The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran on Thursday called for the swift establishment of an international mechanism to investigate serious violations in the country, and reinforced the request to allow him to enter Iranian territory.
Speaking at a press conference at UN headquarters in New York, Javaid Rehman said it is now time for the international community to intervene, while the Iranian people “have not lost hope”.
“I ask the community to set up an international mechanism to investigate all these abuses. (…) All these deaths are too many and the international community must now be held accountable, with the establishment of an international investigation mechanism. UN”Rehman appealed.
“How many times can these people be mistreated? How many times can they violate their fundamental freedoms? Iranian women don’t want to be subjugated, they see the world, they see the world changing. The Iranian authorities, brutal as they are, cannot stop these people , these women. Now is the time to act. There is a risk that these people will lose hope and this would have serious consequences for these people,” he estimated.
Iran has been facing fierce protests since the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish girl who was arrested and violently beaten by the “moral police” for wearing her hijab (Islamic veil) too loose, exposing part of her hair. was visible. .
Her death sparked protests in dozens of cities in the country’s 80 million residents, with young women marching through the streets to publicly expose and cut their hair. The Iranian government responded with strong repression, blaming the demonstrations on foreign interference.
According to the UN rapporteur, Amini is “a victim of cruelty and state repression”.
Javaid Rehman said that since the young woman’s death on September 16, many reports have been released by Iranian entities about what led to Amini’s death. However, they were all rejected by the young woman’s family, who asked independent doctors to do the evaluation, which was refused.
“The investigations did not meet the minimum requirements of impartiality and independence”noted the UN rapporteur.
“She was not the first and will not be the last to be a victim of this type of violence. We have received numerous reports of similar situations. In addition, since the protests began, at least 27 children have been killed by the Iranian authorities and they have been registered , at least 250 dead,” stressed
Rehman criticized the fact that his calls for impartial investigation and accountability had not been met.
Rehman, responsible for reporting on the human rights situation in Iran, regretted that he was not yet allowed to enter the country, which would be essential to observe developments on the ground.
“Since I took office, I have not been allowed to visit the country, and neither have my predecessors. If the Iranian leaders listen to me, I should be admitted, I want to be there, be able to see and answer all your questions”appealed against Rehman, adding that the Iranian government considers its reports unbiased.
The rapporteur stressed that there has been a worldwide condemnation of all atrocities registered in Iran, but stressed that this is not enough, “we must move on”.
“What I ask is that you join an international investigative mechanism to investigate these serious violations. It is very important that the UN and the international community take concrete steps to hold the perpetrators of these violations to account,” he reiterated.
Rehman also spoke of the Iranian authorities’ repression of journalists and the blocking of the Internet, deeming it an “abuse of power” in an attempt to restrict freedom of expression.
“Dozens of journalists have been detained since the start of this wave of protests. Journalists are the target of this Iranian atrocity,” he stressed.
Source: DN
