Introduction of New UN Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran

An Iranian human rights activist reported that the United Nations Human Rights Council has introduced Javed Rahman, a Pakistani-British human rights activist, as the special rapporteur on human rights in Iran. Hassan Naib Hashem, a human rights activist, stated that the UN Human Rights Council introduced Javed Rahman as the special rapporteur on human rights in Iran on June 4. According to Mr. Naib Hashem, this selection will be finalized on July 6, the last day of the 38th session of the Human Rights Council. In an interview with Radio Farda, this human rights activist also mentioned that there is a 99% chance that Javed Rahman will be elected to this position unless a group of countries opposes him. Mr. Naib Hashem noted that a consultative group invited six candidates for interviews from among 14 candidates, and then three were introduced, from which Mr. Rahman was ultimately selected. Javed Rahman is a law professor at Brunel University London and a Pakistani-British human rights activist. The UN Human Rights Council had previously extended the mandate of the special rapporteur on human rights in Iran on March 23, following the death of Asma Jahangir, the former rapporteur. Asma Jahangir passed away on February 11, 2018, at the age of 66. She had been active since November 2016, following the end of Ahmad Shahid's term as the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, and had criticized the human rights situation in Iran in several reports. In her first report in September 2017, Jahangir stated that there had been no significant improvement in Iran's human rights record, and restrictions on freedom of expression and discrimination against women and religious minorities continued. This report was met with denial and strong reactions from Iranian officials, but Jahangir stated in an interview with Radio Farda that Tehran had not been able to provide any substantiated objections to her report. Since 2011, when the UN first appointed Ahmad Shahid as the rapporteur on human rights in Iran, Tehran has never allowed a human rights rapporteur to visit the country. Iranian government and judiciary officials have repeatedly stated that the Islamic Republic opposes the appointment of special human rights rapporteurs for countries and that the Iranian government cooperates with thematic rapporteurs.