Facts About Human Rights in Iran
March 12, 2015
I <3 Norooz
March 20, 2015
Arseh Sevom — A group of 36 organizations including Arseh Sevom signed a letter to members of the United Nations Human Rights Council asking for a renewal of the mandate for a Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran. The current Special Rapporteur, Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, recently stated about the capacity for respect for human rights, “Iran is the the country in the world with the biggest gap between practice and potential.”
March 12, 2015
To: Member States of the UN Human Rights Council
Your Excellency,
We, the undersigned human rights and civil society groups, write to you to urge your government to support the resolution to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran at the 28th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (“the Council”).
The situation in Iran remains one of systemic human rights violations that are deeply rooted in laws, policies, and practices that require the sustained attention of the Council. Renewal of the Special Rapporteur’s mandate will ensure that human rights in Iran remain a priority globally and for the Council. As a member of the Council, your government is entrusted with the responsibility to promote and protect human rights. This responsibility includes pressing the Iranian authorities to ensure that the people of Iran enjoy the human rights enshrined in the human rights treaties to which the country is party and to which they are entitled. The mandate of the Special Rapporteur provides an effective and constructive means for the Council to promote and protect these rights.
As your government is aware, the Special Rapporteur for human rights in Iran has issued credible, thoroughly researched and well-sourced reports, although the Iranian government continues to deny him access to Iran. The reports include testimonies and other first-hand information gathered from sources inside Iran using modern technologies and information gathered from credible non-governmental organizations located outside the country. The Special Rapporteur has produced concrete recommendations for action by the Iranian government to meet its legal obligations and respect Iran’s international human rights commitments. On the international stage, these reports focus attention on a range of ongoing human rights challenges in Iran, including some of those enumerated in the enclosed Facts and Figures sheet.
The Special Rapporteur’s active engagement has encouraged and helped galvanize Iranian civil society inside and outside the country. His actions in pursuance of his mandate have contributed to the domestic debate on human rights in Iran. Most importantly, the Special Rapporteur has also provided crucial support for the work, safety and, in many cases, release of human rights defenders, lawyers and prisoners of conscience. In his reports and joint press statements with other Special Procedures, the Special Rapporteur has raised concerns over many individual cases, some of which have thereafter seen tangible improvements in state behavior. Renewing the Special Rapporteur’s mandate would send a strong message to people inside Iran that the international community continues to have concern for their rights.
Iran’s most recent Universal Periodic Review (UPR), which took place on 31 October 2014 and saw the international community largely reiterate recommendations that it had made to the Iranian government during the previous UPR in 2010, also underscored the value of the Special Rapporteur’s work and the importance of renewing his mandate.
We urge your government to actively participate in the upcoming interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, to encourage the Iranian authorities to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur, and to strongly support the renewal of his mandate as a means to contribute concretely to the promotion and the protection of human rights in Iran.
Sincerely,
Roya Boroumand, Executive Director
Abdorrahman Boroumand Foundation
Robin Phillips, Executive Director
The Advocates for Human Rights
Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Deputy Director of Middle East North Africa Programme
Amnesty International
Kamran Ashtary, Executive Director
Arseh Sevom
Thomas Hughes, Executive Director
ARTICLE 19
Md. Ashrafuzzaman, Liaison Officer
Asian Legal Resource Center
Alirza Quluncu, Representative
The Association for Defence of Azerbaijani Political Prisoners in Iran
Duman Radmehr, Executive Director
Association for Human Rights of the Azerbaijani People in Iran
Taimoor Aliassi, UN Representative
Association pour les Droits Humains au Kurdistan d’Iran-Genève (KMMK-G)
Diane Ala’i, Representative to the United Nations
Bahá’í International Community
Mansoor Bibak, Co-Director
Balochistan Human Rights Group
Renate Bloem, UN Geneva Representative
CIVICUS
Steering Committee
Committee of Human Rights Reporters
Joel Simon, Executive Director
Committee to Protect Journalists
Juana Kweitel, Program Director
Conectas Direitos Humanos
Dr. Shirin Ebadi, Founder and President
Center for Supporters of Human Rights
Hassan Shire, Executive Director
East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project
Raphaël Chenuil-Hazan, Executive Director
Ensemble Contre La Peine de Mort (ECPM)
Ibrahim Al Arabi, Executive Director
European Ahwazi Human Rights Organisation
Keyvan Rafiee, Executive Director
Human Rights Activists in Iran
Sarah Leah Whitson, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Division
Human Rights Watch
Mani Mostofi, Director
Impact Iran
Mohammad Nayyeri, Director
Insight Iran
Hadi Ghaemi, Executive Director
International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran
Jessica Stern, Executive Director
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
Phil Lynch, Director
International Service for Human Rights
Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, Executive Director
Iran Human Rights
Saghi Ghahraman, President
Iranian Queer Organization (IRQO)
Shadi Sadr, Co-Director
Justice for Iran
Tara Fatehi, Spokesperson
The Kurdistan Human Rights Network
Mehrangiz Kar, Chairperson
Siamak Pourzand Foundation
Mahmood Enayat, Director
Small Media
Hassan Nayeb Hashem, Representative to the Human Rights Council in Geneva
Südwind: All Human Rights for All in Iran
Firuzeh Mahmoudi, Executive Director
United for Iran
Mohammad Mostafaei, Directeur
Universal Tolerance
Shadi Amin, Coordinator
6Rang: Iranian Lesbian and Transgender Network
