few thousands to tens of thousands, many of whom had served their original term of sentence and were expecting release. According to various reports from the UN, Amnesty International, and other internationally recognised and independent bodies, thousands of these executions were carried out under the order of a small judiciary group which included among its members Ebrahim Raisi. To this day, Raisi proudly defends his participation in this massacre.

Such human rights abuses oppose everything that the Scottish state purports to stand for. I was deeply saddened, however, when a member of the Iranian Intelligentsia Society told me of the SNP,s close relationship with this brutal regime. The colleague reminded me that Alex Salmond led a delegation to Iran in 2015, meeting with Ayatollah Mohsen Araki among others. He also reminded me that you, together with the Chief Constable of the Police of Scotland, sat with Hujjat al-Islam Mohammad Ali Shomali, a representative of Iran,s Supreme Leader, at the same table in 2016.

Appeasing a regime that has no respect for human rights, international law, or the kinder facets of Islam that have been tarnished by groups such as Taliban, Daesh, and above all the Islamic Republic, has historically proven repulsive. Neville Chamberlain,s attempt is a well-known exemplar.

Madam First Minister, I have always regarded you as a courageous politician who aims high for her country. I do appreciate diplomatic protocols, but inviting Raisi to enter your country will stain the history of Scotland that has always stood for freedom and independence. History has proven that Chamberlain,s appeasement policy was a failure, as fascism recognises no boundaries and is not easily appeased unless the world either accepts the supremacy of fascism or is totally obliterated.

I represent a number of non-affiliated and independent Iranian academics, scientists, poets, and writers. They have asked me to humbly request that you do not invite Raisi to the COP26. We will naturally endeavour to pursue legal procedure to bring Raisi before the International Court of Justice, should he enter the United Kingdom, as part of the free world.

We understand that taking such a politically sensitive step may require you to have the support of the office of the Prime Minister, The Foreign Office, The MSPs, and other major political parties. For this, I am sending a copy of this letter to their offices.

I am deeply hopeful that you will prove me right when I say that there is no congruity between the SNP school of thought and the fundamentalist Islam that Raisi represents.

We have all read Martin Niemöller. When religious fascism is welcomed to Scotland, there will be many Scots who will protest vigorously.

Kind Regards
Dr Ali Behrooz
Iranian Intelligentsia Society

cc: Office of the Prime Minister, The Foreign Office, The MSPs, and other major political parties.