Iranian executions and detentions in spotlight at Human Rights Council

Iran faced calls on Wednesday from top UN-appointed rights investigators to halt the executions of people sentenced to death in connection with anti-government demonstrations that have continued since the death in custody of Mahsa Amini last September.

“We have expressed concerns over domestic investigation into the death in custody of Jina Mahsa Amini and in particular over the fact that today her family's right to truth and justice remains unfulfilled,” said Viviana Krsticevic, a member of the Fact-Finding Mission on Iran.

“Domestic investigations in her case have fallen short of international human rights norms, and, moreover, efforts to shed light on the circumstances of her death have been hindered,” Ms. Krsticevic told journalists at a press conference in Geneva.

Earlier, the Fact-Finding Mission told the Human Rights Council’s 47 UN Member States that the overall human rights situation in Iran risked deteriorating further amid reports that new legislation is being mulled that proposes harsher punishments on women and girls not wearing their veil according to strict rules.

The death of 22-year-old Ms. Amini after her arrest by Iran’s so-called morality police sparked mass protests across the country – and condemnation from UN-appointed rights experts, who called her a victim of “Iran’s sustained repression and systematic discrimination against women”.

‘Forced veiling’

“We have identified major risks of further erosion of women's and girls’ rights in Iran”, said Ms. Krsticevic. “We have expressed concern about the continuous repression of women and girls opposing forced veiling and their reported use of facial recognition technologies to identify and arrest them.” 

The rights expert also pointed to information indicating that students “are being suspended from their studies or banned from dormitories for their defiance of the compulsory veiling law”.

Echoing concerns about the proposed use of flogging of women and girls who defy the compulsory veiling rules, Sara Hossein, Chair of the Fact-Finding Mission, said that some of the penalties were “clearly what would constitute inhuman punishment under international law”. 

Ms. Hossein added that there were also concerns that imposing detention for wearing clothes incorrectly constituted arbitrary detention.

The Fact-Finding Mission – established by the Human Rights Council in November 2022 - is also investigating whether alleged poisonings of girls in schools have been orchestrated as a means to punish or deter girls for their involvement in the protests.

“Just two months after the protests occurred, a series of alleged poisonings started in dozens of schools in 28 provinces”, said Ms. Krsticevic. “Reports said this may have been may have been orchestrated to punish girls or to turn them from involvement in the protests and are being duly investigated in the framework of our mandate.”
Even today, 10 months after Ms. Amini’s death events, no official data has been made publicly available regarding those arrested, detained, charged or convicted in connection with the protests, the experts said.

But reports continue to emerge of arrests and detentions of protesters, including women and girls refusing to comply with the country’s forced veiling law and of harassment of their family members.

“The aftermath of those protests in the form of intimidation of families and of reprisals continue unabated,” said Shaheen Sardar Ali, member of the Fact-Finding Mission.

She added that according to the Iranian authorities, 22,000 people had been pardoned in connection with the protests.

“This suggests that many more were detained or charged. Unfortunately, no disaggregated data exists on the nature of the accusations against these people or on those convicted, still detained or charged for their involvement in the protests.”

Those involved in the protests reportedly continue to suffer harsh punishments, including for exercising rights protected under international human rights law, the experts said.

This is despite concerns over a lack transparency in legal proceedings and failure to meet basic fair trial and due process guarantees under international human rights law.

Death penalty surge

“Since November 2022, at least 26 individuals have reportedly been sentenced to death in connection with the protests and dozens more have been charged with offences carrying the death penalty,” said Ms. Sardar Ali. 

“Seven men have already been executed following these proceedings marred by serious allegations of fair trial violations, including confessions extracted under torture.”

To date, the Fact-Finding Mission has sent seven letters to the Iranian Government, including repeated requests for a visit to the country to gather information critical to its investigations which have yet to be answered.

Yesterday, the experts met the lead Iranian officials appointed to the “Special Committee to investigate the 2022 unrests”.

The Fact-Finding Mission is preparing a comprehensive report on its findings to the Human Rights Council for its 55^th session in March 2024.

-ends-

Speakers:  

• Sara Hossain, Chair of the Iran Fact-Finding Mission
• Shaheen Sardar Ali, Member of the Iran Fact-Finding Mission
• Viviana Krsticevic, Member of the Iran Fact-Finding Mission

Date shot: 05 July 2023

1. Exterior medium shot: UN Palais with flags
2. Wide shot: speakers and moderator behind podium at the press conference, screens on both sides of the podium
3. SOUNDBITE (English) – Viviana Krsticevic, Member of the Iran Fact-Finding Mission (FFM): “We have expressed concerns over the domestic investigation into the death in custody of Gina Masa Amini and in particular over the fact that today her family's right to truth and justice remains unfulfilled. Domestic investigations in her case have fallen short of international human rights norms of standards. And moreover, efforts to shed light on the circumstances of her death have been hindered.”
4. Close shot: attendee taking notes at the press conference
5. SOUNDBITE (English) – Viviana Krsticevic, Member of the Iran Fact-Finding Mission (FFM): “We have also identified major risks of further erosion of women's and girls’ rights in Iran. We have expressed concern about the continuous repression of women and girls opposing forced veiling and their reported use of facial recognition technologies to identify and arrest them. Alarming information, according to which students are being suspended from their studies or banned from dormitories for their defiance of the compulsory veiling law continue to emerge.”
6. Medium shot: photographers and attendees at the press conference, screen with speaker in the background
7. SOUNDBITE (English) – Viviana Krsticevic, Member of the Iran Fact-Finding Mission (FFM): “Just two months after the protests occurred, a series of alleged poisonings started in dozens of schools in 28 provinces. Reports said this may have been orchestrated as a means to punish girls or to turn them from involvement in the protests and are being duly investigated in the framework of our mandate.”
8. Medium shot: speakers and moderator behind podium, photographer in the foreground
9. SOUNDBITE (English) – Sara Hossain, Chair of the Iran Fact-Finding Mission (FFM): “In relation to the nature of the penalties, some of the penalties are clearly what would constitute inhuman punishment under international law, such as flogging. There are also concerns that imposing detention for these kinds of occurrences would constitute arbitrary detention. There's also an attempt through this proposed legislation to essentially privatize enforcement of these job laws so that private actors would become responsible for any individual who doesn't comply with the laws.”
10. Wide shot: speakers and moderators behind podium at the press conference, screens on both sides of the podium, attendees in the foreground
11. SOUNDBITE (English) – Shaheen Sardar Ali, Member of the Iran Fact-Finding Mission (FFM): “The aftermath of those protests in the form of intimidation of families and of reprisals continue unabated. 22,000 people, as reported by the government of Iran, have been pardoned in connection with the protests. This suggests that many more were detained or charged. Unfortunately, no disaggregated data exists on the nature of the accusations against these people or on those convicted, still detained or charged for their involvement in the protests.”
12. Medium shot: cameraman in the foreground, attendees in the background
13. SOUNDBITE (English) – Shaheen Sardar Ali, Member of the Iran Fact-Finding Mission (FFM): “Since November 2022, at least 26 individuals have reportedly been sentenced to death in connection with the protests, and dozens more have been charged with office offenses carrying the death penalty. Seven men have already been executed following these proceedings marred by serious allegations of fair trial violations, including confessions extracted under torture.”
14. Close shot: camera filming the press conference
15. Close shot: attendee taking notes
16. Medium shot: cameraman at the press conference