UN Human Rights Committee Report on Continued Suppression of Minorities in Iran Following 2021 Protests

The fact-finding committee established by the UN Human Rights Council officially confirmed in its latest report that minorities in Iran have been subjected to "excessive and disproportionate" repression since the onset of the "Women, Life, Freedom" movement. According to this report, published on Monday, August 7, the suppression of minorities has been particularly severe in the provinces of Khuzestan, Kurdistan, Kermanshah, East and West Azerbaijan, and Sistan and Baluchestan. The UN Human Rights Council's fact-finding committee emphasized that racial and religious minorities in Iran, especially the Kurdish and Baluch minorities, have been disproportionately affected by government repression against protesters that began in 2021. The committee stressed that these consequences are a direct result of longstanding discrimination and must end immediately. The report references instances of "illegal deaths, extrajudicial executions, unnecessary use of lethal force, arbitrary arrests, torture, rape, enforced disappearances, and gender-based harassment," many of which constitute "crimes against humanity." According to the UN fact-finding committee, during the nationwide protests in 2021 in Iran, children and women, particularly those from racial and religious minorities, have faced gross human rights violations, including killings, injuries, arrests, enforced disappearances, torture, rape, and other forms of sexual violence. The committee noted that the impact of such repression is particularly severe on children and that its multifaceted harm is lasting and may continue for decades. The findings of the UN fact-finding committee regarding the repression of women in Iran were also highlighted. The committee had previously reported in March of last year that the Islamic Republic was responsible for the "physical violence" leading to the death of Mahsa Amini and considered the government's actions against women in Iran to be indicative of "crimes against humanity." It was emphasized that what the Iranian government has done against protesting women may fall under the category of "crimes against humanity." The committee also stated, based on what it called a "reasonable basis," that it believes Mahsa Amini's death was due to "external causes." The report stated: "For the committee, there is evidence of trauma on Ms. Amini's body that was inflicted during her detention by the morality police." Furthermore, in July 2023, the U.S. State Department's annual report on religious freedom in Iran stated that following the deaths of Mahsa Jina Amini while in custody of the morality police in October 2021, pressure and repression of religious minorities in Iran have increased. This report addressed multiple instances of religious repression and abuse in the Islamic Republic, including the ongoing suppression and pressure on Baha'is, Dervishes, Christian converts, and Sunni Muslims. The annual religious freedom report indicated that 115 individuals were imprisoned in Iran last year due to religious charges. It specified that currently, around one thousand Baha'is are under pressure, either detained, under house arrest, awaiting sentencing, or summoned to court. Evidence, statistics, and reports received by Radio Farda also indicate that the systematic pressure from security agencies, especially on Baha'i citizens in Iran, has increased alongside the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests, at least in terms of security confrontations, discrimination, deprivation of basic citizen rights, and direct pressure on detained Baha'i protesters and activists. These repressions have shown an upward trend a year after the onset of nationwide protests and, according to statements from Baha'i activists within the country, continue to this day.