The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Edited News , Press Conferences
Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran - 05 July 2023
Iranian executions and detentions in spotlight at Human Rights Council
Iran faced calls on Wednesday from top UN-appointed rights investigators to halt the executions of people sentenced to death in connection with anti-government demonstrations that have continued since the death in custody of Mahsa Amini last September.
“We have expressed concerns over domestic investigation into the death in custody of Jina Mahsa Amini and in particular over the fact that today her family's right to truth and justice remains unfulfilled,” said Viviana Krsticevic, a member of the Fact-Finding Mission on Iran.
“Domestic investigations in her case have fallen short of international human rights norms, and, moreover, efforts to shed light on the circumstances of her death have been hindered,” Ms. Krsticevic told journalists at a press conference in Geneva.
Earlier, the Fact-Finding Mission told the Human Rights Council’s 47 UN Member States that the overall human rights situation in Iran risked deteriorating further amid reports that new legislation is being mulled that proposes harsher punishments on women and girls not wearing their veil according to strict rules.
The death of 22-year-old Ms. Amini after her arrest by Iran’s so-called morality police sparked mass protests across the country – and condemnation from UN-appointed rights experts, who called her a victim of “Iran’s sustained repression and systematic discrimination against women”.
‘Forced veiling’
“We have identified major risks of further erosion of women's and girls’ rights in Iran”, said Ms. Krsticevic. “We have expressed concern about the continuous repression of women and girls opposing forced veiling and their reported use of facial recognition technologies to identify and arrest them.”
The rights expert also pointed to information indicating that students “are being suspended from their studies or banned from dormitories for their defiance of the compulsory veiling law”.
Echoing concerns about the proposed use of flogging of women and girls who defy the compulsory veiling rules, Sara Hossein, Chair of the Fact-Finding Mission, said that some of the penalties were “clearly what would constitute inhuman punishment under international law”.
Ms. Hossein added that there were also concerns that imposing detention for wearing clothes incorrectly constituted arbitrary detention.
The Fact-Finding Mission – established by the Human Rights Council in November 2022 - is also investigating whether alleged poisonings of girls in schools have been orchestrated as a means to punish or deter girls for their involvement in the protests.
“Just two months after the protests occurred, a series of alleged poisonings started in dozens of schools in 28 provinces”, said Ms. Krsticevic. “Reports said this may have been may have been orchestrated to punish girls or to turn them from involvement in the protests and are being duly investigated in the framework of our mandate.”
Even today, 10 months after Ms. Amini’s death events, no official data has been made publicly available regarding those arrested, detained, charged or convicted in connection with the protests, the experts said.
But reports continue to emerge of arrests and detentions of protesters, including women and girls refusing to comply with the country’s forced veiling law and of harassment of their family members.
“The aftermath of those protests in the form of intimidation of families and of reprisals continue unabated,” said Shaheen Sardar Ali, member of the Fact-Finding Mission.
She added that according to the Iranian authorities, 22,000 people had been pardoned in connection with the protests.
“This suggests that many more were detained or charged. Unfortunately, no disaggregated data exists on the nature of the accusations against these people or on those convicted, still detained or charged for their involvement in the protests.”
Those involved in the protests reportedly continue to suffer harsh punishments, including for exercising rights protected under international human rights law, the experts said.
This is despite concerns over a lack transparency in legal proceedings and failure to meet basic fair trial and due process guarantees under international human rights law.
Death penalty surge
“Since November 2022, at least 26 individuals have reportedly been sentenced to death in connection with the protests and dozens more have been charged with offences carrying the death penalty,” said Ms. Sardar Ali.
“Seven men have already been executed following these proceedings marred by serious allegations of fair trial violations, including confessions extracted under torture.”
To date, the Fact-Finding Mission has sent seven letters to the Iranian Government, including repeated requests for a visit to the country to gather information critical to its investigations which have yet to be answered.
Yesterday, the experts met the lead Iranian officials appointed to the “Special Committee to investigate the 2022 unrests”.
The Fact-Finding Mission is preparing a comprehensive report on its findings to the Human Rights Council for its 55th session in March 2024.
-ends-
Speakers:
- Sara Hossain, Chair of the Iran Fact-Finding Mission
- Shaheen Sardar Ali, Member of the Iran Fact-Finding Mission
- Viviana Krsticevic, Member of the Iran Fact-Finding Mission
Date shot: 05 July 2023
- Exterior medium shot: UN Palais with flags
- Wide shot: speakers and moderator behind podium at the press conference, screens on both sides of the podium
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Viviana Krsticevic, Member of the Iran Fact-Finding Mission (FFM): “We have expressed concerns over the domestic investigation into the death in custody of Gina Masa Amini and in particular over the fact that today her family's right to truth and justice remains unfulfilled. Domestic investigations in her case have fallen short of international human rights norms of standards. And moreover, efforts to shed light on the circumstances of her death have been hindered.”
- Close shot: attendee taking notes at the press conference
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Viviana Krsticevic, Member of the Iran Fact-Finding Mission (FFM): “We have also identified major risks of further erosion of women's and girls’ rights in Iran. We have expressed concern about the continuous repression of women and girls opposing forced veiling and their reported use of facial recognition technologies to identify and arrest them. Alarming information, according to which students are being suspended from their studies or banned from dormitories for their defiance of the compulsory veiling law continue to emerge.”
- Medium shot: photographers and attendees at the press conference, screen with speaker in the background
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Viviana Krsticevic, Member of the Iran Fact-Finding Mission (FFM): “Just two months after the protests occurred, a series of alleged poisonings started in dozens of schools in 28 provinces. Reports said this may have been orchestrated as a means to punish girls or to turn them from involvement in the protests and are being duly investigated in the framework of our mandate.”
- Medium shot: speakers and moderator behind podium, photographer in the foreground
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Sara Hossain, Chair of the Iran Fact-Finding Mission (FFM): “In relation to the nature of the penalties, some of the penalties are clearly what would constitute inhuman punishment under international law, such as flogging. There are also concerns that imposing detention for these kinds of occurrences would constitute arbitrary detention. There's also an attempt through this proposed legislation to essentially privatize enforcement of these job laws so that private actors would become responsible for any individual who doesn't comply with the laws.”
- Wide shot: speakers and moderators behind podium at the press conference, screens on both sides of the podium, attendees in the foreground
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Shaheen Sardar Ali, Member of the Iran Fact-Finding Mission (FFM): “The aftermath of those protests in the form of intimidation of families and of reprisals continue unabated. 22,000 people, as reported by the government of Iran, have been pardoned in connection with the protests. This suggests that many more were detained or charged. Unfortunately, no disaggregated data exists on the nature of the accusations against these people or on those convicted, still detained or charged for their involvement in the protests.”
- Medium shot: cameraman in the foreground, attendees in the background
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Shaheen Sardar Ali, Member of the Iran Fact-Finding Mission (FFM): “Since November 2022, at least 26 individuals have reportedly been sentenced to death in connection with the protests, and dozens more have been charged with office offenses carrying the death penalty. Seven men have already been executed following these proceedings marred by serious allegations of fair trial violations, including confessions extracted under torture.”
- Close shot: camera filming the press conference
- Close shot: attendee taking notes
- Medium shot: cameraman at the press conference
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNHCR , WHO
The past two months of intensifying Israeli bombardment in Lebanon have been the “deadliest and most devastating” in decades as communities uprooted from the front line have continued to flee across the border to Syria, UN humanitarians said on Friday.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | OCHA , WHO , UNHCR , IFRC , ILO , UNCTAD
Alessandra Vellucci of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Health Organization, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Federation of the Red Cross, the International Labour Organization and the United Nations Trade and Development.
2
1
3
Edited News | UNOG
“State of Silence”: Diego Luna brings the fight to protect the press to the UN in Geneva
Mexican actor, producer and director Diego Luna has brought his fight to protect journalists all the way to the United Nations, in Geneva. Together with documentary director Santiago Masa, he is putting a spotlight on the silencing of investigative journalism in his country, and on the incredibly high price that many journalist have to pay in pursuit of truth.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
“Today marks the grim milestone of 1,000 days since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale armed attack on Ukraine. Our Office has verified that at least 12,162 civilians have been killed since 24 February 2022, among them 659 children. At least another 26,919 civilians have been injured,” UN Human Rights spokesperson Jeremy Laurance told the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
With COP29 in Baku now in its second - and final - week, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has reiterated his call for urgent human rights-based climate action.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNIFIL , UNICEF , WHO
Lebanon: Increased violence along Blue Line and ‘horrific new normal’ for children
In southern Lebanon, peacekeepers have witnessed “shocking” destruction of villages along the Blue Line and ever-deeper Israeli ground incursions, while the situation of children across the country is becoming increasingly desperate, the UN said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | ITU , OSE , UNIFIL , UNICEF , OHCHR , WHO , FAO
Rolando Gómez of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the World Health Organization, the Food and Agricultural Organization, and the International Telecommunication Union.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | UNRWA
The head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, confirmed on Monday that a large convoy of humanitarian aid was looted inside Gaza at the weekend, amid a near-total a breakdown in law and order and harassment of the agency’s staff by Israeli soldiers.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA
In the nearly 1,000 days since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, thousands of civilians have been killed, the country’s energy infrastructure is on the brink and drones terrify communities on the front line, the UN’s top aid official in the country said on Friday.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | OCHA , WHO
UN Geneva briefing: Ukraine's humanitarian crisis deepens, with 12,000 dead and 3.6M displaced.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | OHCHR
Mexican actor, producer and director Diego Luna took a break from the big screen on Thursday to highlight the dangers faced by journalists in his country and beyond, condemning murders of reporters everywhere as “a scandal”.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA
Gaza: ‘People are losing hope’ as aid access is refused to north, warns UNRWA
Besieged northern Gaza is a place of dead bodies lying in the streets and hospitals running out of blood packs – a situation that’s “nothing short of catastrophic”, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said on Tuesday.