Strong Criticism from the United States of the UN Committee Regarding Human Rights Documents on Iran and North Korea

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations criticized one of the committees of the organization for refusing to grant access to American groups focused on human rights issues in Iran and North Korea, calling it "shameful." The committee in question is the UN Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, which has 19 member countries and is responsible for accrediting and assisting non-profit organizations in need. According to the Associated Press, Nikki Haley stated on Monday (February 5) that this committee was "forced" into this decision by a portion of its member countries that have their own "horrific" human rights records. The members of this committee who voted against Washington's request for access to these sessions include representatives from Burundi, China, Cuba, Iran, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, and Venezuela. Nevertheless, Haley added that the U.S. will continue to fight for access to UN documents regarding human rights violations in Iran and North Korea. She noted that the rejected request could be referred to the UN Economic and Social Council, which is set to meet in April, and may receive a different response. The UN Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations is a subset of a larger council known as the UN Economic and Social Council, which has 54 members. In June of this year, Haley also called for action from the UN Human Rights Council against human rights violators, including Iran. At that time, she criticized the approach and composition of the Human Rights Council, stating that countries that violate human rights should not be members of this council. According to Haley, the membership of these countries allows them to "exploit" and "misuse" the situation for their own benefit. The U.S. representative to the UN emphasized the need for a "work program" in the UN Human Rights Council for countries that violate human rights, including Iran, Syria, and North Korea, adding that "this program should be able to revitalize this council, and the U.S. will not remain silent until then." Iran has long been criticized by international bodies and organizations due to its high execution rates, violations of religious and ethnic minorities' rights, violations of civil liberties and freedom of expression, and the detention of journalists and civil and political activists. In response to these criticisms and an international resolution issued against human rights violations in the country, Tehran has deemed them "unfounded, illegitimate, and politically motivated." For instance, in November 2016, when the UN General Assembly's Human Rights Committee approved a draft resolution against Iran with 85 votes in favor, Bahram Qasemi, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, called it "confrontational." Qasemi claimed that "this resolution was drafted and approved based solely on a selective and confrontational perspective, without considering the realities of the Islamic Republic of Iran and solely for specific political objectives." However, some political figures, including Ali Motahari, the Deputy Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, believe that some European criticisms regarding human rights violations in Iran are valid. Motahari previously stated that "we must accept valid human rights criticisms, and if there is a valid criticism, we should acknowledge it and not be obstinate." According to the latest annual report by Freedom House on the state of freedom in Iran, "during Rouhani's presidency, the number of imprisoned journalists has slightly decreased, but restrictions on freedom of expression have not diminished." Iran scored only seven points out of 40 in the civil liberties and political rights index according to Freedom House. The scores include two out of 16 in political pluralism and participation, two out of 12 in government performance, 11 out of 60 in civil liberties, one out of 12 in the right and freedom of assembly and association, three out of 16 in the rule of law, and four out of 16 in individual rights and freedoms, according to Freedom House's assessments of the state of freedom in Iran.