UN General Assembly Condemns Human Rights Violations in Iran Through Resolution
The United Nations General Assembly in its Wednesday afternoon session (December 28) condemned human rights violations in Iran through a resolution. In another resolution, the United States was called upon to lift travel restrictions on Iranian diplomats to the country.
The UN General Assembly session on Wednesday afternoon, December 18 (December 27) concluded with the adoption of a resolution regarding Iran. In this resolution, which had been previously approved by the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee on November 14, Iran was called upon to end human rights violations.
The resolution was passed with 81 votes in favor, 30 votes against, and 70 abstentions.
In this resolution, the Iranian government authorities were asked to “eliminate all forms of discrimination based on opinion, thought, religion, and others, as well as discrimination against religious minorities.”
The resolution also expressed “serious concerns” about “severe current restrictions and increasing limitations on the right to freedom of expression, thought, opinion and religion, against those who believe in official or unofficial religions, including followers of the Bahai faith.”
The resolution was prepared by Canada and had been approved by 45 other UN member states.
Call to the United States to Lift Restrictions on Iranian Diplomats
In its Wednesday afternoon session, the UN General Assembly called on the United States to remove travel and movement restrictions on Iranian diplomats in another resolution.
The resolution also asked the United States to lift visa bans for Russian diplomats.
Since last summer, diplomats and ministers of the Islamic Republic of Iran have faced movement restrictions within the United States. Zarif and Rouhani, who traveled to New York to participate in the UN General Assembly session in September, were only allowed to move between the UN headquarters, their hotel, and Iran’s representation in the country.
The resolution, which was proposed by Cyprus and approved by Bulgaria, Canada, and Costa Rica, was adopted by consensus without a vote.
Unlike Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions are not binding, but they carry political significance.
Source: DW
