UN Geneva - Multimedia Newsroom : HRC 52 - Vote on Situation of Human Rights in Iran

We will now move to the item four and the Council will now consider the draught proposal L3, entitled The Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, and I would like to give the floor to the representative of Iceland to introduce the draught texts.

You have the floor.

Thank you, Mr.

President, I have the honour to present draught Resolution L3 on behalf of the core group of Moltoa N Macedonia, the United Kingdom and Iceland.

L3 seeks to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran for another year.

The draught resolution is the product of an open and transparent process, and we are grateful for the constructive proposals and the informal consultations which serve to improve the text.

The human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran remains dire, with persistent violations of a wide range of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.

The Iranian authorities continue to violate the human rights of its people and stoke fear through instrumentalizing the death penalty.

Impunity for gross violations of human rights and the absence of accountability embolden perpetrators and perpetuate cycles of violence.

Continued monitoring, reporting and scrutiny is vital.

It can save lives.

Mr.

President, today's adoption is about solidarity with the people of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

It is about demonstrating that the Council stands with all those who wish to simply enjoy their human rights and fundamental freedoms without fear of reprisal or repression.

It is about saying stop to the violence and discrimination in law and in practise against women and goals, children, persons belonging to minorities, human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists.

Mr.

President, I call on all members of the Council to support the resolution today and if a vote is called, to vote in favour.

Thank you.

Let me inform you that there are additional 7 Co sponsors.

And now let me invite the members of the Council wishing to make their general comments.

Finland.

Finland, you have the floor.

Mr.

President, I have the honour to speak on behalf of the EU Member States that are members of the Human Rights Council.

This general comment has been agreed by the EU as a whole.

The European Union firmly supports the renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran and thanks him for his report that sheds light into the deteriorating situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

We also fully support the inclusion of substantial language in the resolution so it can reflect the extent and the gravity of the human rights violations.

We echo the grave concerns raised in the resolution on the violations of the human rights of women and girls.

Moreover, we condemn the arbitrary arrests and executions of peaceful protesters, among others.

The EU unequivocally opposes the use of the death penalty in all times and circumstances and calls on Iranian authorities to comply with the international obligations deriving from ICCPR.

Moreover, the EU urges the Iranian authorities to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur and the Fact Finding mission by providing information and facilitating their access to the country.

In this vein, we invite all members of the Human Rights Council to join consensus around the text and to support this important resolution.

I thank you, thank you.

The next on my list is Costa Rica Gracias Presidente Costa Rica.

Without violence.

Thank you.

Thank you, and now let me pass the floor to the United States of America.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

As we sit here in the comfort of Geneva, under the iconic ceiling of the UN Human Rights Chamber, far from the tragedy unfolding in Iran, we cannot ignore the rising number of reports of what the Iranian people have been suffering in the brutal crackdown that began in September of last year.

Mass arrests, sham trials, hasty executions and lengthy prison sentences being handed down to protesters, as well as the use of sexual violence as a tool to suppress protests.

These deeply disturbing actions unfortunately make clear that the situation in Iran continues to require our attention and the diligent, independent assessment that renewing the mandate of the Special Rapporteur can provide in the form of timely and critical reporting.

The deteriorating human rights situation in Iran demands that we take this action today.

The resolution before us is the product of collaboration among Member States with newly added language to addressed systematic impunity for gross violations of human rights, including torture and arbitrary arrests and detentions.

I'm grateful that after 10 years, the Council recognises that this resolution must evolve with the current human rights crisis.

Despite the devastating consequences of the regimes violent crackdown, members of the Iranian civil society, including defenders such as Sepita Golian and Nargis Mohammadi, among countless others, remain resilient and courageous.

the United States will continue to work closely with our allies and partners in the international community to take action to support the people of Iran who are the victims of these violations and abuses, and to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.

We are proud to join more than 65 Co sponsors and urge all Council members to support this resolution, and we thank the core group for their leadership.

I thank you.

Thank you.

Now let me ask the Council if there is another member wishing to make a general comment.

It's not the case.

So we will continue with the country concerned and I'm passing the floor to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

You have the floor similar.

Rahman Ibrahim.

Mr.

President, the draught resolution on which the Council is about to take action, submitted by Iceland and UK as its main sponsors, is totally unwarranted and rejected by Iran.

Tabling this resolution is considered by Iran as a malign attempt to deliberately target and destruct Iran's human rights face by producing twisted narratives, negative cliche and false accusations.

This resolution and its mandate deliberately ignores the human rights achievements of the Islamic Republic of Iran and name and shame by country, with the aim to divert attentions from the violations of him of the rights of Iranians and crimes against humanity committed by the sponsors of this resolution through imposing nationwide unilateral coercive measures against my my people.

Mr.

President, weaponization of human rights as a foreign policy tool is unacceptable and endangers the current cause of human rights.

This approach neither contributes to the protection and promotion of human rights, nor is it compatible with the realities on the ground and the history and background of the Iranian culture and civilization.

Islamic Republic of Iran earnestly believes in the imperative of respect for and promotion of human rights.

Our achievements in the field of human rights in the past four decades bears testimony to Iran's seriousness towards respecting, protecting and fulfilment of human rights.

In this line, we have continued our cooperation with human rights mechanisms, in particular with the UPR Working Group.

We have responded to more than 60% of the communications of the special procedures.

We have distributed 35 explanatory reports in Geneva since September 22 on the developments after the death of Miss Masa Amini.

We have also established a close contact with the UN **** Commissioner Office.

But all of these efforts and Iran's achievements are lost among the maximum pressure, policy and media manipulation of the sponsors of this resolution.

Mr.

President, members of the Human Rights Council know are at a sensitive crossroad.

They should decide whether to continue to vote in a favour of politically motivated resolution or to vote against it to support Iranian nation in the glory path that they have selected towards independence, indignity and success.

We hope the latter would be the choice today.

I thank you, Mr.

President, by the request of the delegation of Pakistan, the Council will now proceed to a recorded vote on draught proposal L3 and now ask this result to open the voting machine and I asked the delegations to register their votes.

So please let me ask you if your votes are recorded accurately and reflected on the screen and if that is the case, I'm asking the secretariat to close the voting machine and the voting is now closed.

Results of the recorded votes are as follows.

23 in favour, eight against, 16 abstentions.

Draught Proposal L 3 is therefore adopted.

Copies of the results of the road will shortly be uploaded on the extranet.

HRC 52 - Vote on Situation of Human Rights in Iran - 04 April 2023