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HRC 53 - Panel Discussion on Iran - 21 June 2023
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Edited News , Statements | OHCHR

HRC53 - Panel Discussion on Iran - 21 June 2023

ENG

SHOTLIST

  1. Medium shot, UN Palais with flags
  2. Wide shot and pan down from ceiling of the UN Human Rights Council
  3. SOUNDBITE (English) – Nada Al-Nashif, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights: “The overall human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran has markedly deteriorated against the backdrop of continuously worsening socio-economic conditions, aggravated by sanctions and the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
  4. Wide shot, photographer taking pictures in the Human Rights Council room
  5. SOUNDBITE (English) – Nada Al-Nashif, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights: “In 2022, 582 people were executed, that is a 75 per cent increase compared to 2021 during which 333 people were reportedly executed. There were three children among those executed in 2022. Of the total number of executions, 256 were for drug-related offences.”
  6. Medium shot, delegates from diverse member states
  7. SOUNDBITE (English) - Nada Al-Nashif, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights: “There have been numerous allegations of torture and ill-treatment of individuals by security forces during arrest and interrogation to extract forced confessions as well as allegations of sexual and gender-based violence committed against women, men and children, especially in detention. As previously reported, prison conditions including denial of medical care, dire sanitary conditions, contaminated drinking water and overcrowding, remain of concern.”
  8. Medium shot, photographer and camerawoman at the Human Rights Room
  9. SOUNDBITE (English) - Nada Al-Nashif, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights: “On 15 August 2022, the President signed a decree which includes the introduction of face-recognition technology to track and punish unveiled women or those who actively question compulsory veiling. At the legislative level, new draft provisions to the Penal Code are being considered in parliament to expand the scope of offenses for non-compliance, allowing imprisonment, flogging, and other punishments.”
  10. Medium shot, delegates in Human Rights Room from behind with screen of speakers
  11. SOUNDBITE (English) – Nada Al-Nashif, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights: “The report also notes with grave concern that as of 2 March of this year, more than 1,000 students, the majority of whom are girls, had reportedly been affected by suspected poisoning in 91 schools in 20 provinces. The authorities provided conflicting accounts of these incidents. »
  12. Medium shot, panel with speakers
  1. SOUNDBITE (English) - Ali Bahreini, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of The Islamic Republic of Iran to the UN in Geneva: “The report should not represent a clumsy, inappropriate and inaccurate collection, including allegations received from newspapers and unreliable and irrelevant websites or sources known for spreading false and biased news or based on fake news published by terrorist and hostile organisations.”
  2.  Close up, photographer
  3.  Medium shot, delegates in Human Rights Room
  4.  Medium shot, delegates in Human Rights Room

 

Alarming large-scale arrests and detentions since the onset of the protests in Iran, says new UN report 

A record number of executions in 2022, arrests of thousands of children and numerous allegations of torture and ill-treatment of individuals by security forces feature in a new report released on Wednesday by the UN Secretary-General on the human rights situation in Iran.

“The overall human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran has markedly deteriorated against the backdrop of continuously worsening socio-economic conditions, aggravated by sanctions and the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Nada Al-Nashif, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, presenting the report to the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The report focuses on developments since the onset of nationwide protests following the death of 22-year-old Jina Mahsa Amini on 16 September 2022, three days after she fell into a coma and died in police custody, following her arrest by Iran’s so-called Morality Police.

The report notes with serious concern the high number of death penalty sentences and executions during the reporting period.

“In 2022, 582 people were executed”, noted the Deputy High Commissioner. “That is a 75 per cent increase compared to 2021 during which 333 people were reportedly executed. There were three children among those executed in 2022. Of the total number of executions, 256 were for drug-related offences.”

According to Ms. Al-Nashif, this marks the highest rate of drug-related executions in the country since 2017. 

Thousands of children are estimated to have been among those arrested during the protests, while at least 44 children, including 10 girls, were reportedly killed by security forces using lethal force. The highest number of deaths was reported in the Sistan and Baluchistan Province, where at least 10 children were killed.

“There have been numerous allegations of torture and ill-treatment of individuals by security forces during arrest and interrogation to extract forced confessions as well as allegations of sexual and gender-based violence committed against women, men and children, especially in detention,” said Ms. Al-Nashif. “Prison conditions including denial of medical care, dire sanitary conditions, contaminated drinking water and overcrowding, remain of concern.”

Since the onset of protests, respect for the rights to freedom has significantly deteriorated, the Human Rights Council heard. State policy was also found to have become more stringent in enforcing mandatory veiling and imposing harsher penalties on women and girls who fail to respect the ruling.

“On 15 August 2022, the President signed a decree which includes the introduction of face-recognition technology to track and punish unveiled women or those who actively question compulsory veiling”, said the Deputy UN Human Rights chief. “At the legislative level, new draft provisions to the Penal Code are being considered in parliament to expand the scope of offenses for non-compliance, allowing imprisonment, flogging and other punishments.”

The report also noted Iran’s failure to protect the physical and mental well-being of female students and attacks on their right to education. “As of 2 March of this year, more than 1,000 students, the majority of whom are girls, had reportedly been affected by suspected poisoning in 91 schools in 20 provinces. The authorities provided conflicting accounts of these incidents,” noted Ms Al-Nashif.

Ali Bahreini, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of The Islamic Republic of Iran to the UN in Geneva, rejected the report as inaccurate.

-ends-

 

 

Teleprompter
Your Excellencies, colleagues and friends, pursuant to General Assembly Resolution 77 slash 2 to 8, 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 one August 2022 to 15 April 2023.
During this.
Iran continued to engage with the Office of the **** Commissioner for Human Rights and United Nations human rights mechanisms, including on the issue of death penalty.
However, substantive engagement on the State's obligations under international law remained limited, as was the implementation of recommendations from international human rights mechanisms.
The overall human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran has markedly deteriorated against the backdrop of continuously worsening socio economic conditions aggravated by sanctions and the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report focuses on developments since the onset of nationwide protests following the death of 22 year old Gina Masa Amini on 16 September 2022, three days after she fell into a coma and died in police custody.
The protests, which occurred at various scale across the country's 31 provinces, brought to the fore long standing underlying grievances including discrimination in law and practise against women and girls as well as minorities.
Civic and democratic space continued to be restricted in the country.
Security forces use disproportionate force in some instances in the context of demonstrations as well as large scale security operations leading to death and injury of protesters, raising concerns of unlawful killings.
Arbitrary detention of protesters, activists, human rights defenders and lawyers significantly increased during the reporting.
The Secretary General expressed his alarm at large scale arrests and detention since the onset of the protests.
According to the information received, between 17 September 2022 and 8 February of this year, it is estimated that 20,000 individuals have been arrested and detained for supporting or participating in the protests.
Thousands of children are estimated to have been among those arrested during the reporting period.
At least 44 children, including ten girls, were reportedly killed by security forces using lethal force, with the highest number reported in the Sistan and Baluchistan province, where at least 10 children were killed.
There have been numerous allegations of torture and I'll treatment I'll treatment of individuals by security forces during arrests and interrogation to extract forced confessions, as well as allegations of sexual and gender based violence committed against women, men and children, especially in detention.
As previously reported, prison conditions, including denial of medical care, dire sanitary conditions, contaminated drinking water and overcrowding remain of concern.
Also, since the onset of protests, respect for the rights to freedom of opinion and expression and access to information has markedly deteriorated.
The authorities retain broad control over the digital space and have intensified online censorship since 21 September of last year.
Access to some social media and messaging platforms remains banned.
State policy has become more stringent in enforcing mandatory veiling, imposing harsher penalties with a significant impact on the daily lives of women and girls.
On 15 August 2022, the President signed a decree which includes the introduction of face recognition technology to track and Polish unveiled women or those who actively question compulsory veiling.
At the legislative level, new draught provisions to the Penal Code are being considered in Parliament to expand the scope of offences for non compliance, allowing imprisonment, flogging and other punishment.
The report also notes with grave concern that as of two March of this year, more than 1000 students, the majority of whom are girls, had reportedly been affected by suspected poisoning in 91 schools in 20 provinces.
The authorities provided conflicting accounts of these incidents.
The state's failure to protect the physical and mental well-being of female students and to prevent further attack has affected their right to education.
The report also refers to the intimidation of the families of the students who were seeking information on the alleged poisonings.
Your Excellencies, the report notes with serious concern the **** number of death penalty sentences and executions during the reporting period in 2000 and 22582 people were executed.
That is a 75% increase compared to 2021, during which 333 people were reportedly executed.
There were three children among those executed in 2022.
Of the total number of executions, 256 were for drug related offences.
The numbers of those executed from minority communities remains disproportionately ****, particularly for alleged drug or security related crimes.
During the reporting period, four people were executed for their involvement in the nationwide protests with serious concerns, overdue process and fair trial rights.
Many of the trials relied on confessions allegedly obtained under duress, including torture.
Since the execution of the four individuals, an additional 19 people were sentenced to death in the context of the protests and are considered at imminent risk of execution.
I note with regret that after the reporting period, three more individuals have been executed in Iran on 19 May.
Domestic avenues for accountability remain weak and ineffective, particularly in addressing violations in the context of recent protests.
While there have been some investigations into several incidents, most resulted in inconclusive outcomes, with very few leading to accountability of alleged perpetrators.
The lack of thorough, impartial, effective, independent and transparent investigations into all incidents, including into the death of Jinnah Masa Amini, further undermined trust in the judicial system.
Overall, the report shows a worsening human rights landscape in Iran, coupled with the chronic lack of meaningful and effective avenues for the population to voice grievances or indeed to seek remedy.
In this context, I call on the government to cooperate with the fact finding mission established by this Council and for our part, our own office stands ready to continue its engagement with the Iranian authorities on the range of issues of concern in order to strengthen the promotion and protection of human rights for all in Iran.