Human Rights Headquarters Calls UN Rapporteur's Statement 'Unprofessional'

Mohammad Javad Larijani, the Secretary of the Human Rights Headquarters of the Judiciary, described the statements of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran as 'unprofessional' on Monday, January 23. According to the Human Rights Headquarters' information portal, Larijani expressed regret in a letter to Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, regarding the statement made by Asma Jahangir, the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran. On January 10, Jahangir warned of the risk of death for political prisoners in Iran who have gone on prolonged hunger strikes. She also expressed 'serious concern' over the detention of human rights activists in Iran who have been deemed 'guilty based on an ambiguous definition.' International organizations, governments, institutions, and various figures have consistently criticized the widespread violations of human rights in Iran, including the high rate of executions, the lack of respect for the rights of religious and ethnic minorities, and censorship. In recent years, the Islamic Republic of Iran has consistently ranked among the top five countries in the world for the number of imprisoned journalists and bloggers. The UN Special Rapporteur on Iran had called for the immediate and unconditional release of all unlawfully detained prisoners. In response, Larijani described the content of this statement as 'completely incorrect, unjustified, and disappointing.' He wrote to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights that 'the least degree of professional fairness would have required that Ms. Jahangir initially inform the government and officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran of any claims.' He added that he does not consider this action 'professional at all' and believes that its continuation will undoubtedly lead to a decline in the credibility of that council from an official authority to a political entity. The full text of the Human Rights Headquarters' response to this statement has not been published by this headquarters or media affiliated with the judiciary. Asma Jahangir, 64, was born in Lahore, Pakistan. She is considered an old human rights activist in Pakistan and the founder of the Human Rights Commission of that country. Jahangir served as the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief from 2004 to 2010. Before her, Ahmad Shaheed was appointed as the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran in 2011 and condemned the Islamic Republic of Iran for human rights violations in various reports. The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights collects and organizes news and instances related to human rights violations in their area of work and submits it to the United Nations. The Islamic Republic of Iran has previously protested reports related to human rights violations in Iran, calling them 'political' and devoid of reality. The Islamic Republic of Iran protests these reports while it has never allowed Ahmad Shaheed to travel to Iran.