AFP, Oslo, July 7, 2009 – Norway summoned Iran’s charge d’affaires to the foreign ministry on Tuesday to express its concern over the human rights situation and demand the release of jailed protestors, the ministry said.
’The authorities in Iran do not respect fundamental human rights,’ Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said in a statement.
’Norway protests against the politically-motivated arrests, and reacts especially to the fact that local employees at the British embassy in Tehran have been jailed.’
Hundreds of people have been detained by authorities in Iran in the crackdown on Opposition protestors after the bitterly-disputed June 12 presidential election.
Iran has accused employees at the British embassy in Tehran of instigating riots over the contested re-election of President Mahmoud Ahamdinejad.
All but one of the nine local employees have been released.
Norway is not a member of the European Union, which last week summoned the Iranian ambassadors in its 27 member states for consultations.
Oslo told charge d’affaires Mohsen Bavafa that it ’condemned the arrest of Opposition members, journalists, human rights activists and peaceful demonstrators,’ the ministry said.
’Iranian authorities are urged to immediately cease the political arrests and release those who have been unjustly jailed,’ Stoere said.
Oslo also said it condemned the execution of 20 Iranians for drug trafficking on July 4.