Younesi: Extremist Elements Create Issues for the Islamic Republic by Violating Human Rights

Ali Younesi, the special assistant to the Iranian president on ethnic and religious minorities, stated on Wednesday, March 6, that part of the fundamental slogans of Hassan Rouhani's government has been 'observance of citizens' rights.' He mentioned that violations of human rights occur due to the influence of extremist elements. According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Younesi said, 'There are extremist elements who have infiltrated some centers of power and create issues for the Islamic Republic of Iran through arbitrary actions and violations of citizens' rights.' Younesi referred to the deterioration of relations with Canada and added, 'What happened regarding the case of Zahra Kazemi, for which all documents are available, was a personal will that the Islamic Republic is still paying the price for.' He referred to the case of Zahra Kazemi, an Iranian-Canadian photographer who was arrested by Iranian security forces while photographing in front of Evin Prison on June 23, 2003, and died after being transferred from Evin Prison to Baqiyatallah Hospital in Tehran. In this context, Canadian officials have called for an investigation into the role of Saeed Mortazavi, the then-prosecutor of Tehran, in the 'rape, torture, and murder' of Zahra Kazemi. In November of last year, the Supreme Court also upheld a judicial ruling against Saeed Mortazavi regarding the deaths of protesters in the Kahrizak detention center. According to this ruling, Mortazavi was permanently barred from the judiciary and prohibited from holding government positions for five years. Younesi continued, 'In cases of human rights violations, it is due to the influence of extremist elements that must be eliminated and removed from centers of power.' He added, 'Even now, many human rights violations occur in prisons and courts, where the influence of extremist elements is evident, and the Islamic Republic must be able to rid itself of these individuals. I consider the best place for extremist groups to be the parliament. These individuals should speak in parliament, but they should not be in centers of power that violate people's rights.' Human Rights Watch in its recent report in January stated that one year after the formation of Hassan Rouhani's government, the human rights situation in Iran has not improved significantly. The report noted, 'Repressive elements in the security, intelligence, and judicial forces have maintained their extensive power and continue to be among the major violators of human rights in Iran.' The UN General Assembly's Human Rights Committee also passed a resolution on November 27 expressing deep concern over human rights violations in Iran, especially the 'very high number of executions' by the Islamic Republic. Ahmad Shaheed, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, who has not been allowed to enter the country in recent years, has repeatedly warned about 'widespread executions' in Iran. In this context, Younesi described the treatment of Dervishes as 'arbitrary' and against the interests of society, stating that the Rouhani government has 'no authority' to lift the house arrest of Mousavi and Karroubi. Younesi noted that some do not want the government to pay attention to minorities, and that opponents of Shia-Sunni unity have infiltrated government institutions. He stated that some fundamentally cannot tolerate mentioning the rights of minorities. Younesi remarked that 'concerned individuals' are worried about their future failures.