The U.S. Condemns the Appointment of the Islamic Republic to Head the Social Forum of the Human Rights Council

The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Council described the appointment of Iran's ambassador as the head of the Council's Social Forum as "regrettable" and stated that the United States is "horrified" by this matter. Michelle Taylor stated in the announcement: "We recognize the principle of regional rotation in such positions, but this process should not take precedence over respect for human rights and accountability." She emphasized that this selection severely undermines the credibility and purpose of the United Nations Human Rights Council and its Social Forum. The statement also referred to the report by Javaid Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur, regarding the "widespread" violations of human rights in Iran, including government violence against women and girls, the swift execution of protesters, and the suppression of freedom of expression, which are examples of crimes against humanity. Michelle Taylor stated that the U.S. believes the formation of the Social Forum on the sidelines of the UN Human Rights Council has limited utility, wastes unnecessary resources, and the appointment of the Islamic Republic confirms this assessment. The statement continued that the focus of the Forum this year is on the role of science, technology, and innovation in promoting human rights in the post-pandemic era, and the appointment of the Islamic Republic of Iran as the head of this Forum is "deeply concerning" and "repugnant." The statement emphasized that the Islamic Republic has used these very tools to "suppress human rights and limit freedom of expression." The U.S. called on all member and observer countries of the Human Rights Council to prioritize maintaining the credibility and integrity of the Council by making decisions based on the principles and values of this institution. The statement also highlighted the U.S.'s use of its position in this Council to expose the disregard for the fundamental values and principles of the United Nations, support for more credible appointments, and efforts to create a more accountable, transparent, and effective Council. The Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State had previously described Washington's position on the Islamic Republic's appointment to head the Social Forum of the UN Human Rights Council as "deeply concerning" in response to a question from the Persian section of Voice of America. According to Vedant Patel, the appointment of the Islamic Republic's ambassador as a representative of a "gross and persistent violator of human rights" as the head of such a group undermines its limited usefulness. The appointment of the permanent representative of the Islamic Republic at the UN headquarters in Geneva as the head of the Social Forum, which will be held on November 2 and 3 of this year, has elicited reactions from civil society organizations and human rights organizations. Hillel Neuer, an international human rights lawyer and executive director of UN Watch, called this appointment "shameful." He pointed out that this year's Forum topic emphasized that the Iranian government executed "Yousef Mehrad and Sadrollah Fazeli Zareh for using social media to criticize religion." The Israeli ambassador and permanent representative to the UN in Geneva also expressed "disappointment and concern" over this appointment in a letter sent to the Chair of the Human Rights Council about two months ago, calling for a reconsideration of this decision. The Chair of the Human Rights Council responded to this letter, explaining the process of this appointment and placing the responsibility on regional groups that did not take the opportunity to nominate candidates for the presidency of the Forum, and he introduced the only available candidate after the legal deadline as the head of the Social Forum. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged Iran to decriminalize "mandatory dress laws." Amnesty International called for "immediate action" to stop executions in Iran. The European Union sanctioned several officials and institutions of the Islamic Republic for "serious human rights violations." The human rights situation in May, according to a human rights organization, reported "increased crackdowns" and "widespread violations of freedoms." The special peace human rights award was given to the Coordination Council of Teachers' Trade Unions; the Islamic Republic protested. Unprecedented opposition from Iranians inside the country against the death penalty: "I oppose the death penalty with a clear and defined identity."