UN Secretary-General: The Right of Iranians to Peaceful Protest Must Be Respected

The Secretary-General of the United Nations stated during a press conference that the right to express dissent is one of the fundamental human rights and must be respected for Iranian protesters as well. He also urged protesters to carry out their actions peacefully. Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, spoke on January 16 during a press conference in New York in response to a question about recent protests in Iran, where more than 20 protesters have been killed and hundreds arrested. Guterres mentioned that he has been both a protester and a politician targeted by protests, which makes this issue very important to him. He added, 'If there is something I care deeply about, it is the right to peaceful protests by the people. Therefore, I value the right of Iranians to express their dissent, and we have clearly emphasized that this right must be respected.' Guterres further stated, 'We also ask protesters to carry out their actions peacefully; however, the right to protest, wherever it may be in the world, is one of the fundamental pillars of human rights.' Previously, reactions had been reported from the Secretary-General regarding the protests in Iran. On January 1, following reports of the deaths of several protesters, Guterres' spokesperson expressed regret over the situation and urged the Islamic Republic to respect the rights of peaceful protesters. Farhan Haq, the spokesperson for the Secretary-General, quoted him as saying, 'We are saddened to hear about the deaths and hope that further violence can be avoided.' He added, 'We expect that the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression of the people of Iran will be respected.' During the protests in January and afterwards, various officials from the U.S. government and some lawmakers expressed their support for peaceful protests in Iran. Washington has called for increased pressure, including international pressure, on the Iranian government. The European Union has also called for guarantees of the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression in Iran. However, senior Iranian officials have pointed fingers at 'certain foreign countries' and accused governments of countries including the U.S., Israel, or Saudi Arabia of 'creating chaos.' U.S. and Israeli officials have denied involvement in the protests in Iran. The widespread protests in Iran began first in Mashhad, related to economic issues, but soon spread to dozens of other cities, where harsh slogans were chanted against the leaders and domestic and regional policies of the Islamic Republic, as well as in support of the Pahlavi monarchs. Over 3,700 people have been arrested during the protests and related events, and the deaths of at least 25 people have been confirmed. At the same time, reports of the deaths of several protesters after their arrests have emerged. This has raised concerns among international organizations such as 'Amnesty International' and activists, as well as some members of the Iranian parliament.