Dozens of Human Rights Organizations Call for Extension of UN Special Rapporteur's Mandate on Human Rights in Iran

41 human rights organizations issued a joint statement to the members of the UN Human Rights Council, calling for the extension of the UN Special Rapporteur's mandate on human rights in Iran at the Council's thirty-fourth session. The statement, a copy of which was received by Radio Farda on Wednesday, states that since the appointment of the Special Rapporteur in 2011, this issue has been a fundamental tool for promoting human rights in Iran. The Special Rapporteur has demonstrated that bringing the dimensions of the human rights situation in the country to light is effective and has been able to fuel discussions regarding law, its implementation, and human rights violations based on international standards within Iran. They emphasized that only with the continued attention of the international community to what is happening in Iran and what has been achieved can serious reforms in the human rights situation in Iran be facilitated. A vote on the extension of the Special Rapporteur's mandate for Iran is expected to take place during the thirty-fourth session of the UN Human Rights Council, which concludes next Thursday. The UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution in 2011 to review human rights violations in Iran, based on which a Special Rapporteur was appointed to investigate human rights and violations thereof in the Islamic Republic. The statement from these human rights organizations notes that over the past six years, the actions of the Special Rapporteur have contributed to raising demands for human rights reforms within the country, particularly regarding the use of the death penalty for drug-related offenses. They added that the Special Rapporteur has also provided essential support for human rights defenders in Iran, and in some cases, his actions have led to improvements in the treatment of some detainees. These human rights organizations stated that extending the Special Rapporteur's mandate sends a serious message to Iranian officials that human rights violations and lack of accountability remain a concern for the UN Human Rights Council and the international community. Meanwhile, the Iranian representative at the thirty-fourth session of the UN Human Rights Council on Monday, March 23, again described the appointment of the Special Rapporteur for human rights in Iran as the result of a political and selective action by the Human Rights Council and called for the end of his mandate. The United Nations had previously appointed a special representative for Iran from 1984 to 2002. Ahmad Shaheed was appointed as the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran in 2011. The Islamic Republic has always described Mr. Shaheed's reports as 'political' and devoid of reality and has never allowed him to travel to Iran. Ms. Asma Jahangir succeeded Ahmad Shaheed as the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran last year. In this context, Asma Jahangir stated that Iranian officials did not raise any objections to the information in the report and that the situation of religious minorities in Iran remains extremely concerning. A human rights professor deemed the UN rapporteur's statement as 'unprofessional.'