Javid Rahman: I Will Discuss Travel to Iran with the Iranian Government

Javid Rahman, a Pakistani-British lawyer and professor at Brunel University London, was officially introduced on Friday, July 6, as the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran. He has conducted research on religious freedom, global human rights laws, and Islamic laws. In his first interview with Persian-language media, he answered questions from Radio Farda. Mr. Rahman was asked what interested him about Iran and motivated him to be nominated for the position of Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran. He responded, 'I am a human rights lawyer and have worked for years on human rights laws, and Iran is an important country in terms of its commitments to human rights, yes! This was my main motivation for the nomination.' Mr. Rahman has conducted extensive research on Islamic laws. He was asked to share a bit about his research. He stated, 'Yes, my main works have focused on Islamic laws, and I have written many books and articles in this area as well as on reforming laws in Islamic countries; I can say this is my specialty. I have also worked on human rights laws and constitutional law in Islamic countries.' Mr. Rahman was then asked about his opinion on corporal punishment laws in Islam, such as flogging and amputation of fingers, which Iranian officials claim are executed based on Islamic laws. He said, 'What I can tell you is that we are discussing this from the perspective of global human rights laws; it is clear that we must look at the issue from the perspective of global laws. These punishments are considered torture under global laws, and most countries have accepted these international obligations.' He emphasized that all countries following Islamic laws must also implement international laws. Regarding Iran's laws, accusations such as 'insulting the Prophet of Muslims, sexual relations between men, and rape' face the death penalty. Iranian officials consider this punishment based on Islamic laws, but human rights defenders criticize it. Mr. Rahman stated, 'As I said, there are many Muslim countries and communities around the world that agree with and have accepted global human rights laws, including equality and the non-implementation of the death penalty. These countries believe that neither Islamic jurisprudence nor Islamic methods are incompatible with global laws.' He sees no issue with Islamic countries adhering to global human rights laws. He noted that it is essential for human rights activists to ensure that countries adhere to their human rights commitments. Mr. Rahman, as a human rights activist, acknowledged that access to free information is one of the fundamental human rights, and as he knows, Iranian officials have filtered many websites and social networks in Iran. He was asked if he would discuss this with Iranian officials. He affirmed, 'Yes, I will discuss this with the Iranian government. I have previously spoken about this as a human rights activist. All countries and all governments must respect human rights, the fundamental rights of people, and the right to freedom of expression. The Iranian government or any other government cannot take this fundamental right away from its people.' Mr. Rahman was also asked about his plans to travel to Iran, given that previous UN Special Rapporteurs Ahmad Shaheed and Asma Jahangir were not allowed to travel to Iran to follow up on human rights issues. He stated, 'Yes, I will discuss travel to Iran with Iranian officials. It is very disappointing for human rights activists and the UN that special rapporteurs have not been able to travel to Iran. I think it is important for rapporteurs to have full access to resources; I emphasize full access! So yes, I will pursue this issue.' When asked how he could prepare a comprehensive report on the human rights situation in Iran if he is not allowed to travel, he replied, 'As I said, a complete visit to Iran and full access to resources is very important, so let’s not speculate for now until I start my work. I will certainly speak with you again in the future and provide a complete answer to your question.' Finally, he was asked if he is optimistic about the improvement of human rights in Iran. He responded, 'Definitely. As a human rights activist, I am committed to this issue. The UN is also committed to this issue, and of course, it is the commitment of all countries and all governments to strive for the improvement of human rights. We are determined to ensure that human rights are respected in all countries, and this is certainly on my agenda.'