Dozens of Human Rights Organizations and Groups Call for Extension of UN Human Rights Missions Regarding Iran

Dozens of human rights organizations and groups, in a joint letter, urged members of the UN Human Rights Council to extend the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, as well as the mandate of the independent international fact-finding mission on Iran, at the fifty-fifth session of the Human Rights Council. In this statement, signed by 43 organizations and groups, some of which are well-known globally and in Iran, it is emphasized that the extension of both UN mandates regarding human rights in Iran is essential. Part of this letter refers to various sexual and gender groups, as well as ethnic and religious minorities and non-believers, stating that they face systemic discrimination in Iran. These organizations and groups, in a detailed part of their statement, say that Iranian women and girls are treated as second-class citizens amid intensified crackdowns for defying humiliating and insulting mandatory hijab laws. The letter discusses the independent international fact-finding mission of the UN regarding Iran, which was established after the deadly violence of the Islamic Republic in an attempt to suppress protests over the death of Mahsa Amini in the morality police, stating that the continuation of this mission, with a special focus on children and women, is essential. The signatories of the letter state that thousands of people, including children, have been subjected to human rights violations such as arbitrary detentions, unfair judicial prosecutions, dismissals from work and education, and other issues. Among the signatories are some well-known human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the American PEN Association, along with several recognized organizations active in Iranian affairs such as the Abdorrahman Boroumand Foundation, Justice for Iran, the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, and the Iran Human Rights Campaign, as well as several groups emphasizing ethnic issues. The five-year prison sentence of Saeed Azizi, a dual Iranian-Swedish citizen, was upheld by the appeals court. The final report by Javaid Rehman to the UN Human Rights Council highlights the concerning human rights situation and a 43% increase in executions in Iran. Sediqi called the disclosure of 'land grabbing' by himself and his family a 'joy for the enemy'. Amid protests over a cleric filming a 'Qom mother', Ansieh Khazali stated in New York that hijab is an accepted issue in Iran.