Masih Alinejad, an Iranian political and civil activist and journalist opposed to the Islamic Republic of Iran, has criticized European governments for, as she puts it, granting visas to people who shake hands with officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Taliban, while barring some Iranian women affected by repression from travelling to Madrid.
Alinejad made these remarks following the ceremony for the 13th FAES Freedom Award in Madrid. The award was jointly presented on October 16 to Alinejad, Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and Rosa María Payá, an activist opposed to the Cuban government.
According to Alinejad, some Iranian women who suffered eye injuries and lost their sight during the crackdown on protests in Iran were unable to travel to Spain to attend the ceremony. She criticized Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for engaging with officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran and called for greater attention to the human rights situation in Iran.
Referring to some European countries’ engagement with Taliban officials, the women’s rights activist also criticized what she views as a double standard in European policies. However, diplomatic engagement with the Taliban does not mean that the European Union has formally recognized the group.
Alinejad’s remarks have once again raised questions about European countries’ diplomatic priorities and their responsibility to support victims of human rights violations, particularly women who face barriers to making their voices heard internationally after being injured during protests.
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