Annual Report by the U.S. State Department; Criticism of Human Rights Violations in Iran

On Friday, the U.S. Department of State criticized human rights violations in Iran in its 2016 human rights report. Rex Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State, emphasized in a statement that promoting human rights and democratic governance are core elements of U.S. foreign policy. According to the U.S. State Department website, the section regarding human rights in Iran for 2016 states: the most prominent issue in the realm of human rights in Iran is the severe restriction of civil liberties, including freedom of expression, assembly, religion, and the press. The report continues to mention other human rights issues in Iran, such as the lack of fair trial procedures and the death penalty for crimes that do not warrant such punishment under fair trial standards, as well as the inhumane manner of executing punishments and the degradation of human dignity for prisoners who are arbitrarily and illegally detained, tortured, or killed. The report also criticizes political violence and the disappearance of opponents, stating: citizens (of Iran) face restrictions in determining their government through peaceful means and free and fair elections. The U.S. State Department's report for 2016 also criticized the state of prisons in Iran. Additionally, the report criticized the Iranian government's approach towards religious and ethnic minorities, stating that in 2016, the Iranian government used violence against women, religious and ethnic minorities, and homosexuals. In recent years, the U.S. State Department has criticized the ongoing human rights violations in Iran in its annual reports. The 2016 human rights report, published on Friday, warned that conditions for opposition groups and human rights activists have deteriorated. According to the Associated Press, the report also emphasized that fundamental freedoms such as freedom of expression have decreased in several countries in 2016. However, the Associated Press notes that, unlike previous administrations and the approaches of former U.S. Secretaries of State, Rex Tillerson refrained from announcing this report or speaking about it. The report adds that Rex Tillerson, in a letter to Congress, emphasized that promoting human rights and democratic governance are core elements of U.S. foreign policy without mentioning any specific concerns regarding human rights violations. Meanwhile, Republican Senator Marco Rubio reacted to the fact that the State Department's report was presented without Rex Tillerson's presence. Marco Rubio wrote: For the first time in a long time, the State Department's human rights report is presented without the Secretary of State's presence; I hope they reconsider.