Javaid Rehman Calls on International Community to Hold Islamic Republic Officials Accountable for Human Rights Violations in Iran
Javaid Rehman, UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, has called on the international community in his latest report to hold Islamic Republic officials accountable for human rights violations in Iran, including events such as the 1988 executions and the suppression of protests in November 2019.
In this report, prepared last month and to be presented soon to the UN Human Rights Council, concerns have been raised about the continuation of human rights violations in Iran during the past calendar year, with reference to matters such as the confiscation of assets of Bahá’í citizens, shooting of porters and fuel smugglers at borders in Kurdistan, Sistan and Baluchestan, and the detention of 500 Kurdish civil and political activists.
Human rights organizations say that the Islamic Republic of Iran executed several thousand political prisoners in 1988. Ibrahim Raisi, Iran’s current president, was a member of the death committee that made decisions regarding the fate of prisoners. According to human rights reports, hundreds of protesters were also killed by the Islamic Republic in 1398 (2019-2020).
The UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran also expressed concern about the situation of dual-national citizens who have been imprisoned with the intent of exerting pressure on Western countries, and emphasized violations of freedom of expression, including the increase in internet restrictions by the government and parliament, the closure of media outlets, and the detention of citizen journalists in Iran.
Endangering the health of citizens by restricting access to contraceptive methods and abortion to increase population is among other matters mentioned in this report.
Referring to the fact that despite repeated requests, Islamic Republic officials have still not allowed him to travel to Iran, Javaid Rehman stated that he has gathered available information through conversations with families of victims as well as civil society activists.
Javaid Rehman had previously stated in his report to the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee that some sentences issued in Iran, including death sentences, have been based on forced confessions and confessions obtained under torture and were not issued on the basis of justice.
The Islamic Republic of Iran does not allow UN special rapporteurs on human rights to enter the country, but at the same time accuses them of misrepresentation and politicization in presenting their annual reports.
Source: Voice of America
