Publication of Javid Rahman's first report on the human rights situation in Iran
In his first report, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran called on Iranian authorities to end the 13-year ban on UN human rights rapporteurs from entering the country and allow him to travel to the country.
The first report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights for Iran has been published. According to the Iran Human Rights Campaign, Javed Rahman expressed concern in his report about human rights violations in Iran, such as the execution of prisoners, including those under the age of 18, without a fair trial, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment against prisoners, violations of the fundamental rights of freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, undermining women's rights, and systematic violations of the rights of minorities.
This 13-page report was published in English on September 27.
Javed Rehman has emphasized his intention to cooperate and establish a constructive dialogue with the government of the Islamic Republic to facilitate his mission.
He wrote that being granted permission to visit Iran has strengthened his interactions with Iranian authorities on human rights issues and has enabled him to obtain an accurate assessment of the human rights situation in Iran through dialogue with citizens.
In his 13-page report, Rahman referred to violations of economic, social, and cultural rights, the situation of human rights defenders, and the situation of foreign citizens and dual nationals, mass executions in the 1980s, and violations of the rights of individuals based on disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity in Iran, and called for attention and negotiation on these issues.
Echoing calls by previous Special Rapporteurs and the UN Secretary-General, he called for an end to the imprisonment of all those detained during peaceful protests to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and thought. Rahmon also called for the release of protesters detained during last winter’s unrest in Iran.
The Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran has called on the authorities of the Islamic Republic to launch independent and transparent investigations into the causes of death of people who died during detention or in incidents during or after the protests.
In another part of his report, Javed Rahman expressed "deep concern" about the execution of defendants who committed crimes as teenagers and called on the authorities of the Islamic Republic to immediately end the execution of people who were under the legal age at the time of committing the crime.
The abolition of the death penalty, the cessation of cruel, degrading, and inhuman punishments such as flogging and amputation, as well as the ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, were among the requests made by the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, which he mentioned in his report.
Javed Rehman succeeded former human rights rapporteur Asma Jahangir in July of this year. Ms. Jahangir died of a heart attack in February 2018.
Born in Pakistan, Javed Rehman holds a PhD in Law from the University of Hull, UK. He specialises in Islamic law, human rights and international terrorism and is a Professor of Islamic and International Law at Brunel University.
Source: DW
