Islamic Republic's Human Rights Headquarters: We Are the Largest and Most Advanced Democracy in the World

Two days after the extension of the mission of Javaid Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, the Islamic Republic's Human Rights Headquarters strongly criticized this action, calling Iran the 'largest and most advanced democracy in West Asia and the world.' In a statement published on Sunday, April 4, on the website of this institution, the extension of the Special Rapporteur's mission was described as 'unjustified, illegitimate, and a product of political deceit.' The statement also characterized the behavior of special rapporteurs as 'illegal' and 'a clear testimony to the malicious and imperialistic goals of the architects of this disgraceful theater.' Previously, Ismail Baqaei, the Islamic Republic's representative at the UN Human Rights Council meeting, referred to the council's resolution as 'unjust, unjustified, and insincere design by several specific governments.' The resolution to extend the Special Rapporteur's mission for Iran was approved at the UN Human Rights Council meeting on Friday, with 22 countries voting in favor and seven countries, including Afghanistan, China, Cuba, Eritrea, India, Iraq, and Pakistan, voting against it. In its statement on Sunday, the Islamic Republic's Human Rights Headquarters accused the special rapporteurs of 'clear and unforgivable violations' and stated that it has repeatedly reported these 'violations' to the UN Secretary-General and the High Commissioner. The headquarters also accused the rapporteurs of engaging in 'political shows in the media,' 'collecting allegations without a framework and transparent methodology,' 'collaborating with criminals and terrorists,' and 'playing the role of issuing fatwas,' but did not provide details or evidence for these accusations. The Islamic Republic's Human Rights Headquarters is an institution affiliated with the judiciary, headed by Mohammad Javad Larijani since its establishment in the 1980s. International organizations and human rights advocates have repeatedly condemned the 'systematic violation of human rights in Iran.' The UN General Assembly also passed a resolution last December in protest against human rights violations in Iran, including arbitrary detentions, torture of prisoners, lack of fair trials, and restrictions on freedom of expression. The extension of the Special Rapporteur's mission was a demand from many human rights organizations, including about ten days ago, when 42 organizations asked the UN Human Rights Council to extend this mission. Over the past four decades, the 'Human Rights Commission' and then the 'Human Rights Council' of the UN have appointed six special rapporteurs on Iran, with the Islamic Republic only agreeing to the visits of two of them to Tehran and refusing direct dialogue with the other four. Iranian officials were completely unwilling to engage with Andres Aguillar, the first special rapporteur, between 1984 and 1986, but the next two rapporteurs, Reinaldo Galindo and Maurice Capiton, managed to visit Iran several times. According to Maurice Capiton, his first report 'provoked such anger among the leaders of the Islamic Republic' that he was no longer allowed to travel to Iran. The Islamic Republic has not permitted any of the next three rapporteurs, including Ahmed Shaheed, Asma Jahangir, and Javaid Rehman, to visit Iran.