The French government must be held accountable for the murder of 2 Iranian citizens

The Islamic Republic of Iran's High Council for Human Rights released the following statement in response to the killing of two Iranian citizens in France:

Two Iranian citizens named "Hamid Ghorbani" and "Hadi Rostami" were recently shot in the head by a French attacker during an armed attack suspected of having racist motivations in Dunkirk, France. Because of the victims' unclear relationship, there has been conjecture regarding the possibility of racist or even terrorist motivations behind this attack.

The issue of racism and xenophobia in France has become a major challenge for this country, especially in recent years; Despite the government's high-profile human rights claims, armed and racist attacks have increased in recent years, but the government, with its modernist veneer, presents them in a deceptive manner to portray itself as a supporter of human rights.

The evidence and traces of this armed attack point to a hostile act against foreign nationals, even though French authorities have not yet declared whether the killing of Iranian citizens is a planned terrorist act or a criminal case.

The French Human Rights Commission warned in a report released in July of this year that racism, including Islamophobia, has escalated significantly in France, with anti-Muslim sentiment rising by 29% in 2023. This indicates how serious the problem of racism has become in France.

In reality, many immigrants—the majority of whom are Asian or Black—are not treated fairly, despite French officials' attempts to present the nation as a bastion of democracy, freedom of speech, and openness to immigrants. This has had a major influence on French citizens' interactions with people from other nations, as evidenced by the murder of two Iranian citizens.

In addition to denouncing the murder of two Iranian citizens in France and expressing disgust at the racist acts in France, the Islamic Republic of Iran's
High Council for Human Rights says the French government must answer for the killings of two Iranian citizens and provide the public with an explanation.

The right to life must be protected in accordance with international law and international documents, particularly Article 6, paragraph 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which states that "the right to life is an inherent right of the human person and shall be protected by law and that no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life." It is imperative that France provide comprehensive documentation and evidence regarding this case and clearly explain the attacker's motivations. Failure to do so could raise serious concerns about the safety of foreign nationals in this country as well as the operation of the French legal and security system.