Javed Rahman's concern about the persecution of religious minorities

UN Special Rapporteur Javed Rehman expressed concern over the continued persecution of religious minorities.

On Monday, March 18, UN Special Rapporteur Javed Rehman presented his sixth report on human rights violations in Iran at the Human Rights Council in Geneva. In the report, he expressed deep concern about the continued persecution and arbitrary arrests of individuals belonging to unrecognized religious minorities in Iran, including Christians who have converted from Islam to Christianity, Baha'is, and Sufis, including members of the Gonabadi Dervishes.

Javed Rahman, who reported on the increase in executions last year, the continued repression of women and harassment of human rights defenders and journalists, the torture of prisoners and severe discrimination against minorities, including Christians, in Iran, in a report in March 2019. Now, in his latest report on Monday, he said: “Impunity and the lack of accountability for human rights violations in the Islamic Republic are a significant, sad and recurring feature of the Islamic Republic.”

“The ongoing executions and increase in death sentences during my reporting period are deeply concerning,” said Javed Rahman at the beginning of his report. At least 834 people were executed in 2023, a 43 percent increase compared to 2022. Of the reported executions in 2023, 471 – approximately 56.5 percent – ​​were on drug-related charges. As of December 31, 2023, since the nationwide protests began in September 2022, the Iranian authorities have sadly executed nine people for their participation in the protests. Despite serious concerns expressed by me and the international community, the execution of children in Iran has continued, with at least one execution reported in 2023. The country also has one of the highest execution rates for women, with at least 22 women executed in 2023,” he said.

In addition to Javed Rahman, Sarah Hossein, the head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on Human Rights Violations during the 1401 protests in Iran, also presented her report at the Geneva meeting. In this report, she said that severe, widespread and systematic attacks on women and girls, human rights defenders, torture, extrajudicial executions, sexual violence and rape: "These acts, in some of these cases, amounted to serious human rights violations that amounted to crimes against humanity."

While the 6-year mission of UN Special Rapporteur Javed Rehman has ended, more than 40 international and Iranian human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Article 18, and Article 19, issued and signed a statement calling on member states of the UN Human Rights Council to extend the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur and the institution's fact-finding committee.

Human rights organizations, while emphasizing the continued severe violations and repression of millions of Iranians, including women, girls, and ethnic, religious, and religious minorities, including Christians, Baha'is, Gonabadi Dervishes, Sunnis, and Baluchis, stated: "The revival of the Special Rapporteur's mission is essential, as the human rights crisis in Iran is severe and includes ongoing crimes against international law and serious human rights violations that affect millions of people in Iran and restrict a wide range of rights."