Iran Does Not Recognize New Report by UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights

The spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry described the new report by Asma Jahangir, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, as "a collection of false information and incorrect prejudices" and stated that Tehran "does not recognize this report and the mission of Ms. Jahangir." According to the state news agency IRNA, Bahram Qasemi said on Sunday, September 3, that the mission of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights is based on "a resolution rooted in the completely political and selective goals of certain specific countries with specific objectives." He emphasized that the Islamic Republic of Iran does not recognize the mission of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and considers it completely rejected and unacceptable. Iranian officials have consistently denied reports published by UN Special Rapporteurs, accusing them of "bias" and "prejudice." They have also defended their human rights record against international criticism, despite the fact that the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran has been criticized multiple times by the UN Human Rights Council. Bahram Qasemi also stated that despite the "repeated, detailed, and reasoned responses" of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Asma Jahangir, her report "still relies on a collection of false information and incorrect prejudices" about the human rights situation in Iran. The spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry also accused Ms. Jahangir of preparing her report "using unreliable sources, which seriously undermines the legitimacy and credibility of the report." Similar accusations have previously been directed at UN Special Rapporteurs by Iranian officials, particularly judicial authorities. This official from the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that the Special Rapporteur "has turned a blind eye to numerous human rights advancements in Iran and continues to use ambiguous phrases and express unfounded concerns based on unreliable information, attempting to portray a dark and one-sided image of the human rights situation in Iran." These statements come at a time when, according to Reporters Without Borders, Iran ranks among the top five jailers of journalists in the world, and the security-judicial actions against political and civil activists in Iran have faced widespread criticism both domestically and internationally. Another criticism pertains to the widespread executions in Iran. Iran and China top the list of countries in the world in carrying out the death penalty, and human rights organizations, the UN Human Rights Commission, and international non-governmental organizations have repeatedly warned about the high number of executions in Iran and criticized it. Meanwhile, the spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry announced that Asma Jahangir's report is set to be presented at the upcoming meeting of the Third Committee of the General Assembly. The new report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran has not yet been published, and the statements of the Foreign Ministry spokesperson and previous remarks by Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani, the head of the judiciary, regarding this report are likely based on a text that was sent to the Islamic Republic before publication. The head of the Iranian judiciary also criticized this report on September 6, stating that it involved "unfounded interference" in the issue of approving candidates for the Iranian presidential election. He announced that in this report, one of the presidential candidates is mentioned as one of the order-givers for the executions of prisoners. Mr. Larijani's reference is to Ebrahim Raisi, a presidential candidate, who along with several others, including Mostafa Pourmohammadi, the Minister of Justice in Hassan Rouhani's first government, was a member of the decision-making committee regarding the execution of political prisoners in 1988. According to a leaked audio file from a meeting of the committee members with Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, the then-deputy leader of the Islamic Republic, the actions of this committee are described as "criminal." Asma Jahangir, who succeeded Ahmad Shaheed last year, stated in her first report that no specific improvement has been achieved in Iran's human rights record, and restrictions on freedom of expression and discrimination against women and religious minorities continue. Although this report was met with denial and strong reactions from Iranian officials at the time, Ms. Jahangir stated in an interview with Radio Farda that Tehran has not been able to provide any substantiated objections to her report. The UN Human Rights Council appointed a Special Rapporteur to monitor the human rights situation in Iran seven years ago following the crackdown on protesters after the 2009 presidential election. However, the Islamic Republic has so far denied this Special Rapporteur permission to travel to Iran and has stated that it does not recognize her. In this context, Asma Jahangir last week called on the Islamic Republic to address concerns regarding the prolonged hunger strike of prisoners in Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj, who are protesting their conditions. In a statement by Ms. Jahangir, which was reflected in Reuters on Friday, September 1, concern was expressed for the fate of 53 prisoners in Rajai Shahr prison who have been transferred to a new security ward, including 15 Baha'i prisoners. Twenty of these prisoners went on hunger strike on August 8 in protest against the violation of their rights, including "deprivation of daily fresh air," "poor ventilation in the new ward," "the presence of surveillance cameras in it," and "the failure to return their personal belongings," with their number later decreasing to 15 or, according to some reports, to 18. Asma Jahangir wrote in her statement: "I am deeply concerned about reports indicating the deterioration of the physical condition of prisoners who have gone on hunger strike." She also added that some reports indicate torture of these prisoners and other violent treatments since their transfer to the new ward. Previously, families of prisoners on hunger strike had stated in a letter that their transfer to the new ward was "accompanied by beatings."