18 December 2024 :

December 17, 2024 - IRAN. UN 71st Resolution Condemns Iran’s Human Rights Violations, Targeted Repression of Women
The United Nations General Assembly adopted its 71st resolution on December 17, 2024, denouncing the Iranian regime’s widespread and systematic human rights abuses. The resolution passed with 80 votes in favor and 27 against, highlights the regime’s unlawful use of the death penalty, arbitrary arrests, torture, suppression of peaceful protests, and severe discrimination against women, ethnic and religious minorities, and even minors.
The resolution describes these actions as tools of political repression and demands an immediate halt to executions, many of which are based on forced confessions extracted under torture and conducted without fair trials. It also calls for the suspension of all death sentences in the country.
In a pointed critique of the Iranian regime’s treatment of women and girls, the resolution underscores the oppressive laws and discriminatory practices that violate international standards and fundamental human rights principles.
The resolution expresses deep concern over the inhumane conditions in Iranian prisons. It condemns the deliberate deprivation of medical care, clean drinking water, and familial contact for detainees. These basic rights are often withheld unless prisoners comply with forced confessions or other coercive measures. The UN also strongly censured the use of sexual and gender-based violence against detainees, categorizing it as a flagrant violation of international law.
The resolution follows alarming reports of the regime’s escalating use of executions as a means of suppressing dissent.
The resolution’s adoption amplifies calls for holding the Iranian regime accountable for its extensive human rights violations. The growing consensus among human rights advocates is that the regime’s crimes warrant urgent referral to the United Nations Security Council. Calls for international justice demand that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other senior officials face trial for over four decades of crimes against humanity and genocide.
The UN resolution is a critical step in shedding light on the regime’s brutal practices and reinforces the global commitment to defending human rights in Iran. However, it also highlights the urgent need for concrete action to end impunity for the regime’s leadership.

https://wncri.org/2024/12/17/un-71st-resolution-repression-of-women/

21 November 2024 :

November 19, 2024 - UNITED NATIONS. Moratorium on Death Penalty - draft resolution
UN resolution reflects growing support for ending capital punishment
The Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday approved a draft resolution calling for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, with a view to abolishing it. The resolution, which stresses the need to respect international standards that provide safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty, was adopted by a vote of 131 countries in favor, 36 against, with 21 abstentions.
By the text, the General Assembly would urge all member states and other states to establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty. It would also urge them to respect international standards that provide safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty and ensure that any trial leading to the imposition of the death penalty complies with internationally recognized fair trial guarantees.
The representative of Italy, introducing the draft resolution, said that 75 years ago when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted, only 10 countries had abolished the death penalty. Today, over 2/3 of countries have done so legally or practically, he said. He stressed that this trend's growth is global, universal, and "instrumental" in supporting it, citing this text as evidence. He also stressed that the text does not call for changing the constitution or national laws.
Before the vote, the Committee approved an amendment 105-65-13, reaffirming the sovereign right of all countries to develop their own legal systems and legal penalties as required by international law. The amendment was introduced by the representative of Singapore, who said that the paragraph added has repeatedly been voted back into the resolution with an overwhelming majority.

https://www.eastmojo.com/world/2024/11/19/un-resolution-reflects-growing-support-for-ending-capital-punishment/

21 November 2024 :

18 November 2024 - United Nations. 79th Session, 52nd & 53rd Meetings
Death Penalty Moratorium among 9 Draft Resolutions Approved by Third Committee
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural) approved 9 draft resolutions today, including texts on trafficking in women and girls, forced marriage, extreme poverty and the moratorium on the death penalty.
The Committee approved the draft resolution titled “Moratorium on the use of the death penalty” (document A/C.3/79/L.37/Rev.1), as amended, by a vote of 131 in favour, 36 against, with 21 abstentions. By the text, the General Assembly would call on all States to establish a moratorium on executions, with a view to abolishing the death penalty, as well as to respect international standards that provide safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty and ensure that any trial leading to the imposition of the death penalty complies with internationally recognized fair trial guarantees.
Introducing the draft “rooted in the principles of human dignity and the right to life”, Italy’s delegate recalled that 75 years ago when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted, only 10 countries had abolished the death penalty. Today, over 2/3 of countries have done so in law or in practice. “This demonstrates a growing global momentum, with a universal character,” he stressed, citing this text as “instrumental” in supporting this trend.
In 2023, the number of countries that carried out executions reached the lowest figure on record, he continued, adding that retentionist countries — even though “extremely vocal in this room” — are increasingly isolated worldwide. Underscoring that the abolition of the death penalty is not a matter of “culture” or “tradition”, he said this draft is crucial for promoting the right to life and addressing irreversible justice errors. He also stressed that the text does not call for any constitutional change or revision of national legislation.
Prior to the vote, the Committee approved by a vote of 105 in favour to 65 against, with 13 abstentions an amendment to the draft (document A/C.3/79/L.54), which would add the operative paragraph “Reaffirms the sovereign right of all countries to develop their own legal systems, including determining appropriate legal penalties, in accordance with their international law obligations” before operative paragraph 1.
“The text of the amendment is neutral, simple and constructive,” said the representative of Singapore in introducing the revision, noting that the paragraph added has repeatedly been voted back into the resolution with an overwhelming majority, whose opinions are dismissed by its deletion.
Many delegates echoed that sentiment, noting that the amendment's proponents are repeatedly forced to reintroduce it to be voted into the biennial moratorium resolution. The amendment is very direct in emphasizing that States, in including the death penalty in their legal systems, are only exercising their sovereign rights in accordance with their obligations under international law, they asserted.
However, other delegates countered that the amendment attempts to distract from the draft's main focus, urging States to consider applying a moratorium on executions. The proposed amendment, meanwhile, implies that States can use sovereignty as an excuse to disregard the universality of human rights and consider this call to action null and void.
After the approval of “L.37/Rev.1”, as amended, numerous speakers underscored that today’s vote clearly demonstrates the continued momentum to realize the commitment to abolish capital punishment, with a delegate stating: “The growing support for the resolution solidifies the emerging international consensus and understanding that the death penalty is a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment that is incompatible with the inalienable right to life and human dignity.”

https://press.un.org/en/2024/gashc4431.doc.htm

23 June 2024 :

June 20, 2024 - IRAN. Presentation of the Secretary-General’s report on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran (A/HRC/56/22)
Delivered by Nada Al-Nashif, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights
At 56th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva
Distinguished President,
Your Excellencies,
Colleagues and Friends,
Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 77/220, the Council has been presented with the report of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, covering the period from 1 August 2023 to 31 March 2024.
During this period, the Islamic Republic of Iran continued to engage with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and with a number of human rights mechanisms. The Government submitted its fifth and sixth periodic reports to the Committee on the Rights of the Child in November of last year and responded to nine communications sent by Special Procedures. Earlier this year and at the invitation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, I led an OHCHR mission to the country from 3 to 5 February 2024 to discuss critical human rights issues including the death penalty and the rights of women.
The Secretary-General’s report notes with serious concern the high number of executions during the reporting period. According to information received, at least 834 individuals were executed last year, which represents a 43 per cent increase from the previous year. Especially troubling is the 84 per cent increase in executions for drug-related offenses in 2023, the highest figure in nearly a decade. Minorities continue to be disproportionately affected by executions, with 20 per cent of all executions in 2023 affecting the Baluch minority. While noting an overall decline in the sentencing of children to death since 2014, the report deplores the execution of two child offenders in 2023 and urges the Government to introduce an immediate moratorium on the death penalty as a first step towards its abolition also to prohibit the execution of all offenders who were under the age of 18 at the time of the alleged crime. It is deeply regrettable that during the reporting period, two men were executed in relation to the September 2022 nationwide protests, bringing the total of those to nine. Serious allegations of torture-tainted confessions and due process violations have permeated these cases.
Civic space online and offline continued to be severely restricted. The Government tightly controls access to information, including by blocking access to social media platforms. Journalists and writers continue to be targeted in connection to their work. In 2023, at least 49 writers were imprisoned. Artists have also been targeted for exercising their freedom of opinion and expression including the artist Toomaj Salehi, later convicted and sentenced for “corruption on earth” which carries the death penalty, over views he expressed in the context of the 2022 nationwide protests. The report also describes an environment of intimidation, coercion, and repression against lawyers challenging judicial proceedings, against human rights defenders, and the families of protest victims.
The report expresses continued concern in relation to the Bill to Support the Family by Promoting the Culture of Chastity and Hijab (Chastity and Hijab Bill), which seeks to reinforce mandatory public hijab requirements for women and girls and introduces severe penalties for non-compliance.
Despite advances achieved by and for women and girls in Iran in particular in the education sector and towards ensuring participation in political and public life, women continue to face ongoing, significant barriers to political representation, as apparent in the March 2024 parliamentary elections.
The report also draws attention to the significant findings of the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran (“Fact-Finding Mission”) and its recommendations.
The report highlights the impact of the economic crisis exacerbated by the impact of unilateral coercive measures and economic mismanagement, on living conditions and access to health, food and water. The Islamic Republic of Iran’s ratification of the ILO’s Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155) and the Protocol of 2002 to the Occupational Safety and Health Conventionduring the reporting period could strengthen the normative protection framework for workers and full implementation will be key to improve working conditions.
30,000 children with disabilities lack access to primary education, while the law still permits child marriages for girls as young as 13 and boys as young as 15. Additionally, over 40,000 children, particularly from minority and marginalized groups, lack official identification documents, hindering their access to essential services such as healthcare and education.
Numerous individuals were reportedly arrested, imprisoned, expelled from educational institutions, and denied economic opportunities based on their perceived affiliation with minorities, including the Baloch, Ahwazi Arab, Kurds, Baha’i and Christian communities.
Your Excellencies,
The report welcomes the 28 November 2023 directive on “Referring to International Human Rights Conventions in Judicial Decisions” presented by the Deputy Head of the Judiciary. The directive instructs judges to align their decisions with the international human rights obligations of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The report also notes the summary findings of the Special Committee tasked with investigating violations in the context of the 2022 protests and measures imposed on certain security personnel found culpable or negligent, as well as steps of compensation towards some victims. While efforts toward accountability are welcome, concerns remain over the independence of the Special Committee and the lack of information on steps taken to prevent future violations and address long-standing human rights grievances.
The report notes a measure of interaction between the Special Committee and the Fact-Finding Mission, but regrets that the Government denied it access to the country. Following the renewal of its mandate by this Council, I call on the Government to fully cooperate with it, as well as with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Our Office stands ready to continue its engagement with the Iranian authorities on the range of issues highlighted in the report of the Secretary-General for the promotion and protection of all human rights.
Thank you.

https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2024/06/presentation-secretary-generals-report-situation-human-rights

20 March 2024 :

March 18, 2024 - IRAN. Scale of Iran rights abuses slammed at UN. 
At UN Human Rights Council in Geneva
On Monday, march 18, the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva has started to review Iran's human rights situation after the presentation of UN Special Rapporteur Javaid Rehman's report.
Representatives from Canada, Belgium, and the United States led the discussion on Monday, condemning human and women's rights violations, suppression of protests, executions, and pressure on journalists.
The Islamic Republic objected to the American representative's portrayal of the situation. 
Meanwhile, some of Iran's regional allies, including China, Russia, and North Korea, opposed the report's findings, particularly regarding the systematic violation of human rights during women's protests against mandatory hijab.
"I remain very concerned at the ongoing executions and spike in death penalty sentences observed," said Javaid Rehman, the council's special rapporteur on the rights situation in Iran.
"At least 834 people were executed in 2023 -- a 43-percent increase compared to 2022," he said, as he presented his latest report to the council, the UN's top rights body.
Several countries shared his views, urging Iran to impose a moratorium on executions at the very least.
"France is very concerned by the alarming increase in the number of death sentences and executions," said the French ambassador, Jerome Bonnafont.
"16 of the 24 women executed worldwide in 2022 were executed in Iran, and at least 22 women were executed in Iran in 2023 -- the highest number since 2013," he added.
US ambassador Michele Taylor said Iran continued to "intimidate, abuse and imprison" rights activists, journalists, lawyers, religious minorities, cultural figures and political dissidents.
"Many detainees have reported that authorities use torture, sexual and gender-based violence and threats of violence to extract confessions that have been used as the basis for death sentences," Taylor said.
Her comments echoed those voiced by others including the European Union, Britain, the Nordic and Baltic countries and some South American states such as Argentina.
However, Washington's remarks triggered an interjection from Tehran's representative Somayeh Karimdoost.
"We are deeply concerned by the inflammatory and provocative language used," she said.
In replying to Rehman's speech, she said his report was "not factual nor is it professional", let alone fair or reflective of Iran's "constant progress in promotion and protection of human rights".
Russia, Belarus, Venezuela, Cuba, North Korea and Syria shared support for Tehran, as did China, which said appointing such country-specific special rapporteurs without the consent of the countries concerned would only lead to "confrontations and antagonism".

https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2024/03/scale-iran-rights-abuses-slammed-un
https://iranwire.com/en/news/126548-unhrc-begins-reviewing-irans-human-rights-violations/

21 January 2024 :

16 January 2024 - Alabama. 
UN urge Alabama to halt first execution by nitrogen asphyxiation 
The imminent execution of an American prisoner by a new and untested method - suffocation by nitrogen gas - could amount to torture, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, warned on Tuesday.
Kenneth Eugene Smith was convicted of murder in 1988 and is scheduled to be executed on 25 January in the southern state of Alabama.
This will mark the 1st time in the US that a person will be put to death using nitrogen gas.
OHCHR Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said Smith’s execution could amount to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment under international human rights law.
“The UN human rights office calls on Alabama state authorities to halt Smith’s execution, scheduled for 25-26 January, and to refrain from taking steps towards any other executions in this manner,” she said, speaking in Geneva.
“Alabama already sought to execute Smith unsuccessfully by lethal injection in 2022. Smith also has ongoing proceedings in federal court against his upcoming execution which have not been finally resolved,” she added.
Ms. Shamdasani noted that Alabama makes no provision for sedation prior to execution by nitrogen asphyxiation.
“The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends giving even large animals a sedative when being euthanized in this manner,” she said.
The Alabama state protocol on execution also refers to the gas being administered for up to 15 minutes.
“Smith has also advanced, with expert evidence, that such an execution by gas asphyxiation, in his case, risks particular pain and suffering,” she said.
Expressing OHCHR's serious concern, Ms. Shamdasani said the execution could breach international treaties on civil rights and the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Furthermore, the death penalty is inconsistent with the fundamental right to life.
“There is an absence of proof that it deters crime, and it creates an unacceptable risk of executing innocent people,” she said.
“Rather than inventing new ways to implement capital punishment, we urge all States to put in place a moratorium on its use, as a step towards universal abolition.”

https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/01/1145587