UN Special Rapporteur: The Human Rights Situation of Women and Girls in Iran Has Deteriorated

Mai Sato, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran, presented her preliminary report on Iran to the UN General Assembly's Human Rights Committee on Friday, November 3. She noted that she is the seventh rapporteur to examine human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran and stated that she conducts her mission with a commitment to independence, impartiality, and integrity. According to Ms. Sato, this mission is carried out following a resolution that was approved by the majority of member states of the council. Mai Sato expressed hope that the Islamic Republic would view her expertise and assessment as an asset, or at least take a genuine step towards shaping a future without the need for her mission through real engagement. She further added that this preliminary report focuses on three axes: the right to life, gender approach, and data transparency, addressing each of these separately. According to Ms. Sato, since she began her mission last August, executions in Iran have significantly increased, with reports indicating that over 140 individuals have been executed by the Islamic Republic on various charges, including drug trafficking. Mai Sato reminded that the death penalty, the lethal use of force by government agencies, and deaths in custody are among the other issues she examines under the right to life section. The UN Special Rapporteur emphasized the importance of justice and accountability in the human rights situation in Iran. According to Ms. Sato, the gender approach in this report is examined from various aspects such as religion, laws, ethnicity, cultural diversity, customs, and sexual orientation. Mai Sato stressed that from a human rights perspective, the situation of women and girls in Iran has worsened. She pointed out that the Iranian government’s treatment of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement shows that the Islamic Republic is one of the few countries in the world that has not signed the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. According to Ms. Sato, the annual global gender gap index can be examined from four main aspects: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. She added that based on 2023 statistics, the Islamic Republic ranks 143rd among 146 countries in the world, highlighting the need for a thorough analysis. At the end, Ms. Sato called for data transparency from the Islamic Republic. She noted that limited access to official reports, threats against victims, and silencing their families through intimidation and threats make it difficult to provide an accurate report on the human rights situation in Iran. Ms. Sato expressed her desire to travel to Iran, but the Islamic Republic has not responded to her request. The UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran urged the international community to support her and encourage the Islamic Republic to engage constructively with this mission. The UN Special Rapporteur expressed concern for the health of Tahir Naqvi, a prisoner lawyer in Evin. UN reporters and experts condemned the targeting of Baha'i women by the Islamic Republic. The 'No to Execution Tuesdays' campaign reported that 36 individuals, including two children, were executed in the past seven days. The UN Special Rapporteur called for unhindered access to human rights resources in Iran. UN experts stated that executions in the Islamic Republic are 'arbitrary.' The UN Special Rapporteur stated that the death penalty in Iran must end.