Opinion: The Iranian regime's new war targets its own people
It would send a powerful message to the Iranian people if their abusers were prosecuted rather than protected in Canada. This should be pursued even if only as a matter of Canadian public safety, given their efforts to carry out assassinations in Canada and harass the grieving Canadian families of Flight PS752 victims. IRGC members can be prosecuted under the Criminal Code for being members of a listed terrorist entity, and regime officials for their involvement in abuses under the War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity Act.
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Their presence in Canada is a unique opportunity to do so, and their many victims in Canada should be interviewed for evidence by the RCMP as part of a structural investigation, as was done with Ukrainians and victims of ISIS.
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Canada should also consider expanding targeted sanctions against the architects of repression in Iran, starting with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
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At the very least, Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Canadian government can speak out for the people of Iran, and continue our traditional diplomatic role of convening our allies to do the same.
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The regional war may have filled the headlines, but it is the regime's new war against the Iranian people that will define its legacy — and our own. Our shared democratic values, and the vision of a brighter future for Iran and the region, are represented by the civil society leaders languishing in the dungeons of Tehran. And their tormentors represent grave threats to the human rights and security of both Iranians and Canadians.
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As the Islamic Republic continues its crackdown, platforming the plight of the Iranian people and political prisoners — and holding their persecutors accountable — can be Canada's greatest contribution to protecting our sovereignty from transnational repression and helping to build a more stable and peaceful Middle East.
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