UN Calls for Investigation into Deaths and Respect for Rights of Detainees in Protests

According to official statistics, at least 1,700 people have been detained during the recent protests in Iran, but human rights defenders say the number of detainees is likely higher than what has been officially announced. Under what conditions are the detainees being held? And according to Iranian laws, what rights should they have? While the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, four special rapporteurs of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, and Human Rights Watch have called on Iranian authorities to respect the rights of detainees, there is little information available about the status and conditions of these individuals. The Facebook page of the 'U.S. State Department in Persian' published the names of some recently detained students, citing the 'Alliance for Iran.' Some Iranian judicial officials have referred to the detainees as 'rioters and disruptors of public order,' but Amnesty International states that even if some protesters have committed illegal acts, they should still be entitled to the legal rights of a prisoner and a fair trial, and other detainees should be released as soon as possible.