MOSCOW - Russia and the U.S and the wrong page fighting in Syria

MOSCOW, October 17. /TASS/. Russia is taking the first step towards the U.S. and it is open for a dialogue on fighting terrorism in Syria, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview with the Vesti V Subbotu weekly television programme.

"Let’s see," he said in response to a question whether Moscow expects Washington to change its scepticism for contacts with Russia on these issues. "Let’s see what decisions they (the U.S.) will be taking."

"Anyway, I would like to repeat once again: clearly, in this respect this country is making the first step, and we are ready for a dialogue," Medvedev said.

"We are open for discussing any issues," he said adding President Putin had told exactly the same.

"The U.S. refusal to discuss with Russia fighting terrorism in Syria is silly"

Russia’s Prime Minister also calls "silly behaviour" the refusal of the U.S. to send over to Russia or to accept in the U.S. a Russian delegation to discuss fighting terrorism and the Syrian settlement.

"You know, this is what I say: I believe it is a silly behaviour," he said. "By these decisions or by the refusal from talks the Americans demonstrate their weakness."

"In my opinion, it is a weak positon of short-seeing, as strong leaders and countries, who undertake responsibilities, in cases of the kind agree to enter talks even in situations their views differ," Medvedev said. "Anyway, we have never avoided talks."

The prime minister did not share the opinion in case of a visit to the U.S. he would be appointed head of the Russian delegation due to his good relations with the U.S. President Barack Obama at the times of his presidency.

"I do not think human aspects matter here; interests are above all," he said.

Medvedev continued saying the Russian side suggested exchanging the delegations "practically immediately as the military mission began."

"Our behaviour in that respect was purely in interests of counterparts - both the Russian president spoke to his counterpart, and the foreign ministry had consultations, but the signal, of course, was made already as the military actions began," he said.

As the problem of spreading of the Islamic State terrorist group emerged in the Middle East, the U.S. invited Russia to fight it jointly.

"But to fight how? In order to fight, it is necessary to realise on who the fight will be targeted," he said. "Jointly with the Syrian authorities, we have, of course, picked several targets, the supreme commander made the decision, and the Armed Forces are carrying out the work. The Americans are not satisfied, they are telling us either the strikes are aimed wrongly, or the targets are wrong."

Russia has suggested to the U.S. to discuss the targets, he said. "They tell us: ‘No, we are not showing them.’ So, what sort of cooperation is that?"

The U.S. called on Russia "to settle the task in a complex, to agree on Syria’s future, to discuss the future of Assad, to continue political settlements," Medvedev said. "Thus came the idea of a political delegation; and that delegation could discuss most different issues, beginning from the military-expert to political, related to national dialogues, or settlement."

"The reply from the U.S. Administration is shocking: ‘No, we do not need it. Russia’s behaviour is not correct, and thus a dialogue is impossible.’," Medvedev said.

Russia’s intention to discuss political aspects caused bewilderment, he said.

"It is most important to discuss the political issues," Medvedev said. "Important to Russia, the U.S., all countries interested in peace in the region and Syria, in having normal power there."

"U.S. in Syria demonstrate lack of force, competence"

Dmitry Medvedev agrees the U.S. Administration demonstrates a lack of force and competence in Syria.

"Here is a very serious conflict, and it is necessary to react to it, and the reaction of the U.S. current administration is rather weird," he said commenting on the situation in Syria. "What are main claims addressed to the U.S. Administration? It allows to itself what is unacceptable - weakness, indecision, incompetence - well, it simply does not undertake measures to protect certain interests," the Russian prime minister said. "I cannot say whether it is so or not, this is their business, but anyway, judging by the statements we heard last week, including by some officials at the White House, that seems to be true."

"U.S. manages to achieve nothing in Syria"

The U.S.-led coalition in Syria has not achieved anything over the term of its mission there. Changing the situation there regarding fighting terrorists there became possible only with the mission of the Russian Armed Forces there, Medvedev said.

"Well, clearly the result from their (U.S.) activities in that region in fighting IS (Islamic State) is practically zero, IS continues spreading," the Russian prime minister said. "Russia’s interference only has changed the situation."

Medvedev said in the time of his presidency, he visited Syria (in May, 2010 - TASS.).

"By the way, I may be one of those few who managed to be in Syria and to see how Syria lived before the war," he said.

"You know what, it was a normal, rather modern country. A peaceful country, where monuments were not ruined, where the economy was normal," he said. "And who knows what happens there now; it is a most grave result of recent years.".

"It is not of major importance to Russia Assad is head of country; this is concern of Syrians"

Russia is fighting in Syria not for some leaders, including President Bashar Assad, but for its own national interests. It will be the Syrian people, who will decide who will run the Syrian Arab Republic, Russia’s Prime Minister said.

"Of course, we are fighting not for certain leaders, we are fighting for our own national interests, on one hand," he said recollecting the Russian president saying if the terrorists in Syria are not killed they would later on come to Russia. "And secondly - we have a request from the legal authorities; this is our position."

"It is not of major important who will be running (Syria)," Medvedev said. "We do not want IS to be running the Syrian Republic, don’t we? Right? That should be civilised, legitimate power."

Medvedev replied in the negative to the question if it matters for Russia Bashar Assad remains at power.

"Now," he said. "Who will be the leader of Syria is an issue to be decided by the Syrian people," he said.

"Our current position is that the legitimate president is Assad," Medvedev said.

Maryam Rajavi: Our plan is an Iran without the death penalty

Text of Mrs. Maryam Rajavi's speech in a conference on the occasion of the World Day Against the Death Penalty

Paris, 10 October 2015

Ladies and gentlemen,

Greetings to all of you and thank you for attending this conference on this very meaningful day for mankind. This invaluable presence demonstrates powerful solidarity with the people of Iran who are subjugated by the mullahs’ daily hangings of their children.

The clerics hang young men under the name of Islam, despite the fact that the dignity and life of any human being is precious and must be respected.

According to the holy books, killing one person is akin to killing the entire humanity.

The murderous mullahs have executed more people this year than they did last year. While a single execution is enough to torment everyone’s conscience, world powers have remained disgracefully silent over the situation in Iran, especially as they were engaged in the nuclear talks and were busy striking a deal that would open the path to doing business with the regime. Sacrificing human lives at the altar of commercial interests have never been a good investment for anyone.

If Western governments had stood up to the abuse of human rights in Iran, the mullahs could have never expanded their barbarity to Syria and Iraq.

Benefitting from the policy of appeasement, the mullahs have easily occupied large parts of Iraq. They also continued their deadly intervention in Syria to prop up the tyrant of Damascus. The outcome has been the death of 300,000 people in Syria, and the flight of refugees abroad and the emergence of ISIS.

Now that the mullahs have failed in Syria, Russia has step in to save the Bashar al-Assad or at least safeguard its own interests in that part of the world.

The ruthless massacre of Syrians continues unabated, something that the whole world must stand up to. The massacre and repression of the Syrian people must be stopped. Some people misconstrue the fall of the Syrian regime as opening the gates of Damascus to ISIS. But this is a misleading argument manufactured by Iran’s ruling mullahs in a bid to save their puppet regime.

To the contrary, it is supporting Assad and his continued rule that empower ISIS to continue to survive and expand. By the same logic, the only way to overcome ISIS is to evict the Iranian regime from Syria and Iraq and topple Assad. In step with the clerical regime’s expulsion from Syria and Iraq, all forms of engagement with it must be conditioned on the halt to executions in Iran. As long as this sinister trend continues, there is no justification for reaching out to the mullahs, Rouhani and other officials of this anti-human regime.

We say to Western governments:

Stop your silence and inaction vis-à-vis executions and other atrocities of the religious fascism ruling Iran and, instead, respect the Iranian people’s resistance for freedom.

I thank you all and with your permission I would continue the rest of my remarks in Farsi.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I appreciate your presence at this conference and your attention to the human rights crisis in Iran.

On this day, which the UN has designated as the World Day Against the Death Penalty, I salute the 120,000 souls martyred for the cause of Iran’s freedom, especially the 30,000 Iranian political prisoners who were massacred in 1988.

On this day, I have come to appeal to the world for help to stop daily executions in my homeland.

Torture and executions must be stopped.

This is the demand of all of Iran’s people.

Dear friends!

The human rights of my oppressed compatriots have been violated and auctioned off on the international level.

Swapping human rights for nuclear deal, forsaking human rights in Iran in the face of the regime’s depravity and terrorism in the region, and disregarding human rights in Iran have become the hallmarks of the weakness and cowardice of international policies.

Should human rights be respected only on the papers of resolutions and international covenants?

Why is a red carpet spread for someone who must be put on trial for his direct role in atrocities and terrorism in the past three decades? At least make the negotiations with him predicated on ending executions in Iran.

I am referring to mullah Rouhani, the Iranian regime’s president. When he took office two years ago, I emphasized that nothing will change without freedom of expression and human rights, without freedom of political prisoners and freedom of political parties, and as long as the regime’s nuclear program and aggressive regional policy are pursued.

Now look at the annual rate of executions during Rouhani’s tenure compared to his predecessor. It has tripled. As Rouhani acknowledged, the regime’s activities for the manufacture of weapons have increased five folds. The budget for security and military affairs and export of fundamentalism, has considerably increased.

Violation of human rights has jumped in every respect, targeting all Iranians: from human rights defenders to women, youths and teachers who staged a nationwide protest just two days ago, and from Christians, Baha’i’s and the Sunnis to our Arab, Baluchi and Kurdish compatriots. I must also point to the enraged workers. It was just last month that the combatant worker, Shahrokh Zamani, lost his life in Gohardasht Prison.

Indeed, why does the world remain silent when Iranian political prisoners are tormented to death or hanged?

Why is the world silent when juveniles are executed in Iran?

Why is this barbaric tyranny not pressured to publish at least a complete list of names of those it executes?

Today, a large number of our defenseless countrymen are secretly executed in prisons across the country. Several thousands more are on the death row.

We think of their parents, and of their wives and children who spend nights and days under stress.

We think of the women who sell their kidneys to pay for their husbands’ blood money and save them from being executed.

Criminals should be cursed, as should those who appease them!

Shame on those who turn a blind eye to so much abuse of human rights in Iran!

Those who seek to wash the stain of these crimes off the hands of the regime’s president must know that this policy will open the way for more atrocities and genocide in the region and the world.

Rouhani has clearly pronounced that these executions “are either based on Divine Law or on some legislation adopted by the parliament… and we only carry them out.”

Despite their differences, the ruling mullahs have a common viewpoint on executions and repression. They benefit from executions to preserve their regime.

However, the criminals should know that the blood they spill every day from the body of the Iranian nation will turn into a flood that will ultimately put an end to the mullahs’ regime.

Honorable ladies and gentlemen,

The religious fascism ruling Iran hangs and executes people basically on three charges:

The first and most important charge is political opposition.

Since three decades ago, tens of thousands of people have been executed only because of their opposition to the regime. They were accused of various unjustifiable and invalid charges without any due process of the law.

Based on the clerical regime’s penal code, anyone who is a member or supporter of the PMOI or in any way affiliated to it is considered a mohareb (someone who has waged war on God) and the punishment for a mohareb is death. The number of those who have been executed for their dissent is by no means small, and countless young people have been executed for protesting the nationwide oppression.

Islam or in the international law do not consider fighting for regime change to be a crime; it is the fundamental and inalienable right of any nation to overturn oppression and injustice.

Others are executed on drug charges. The mullahs hang a considerable number of Iran’s youths on this charge. But those executions violate the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Just this past month, the UN Secretary General declared that applying the death penalty to offenses such as drug-trafficking are not permissible under international law.

The Human Rights Council and the High Commissioner on Human Rights have denounced these executions.

And the UN Special Rapporteur on extra-judicial executions and the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crimes proclaimed that such charges are not punishable by death.

Needless to say, in many cases, this charge has been basically proven false and has served as a pretext to justify political executions.

The mullahs’ third excuse for executions is that they claim to be implementing Islamic decrees.

A large number of our compatriots are executed based on the medieval law of retribution which contradicts Islam’s message of clemency and compassion. The dynamism inherent in Islam and the Quran rejects this inhuman justification. Therefore, both claims to Islam and combatting drugs are hollow. The mullahs’ sole objective is to terrorize the society and stifle social protests.

They have turned homicide into a common, daily routine.

The public hanging of convicts in front of their families, and even their children, crushes their hearts, minds and conscience.

Executions, torture, stoning, amputations of limbs, and eye gouging have been institutionalized and turned into law in this regime.

Yes, the existence and rule of this regime depend on executions because if there are no more executions, there would be nothing to prevent the eruption of public fury and seething social uprisings by the people.

Without executions, how and by what means could the mullahs deny people their freedoms and instead step up suppression, intimidation and all sorts of restrictions into the most private angles of people’s lives?

Without executions, how else could the mullahs increase the prices several folds every day, squander the public’s wealth and revenues in regional wars and plunder them in a life of luxury?

Despite such horrific oppression that feeds into the social potential for explosion, the ruling mullahs must know that they will be ultimately toppled by the Iranian people and their organized resistance.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Western governments expand their political and business relations with the religious fascism ruling Iran as if this catastrophe is merely a domestic issue.

Ironically, such relations are the worst form of interference in the internal affairs of Iran and, of course, serve the interest of the mullahs.

Ignoring the Iranian people’s human rights and freedoms is the basic cause of the failure of western policy not only in Iran but also in the entire region which has been victimized by the ruling mullahs’ export of fundamentalism, repression and terrorism.

This failure also manifests itself in the nuclear deal. Predicating the agreement on respect for the Iranian people’s human rights could have forced the regime into a full retreat.

When the mullahs are given free reins in the brutal executions of our nation’s children, they step up their threats to the region and the world.

Therefore, we say to Western governments:

Make all relations with the Iranian regime contingent upon the end to death penalty.

Pressure the mullahs’ regime to free all political prisoners.

Refer the case of 1988 massacre by this regime to the International Criminal Court.

Respect the Iranian people’s resistance for freedom.

As for the mullahs’ main target of killing and massacre in recent years, namely the PMOI members in Camp Liberty, deliver on your promises to protect them.

Specifically, the inhuman siege on Camp Liberty and especially its medical blockade, must be lifted.

Camp Liberty’s dossier and its management must be taken out of the hands of elements affiliated to the Iranian regime.

The dispatch of Intelligence Ministry agents to Liberty, under whatever pretext must end; this is a prelude to massacre.

And the government of Iraq must facilitate the sale of the PMOI properties in Ashraf to fund the expenses in Liberty.

Dear friends,

Our plan for future is an Iran without the death penalty and devoid of torture. Our plan is putting an end to torture and all forms of human rights abuse in Iran.

The Iranian Resistance declared years ago that it calls for abolition of death penalty and an end to torture and all forms of rights abuses in Iran.

Our plan is to revive friendship, conciliation and tolerance.

Our plan for future is to put an end to the mullahs’ religious decrees. We reject the inhuman penal code and other abusive laws of this regime. We believe Retribution is an inhuman law.

We advocate laws that are based on forgiveness, compassion and humanity.

The Iranian Resistance Leader Massoud Rajavi ordered the release of thousands of Khomeini’s agents arrested in the battles of the National Liberation Army of Iran --many of whom had committed murder against the PMOI-- without the slightest violation of their human rights.

Yes, this is an enduring tradition of the Iranian people’s resistance.

Our plan is to institute an independent, dynamic and free judiciary.

Our plan is to defend democratic values, freedom, equality and sanctity of every citizen’s private life.

No one will be arrested arbitrarily; torture is banned; no defendant is deprived of the right to defense and having a defense attorney; the principle of presumption of innocence is respected and no one, especially no woman, will be deprived of having access to justice when subjected to violence, aggression and abuse of her freedoms.

Our plan for Iran’s future is that no one should be denied his/her freedoms, rights or life because of having or not having faith in a particular religion or for abandoning it.

Our plan is for all citizens to enjoy genuine security and equal rights before the law.

Yes, we are seeking a new order based on freedom, democracy and equality.

We have chosen to persevere and fight on to let our people enjoy a life in freedom and prosperity, so that no youngster under 18 years of age would have to wait in the corridors of death in prison to reach legal age for execution; so that no mother would ever shed tears of grief for her executed child.

Our motivation for resistance till victory is not spite and revenge but our love for freedom and human rights. This is fuel sour steadfastness. And the secret to this endurance is nothing but being prepared to sacrifice and pay the price.

Look at this book of martyrs. Look at the resistant prisoners. Look at those who stand proud at Liberty Prison. Look at our compatriots who support this Resistance the world over inthe largest-ever international campaign of our time.

These are all glad tidings for Iran’s freedom.

This plan is not a dream, but will certainly become reality in the future Iran.

The sacrifice of those executed, the suffering of those imprisoned, and the sacrifice and endurance of pioneers of freedom in Liberty, are a calling on every one to rise up to create such a bright future.

I wish you all success.

Thank you very much.

Source: http://www.maryam-rajavi.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1820:maryam-rajavi-our-plan-is-an-iran-without-the-death-penalty&catid=150&Itemid=500

Woman Says Man Killed, Ate Her Dog in Northern Uruguay

MONTEVIDEO – A woman in the northern Uruguayan city of Artigas told police she found a man sleeping in her back yard next to a skillet containing fried parts of her dog, police spokesmen told EFE.

“A man entered his neighbor’s yard, grabbed the small female dog, killed and skinned it, and ate the fried viscera, and the rest of the meat he either ate or sold,” said Olga Garcia, president of animal rights group Olfateando Amigos.

The animal rights group also filed a criminal complaint in the case.

Investigators have identified the suspect and the Artigas police department is trying to arrest him.

The man, however, no longer lives with his parents, the next-door neighbors of the plaintiff, and police said he was a drug addict who roamed the streets.

Police have not determined whether the suspect killed the little dog to get revenge against his neighbor.

Navy Seizes 600 Kilos of Cocaine off Colombia’s Pacific Coast

BOGOTA – The navy seized 600 kilos of cocaine and detained three men aboard a vessel in Colombia’s Pacific waters, officials said Tuesday.

The vessel was located early Tuesday off Cabo Manglares, an area on the coast of the southwestern province of Nariño, the navy said in a statement.

A navy ship from Ecuador, which borders Nariño, provided support for the Colombian operation, the navy said.

The suspects – two Ecuadorians and a Colombian – “attempted to flee once they noticed the presence of law enforcement agents, and dumped the bales in the sea,” the navy said.

A boarding party inspected the ship and found “15 bales each weighing about 40 kilos” whose contents were tested and confirmed to be a total of 600 kilos of cocaine, the navy said.

The smuggling ship’s crew members were detained and face drug charges.

Russia calls on international community to help exterminate terrorism in Syria

MOSCOW, October 16. /TASS/. Russia calls on the world community to help exterminate terrorism in Syria, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday after a meeting between Russian president’s special Middle East and Africa envoy and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov with a delegation of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party lead by head of its external relations Hassan Sakr.

"The sides exchanged opinions on the development of situation in and around Syria," the ministry said. "The Russian side laid a focus on the necessity to consolidate international efforts to exterminate a dangerous terrorist hot spot in Syria and to launch political process by means of an intra-Syrian national dialogue on the basis of the Geneva communique of June 30, 2012."

Consolidation of international efforts to counter terrorist threat in Syria was in focus of a meeting between Russian president’s Middle East and Africa envoy and Deputy Foreign Ministry Mikhail Bogdanov and Syrian Ambassador to Moscow Riyad Haddad, the Russian Foreign Ministry added.

"The sides exchanged views on the development of the situation in Syria with a special focus on the necessity of consolidation of international, regional and intra-Syrian efforts in countering terrorist groups in Syria and in the interests of swift political settlement of the Syrian crisis," the ministry said.

Target plays porn video on intercom for customers (hear video)

Iran -She was forced to marry at 16, kills husband ( Executed at 23 )

NCRI-The Iranian regime's judiciary has this week once again put on display its "brazen contempt for the human rights of children," Amnesty International said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Reports have emerged of a second execution of a juvenile offender in Iran in just a few days," Amnesty International said, "which reveal the full horror of the country’s deeply flawed juvenile justice system."

"Fatemeh Salbehi, a 23-year-old woman, was hanged yesterday for a crime she allegedly committed when she was 17, only a few days after another juvenile offender, Samad Zahabi, was hanged for a crime he also committed at 17."

"Fatemeh Salbehi was hanged in Shiraz’s prison in Fars Province despite Iran being bound by an absolute international legal ban on juvenile executions, and severe flaws in her trial and appeal. She had been sentenced to death in May 2010 for the murder of her 30-year-old husband, Hamed Sadeghi, whom she had been forced to marry at the age of 16."

"An expert opinion from the State Medicine Organization provided at the trial had found she had had severe depression and suicidal thoughts around the time of her husband’s death. However the death sentence was upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court later that year."

Said Boumedouha, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme, said: “The use of the death penalty is cruel, and inhumane and degrading in any circumstances, but it is utterly sickening when meted out as a punishment for a crime committed by a person who was under 18 years of age, and after legal proceedings that make a mockery of juvenile justice.”

“With these executions the Iranian judiciary has yet again put on display its brazen contempt for the human rights of children, including their right to life. There are simply no words to adequately condemn Iran’s continued use of the death penalty against juvenile offenders,” Mr. Boumedouha said.

The statement by Amnesty International added: "In another appalling case eight days ago, another juvenile offender Samad Zahabi was secretly hanged in Kermanshah’s Dizel Abad Prison in Kermanshah province for shooting a fellow shepherd during a row over who should graze their sheep."

"This execution was also carried out without a 48 hour notice period being given to Zahabi's lawyer, as is required by law. Horrifically his family said they only learned of his fate after his mother visited the prison on 5 October 2015."

"Samad Zahabi had been sentenced to death by the Provincial Criminal Court of Kermanshah Province in March 2013, even though he had said both during the investigations and at the trial that the shooting was unintentional and in self-defence, and resulted from a fight that he was drawn into against his will."

Mr. Boumedouha added: “The Iranian authorities should be under no illusion that they can avoid international scrutiny until they adopt a categorical rule banning the use of the death penalty on any offender under 18 years of age.”

Iran's regime is scheduled to be reviewed by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in January 2016. The Committee of the Right of the Child oversees the implementation of the CRC, which Iran ratified in July 1994.

"As a state party to the CRC, Iran has pledged to ensure that all persons under 18 years of age are treated as children and never subjected to the same punishments as adults. However, the age of adult criminal responsibility remains nine lunar years for girls and 15 lunar years for boys," Amnesty said.

"Between 2005 and 2015, Amnesty International has received reports of least 75 executions of juvenile offenders, including at least three juvenile offenders in 2015. More than 160 juvenile offenders are believed to be currently on death row in prisons across the country."