The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
The most serious human rights violations in the Islamic Republic of Iran over the past four decades have been committed since the death in police custody of Jina Mahsa Amini on 16 September 2022, including possible crimes against humanity, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran said today to media at the United Nations in Geneva.
“As I have documented in my report, there is evidence of serious violations of human rights, including murder, imprisonment and forced disappearances, torture, rape and sexual violence and persecution in the context of protests that began on 16th of September last year, as part of a systematic, widespread and state instigated policy”, said Mr. Javaid Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran. “And the scale of gravity of these crimes points to the possible commission of crimes against humanity,” he added.
Mr. Rehman presented his report yesterday to the UN Human Rights Council. The report followed a statement issued a few days before by several independent UN appointed rights experts, including Mr. Rehman, condemning the “deliberate poisoning of more than 1200 schoolgirls in Iran’s major cities and the State’s failure to protect them”.
“I have asked the Iranian authorities to hold individuals accountable, both for the death of Jina Mahsa Amini, but also of the subsequent killing of all of these individuals that I've mentioned, 527- and I want accountability to be ensured,” said Mr. Rehman. None of the members of the morality police involved in the death of Ms. Amini has been held accountable, so Mr. Rehman.
“The issue of accountability is very significant. So I have been reporting, I have been documenting very serious violations of the rights of girls and women and the international community. And those victims are now anticipating that the international community would hold these perpetrators to account.”
The claims of Iranian people of all ages, genders, ethnic, linguistic, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds to end the serious human rights violations, including gender-based violence and discrimination, “were met with brutal State violence”, so the report.
“526 people have been killed by state authorities, which includes 71 children. Hundreds remain severely injured, with some injuries deliberately inflicted by state authorities on girls and women on very sensitive parts of their bodies with a vindictive frame of mind to destroy and to damage them permanently,” said Mr. Rehman.
The report says that from the very first days of protest, State authorities have tried to shut down all venues of freedom of expression, and censoring social media platforms. Recently authorities recognize that over 22,000 people had been arrested.
“I noted in my report that thus far, Iranian authorities have executed four protesters after arbitrary summary and sham trials”, said Javaid Rehman, the Special Rapporteur on the Islamic Republic of Iran”. He added that “the purpose of these arbitrary and summary executions is to instill fear and to quash protests. At least 17 individuals are sentenced to death currently, and over 100 persons currently face charges that carry the death penalty. So that is the gravity of the situation that we are facing.”
The UN Human Rights Council decided last November during a special session to establish an independent international fact-finding mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran until the end of the fifty-fifth session of the Human Rights Council in March 2024. The members of the fact-finding mission were appointed at the end of last year.
-ends-
STORY: Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran
TRT: 02’55”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
RELEASE DATE: 21 March 2023
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Exterior wide shot: UN flag alley UN Geneva.
- Wide shot of cameras and podium, conference room, Palais des Nations, Geneva
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Javaid Rehman, Special Rapporteur on the Islamic Republic of Iran: “I noted in my report that thus far, Iranian authorities have executed four protesters after arbitrary summary and sham trials. And the purpose of these arbitrary and summary executions is to instill fear and to quash protests. At least 17 individuals are sentenced to death currently, and over 100 persons currently face charges that carry the death penalty. So that is the gravity of the situation that we are facing.”
- Medium shot, cameraperson photographs the podium as the Special Rapporteur gives account of the human rights situation in Iran
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Javaid Rehman, Special Rapporteur on the Islamic Republic of Iran: “526 people have been killed by state authorities, which includes 71 children. Hundreds remain severely injured, with some injuries deliberately inflicted by state authorities on girls and women on very sensitive parts of their bodies. And with a vindictive frame of mind to destroy and to damage them permanently.”
- Medium shot, from behind the podium, with the speaker and journalists in view, and the UN logo in the background
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Javaid Rehman, Special Rapporteur on the Islamic Republic of Iran: “I have asked the Iranian authorities to hold individuals accountable, both for the death of Jina Mahsa Amini, but also of the subsequent killing of all of these individuals that I've mentioned, 527- and I want accountability to be ensured.”
- wide shot, cameraperson, podium and panel in view
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Javaid Rehman, Special Rapporteur on the Islamic Republic of Iran: “The issue of accountability is very significant. So I have been reporting, I have been documenting very serious violations of the rights of girls and women and the international community. And those victims are now anticipating that the international community would hold these perpetrators to account.”
- Close-up, cameraperson seated on the ground with the Special Rapporteur visible on a monitor in the background
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Javaid Rehman, Special Rapporteur on the Islamic Republic of Iran: “As I have documented in my report, there is evidence of serious violations of human rights, including murder, imprisonment and forced disappearances, torture, rape and sexual violence and persecution in the context of protests that began on 16th of September last year, as part of a systematic, widespread and state instigated policy. And the scale of gravity of these crimes points to the possible commission of crimes against humanity.”
- Two-shot, pan to the right
- Wide shot: cameras, technicians and journalists in the room
- Medium shot: camera in foreground, with table and journalists visible
- Medium shot: view of the podium from the journalists’ table
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Press Conferences | IFRC , OHCHR
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, which was attended by spokespersons and representatives from the International Organization for Migration, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the World Meteorological Organization, the World Health Organization, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
2
3
2
Press Conferences | WMO
Launch of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)'s Air Quality and Climate Bulletin 2024.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | OHCHR
The UN disability rights committee (CRPD) presented the findings of its 33rd session on DPRK, Finland, Kiribati, Maldives and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC
UN Human Rights Council President Ambassador Jürg Lauber briefs the press in Geneva ahead of the Council's 60th session.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | OCHA , IFRC , UNHCR , OHCHR , UN WOMEN , UNFPA
Alessandra Vellucci of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Women, the United Nations Sexual and Reproductive Agency, the United Nations Children’s Fund and the International Federation of the Red Cross.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNOG , OHCHR , UN WOMEN , OCHA , WHO
Alessandra Vellucci of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Women, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNOG , OHCHR
Alessandra Vellucci of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | OCHA , UNITED NATIONS
Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, briefed the press in Geneva on Friday on famine in Gaza.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | OCHA , OHCHR , WHO , WFP , UNHCR
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, as well as representatives and spokespersons of the World Health Organization, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Refugee Agency, the World Food Programme, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNOG , WHO , OCHA , OHCHR
Alessandra Vellucci of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the World Health Organization.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | OCHA , WHO
Rolando Gómez of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the World Health Organization.
1
1
1
Press Conferences , Statements | UNEP
After 10 days of UN talks on plastic pollution, no consensus was reached; negotiations to continue.