WATCH: Iran's nuclear negotiators 'punked' in Vienna

American activist brings to light Tehran's dismal human rights through humor.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Updated: JULY 9, 2015 20:35
David Keyes punks Iran's nuclear negotiators in Vienna. (photo credit: screenshot)
David Keyes punks Iran's nuclear negotiators in Vienna.
(photo credit: screenshot)
An American human rights activist has taken to Vienna, where nuclear negotiations with Iran are approaching their end, to "punk" negotiators from the Islamic Republic.
David Keyes, who specializes in a satirical approach to confronting regimes around the world on humanitarian issues, on Wednesday released his latest footage in which he confronted Iranian diplomats about Tehran's dismal human rights record.
"I just returned from Vienna where I negotiated a historic human rights deal with the Iranian regime. They agreed to reduce the rate of hangings to one every two and a half hours," Keyes chides in a YouTube video entitled 'Punking Iran's Nuclear Negotiators in Vienna.'
Keyes, who aims to bring human rights to the mainstream, sheds light  on such issues as Iran's malicious treatment of homosexuals, Internet censorship and the oppression of groups the regime persecutes as political prisoners such as student leaders, bloggers and human rights activists.
The brazen activist is seen in his third such clip to date flagging down various Iranian negotiator, and asking questions draped in mockery and condemnation such as:  "Who's your favorite political prisoner, if you could only pick one?"
"Humor is a powerful tool against dictators and it's something that people will share and talk about," he told The Jerusalem Post via e-mail on Thursday. "I think it's wrong that senior diplomats of regimes which hang gays, torture bloggers and jail student leaders can travel around with impunity."
He added that this risks he faces in his unabashed approach are "nothing compared the risks activists face daily in dictatorships like Syria, Iran and North Korea," and he seeks to continues pursuing dictators around the globe.
While he has so-far concentrated on criticizing Middle Eastern regimes, future plans include frying leaders in China, Russia and North Korea. He is also open to suggestions by civilians who wish to see their government's "punked."