U.S. State Department: We Will Continue to Explore All Tools to Hold Human Rights Violators in Iran Accountable

Following the release of the first report by the United Nations fact-finding committee on "institutional discrimination against women and girls" in Iran, the U.S. State Department told VOA that Washington is examining all appropriate tools to hold accountable those responsible for human rights violations in the Islamic Republic. The UN fact-finding committee stated in its report on Friday, March 9, that "institutional discrimination against women and girls" in the Islamic Republic of Iran constitutes "a violation of human rights and a crime against humanity in the context of recent protests." This committee, mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to prepare this report, wrote in its first report: "The violent suppression of peaceful protests and widespread discrimination against women and girls has led to serious human rights violations by the Islamic Republic of Iran, many of which are considered crimes against humanity." A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, in a written response to VOA's Persian section regarding this matter, expressed "deep concern" over what the UN fact-finding committee reported, stating, "We have pursued a wide range of actions with our allies and partners in the international community to support the human rights of the people of Iran and promote accountability for the regime." He added, "We will continue to explore all appropriate tools to hold accountable those responsible for human rights violations in Iran and encourage our allies and partners to do the same and work with them." The spokesperson further stated in his written response to VOA, "The United States will continue to support the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all in Iran and calls on the Iranian government to treat its people with respect and dignity." The UN fact-finding committee emphasized in its report to the Human Rights Council that the cases of human rights violations and crimes under international law in the context of the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests, which began on September 16, 2022, following the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police, include "killings, extrajudicial executions, and unlawful deaths, unnecessary and excessive use of force, arbitrary deprivation of liberty, torture, rape, enforced disappearances, and gender-based persecution." Abram Paley, the Deputy Special Envoy for Iran at the U.S. State Department, immediately after the release of this report, wrote in a message on his X account that the entire world is paying attention to this report and emphasized the necessity of continuing the "important mission" of this committee. Gita Arian, a senior reporter for VOA's Persian section, primarily focuses on foreign policy news. She began her journalism career in 1987 with work in radio and joined VOA in 2004.