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HRC 52 - Vote on situation of human rights in Iran - 04 April 2023
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12:48
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MP4
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945.2 MB
STORY: Volker Türk - Human Rights Council 53rd Session
TRT: 2’08”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH, NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
RELEASE DATE: 19 June 2023
FORMAT: HYBRID PRESS BRIEFING
DATELINE: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Exterior wide shot: UN flag alley UN Geneva.
- Cutaway: wide shots, delegates at Human Rights Council, UN Geneva.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Regarding Mali's request for the withdrawal of MINUSMA, let me be clear: human rights must always be above the fray of politics. In exercising the responsibilities entrusted to my Office, we are guided solely by our mandate. When serious human rights violations or abuses occur, irrespective of the perpetrator, we need to monitor, document and report on them, in the interest of all Malians, in addition of course to working on prevention and delivering support to national institutions.”
- Cutaway: wide shot, delegates and journalists at Human Rights Council, UN Geneva.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “I reiterate the need for cooperation with the Council's Commission of Inquiry, and for my colleagues to have access to both Ukrainian territory occupied by the Russian Federation, and to the Russian Federation itself – not least, to visit civilian detainees, prisoners of war and Ukrainian children and people with disabilities who have been taken to these areas.”
- Cutaway: close lateral shot, delegates at Human Rights Council, UN Geneva.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Iran continues to engage formally with my Office, including on issues pertaining to discrimination against women and girls; accountability for severe human rights violations; and imminent executions. Yet substantive implementation of the State’s obligations under international human rights law remains very limited, and I am concerned by the massive recent increase in executions, as well as continuing discrimination against women and girls.”
- Various cutaways of delegates and journalists, Human Rights Council, UN Geneva.
‘Vital’ human rights cooperation must be above the fray of politics: UN rights chief
A lack of strong cooperation with the international human rights system leaves States “adrift”, UN human rights chief Volker Türk said on Monday, as he addressed rights emergencies in dozens of countries including Iran, Mali and Russia.
In his annual review presented to the Human Rights Council, which opened its 53rd regular session on Monday, Mr. Türk insisted that such cooperation was “vital” in a world plagued by conflict, climate disasters and development setbacks.
Human rights “must always be above the fray of politics”, Mr. Türk said, following a request from Mali on Friday to the Security Council for the UN to immediately withdraw its peacekeeping mission, known as MINUSMA, from the country.
“When serious human rights violations or abuses occur, irrespective of the perpetrator, we need to monitor, document and report on them, in the interest of all Malians, in addition to working on prevention and delivering support to national institutions,” he said, while reiterating his Office’s commitment to continuing its work in Mali.
Mr. Türk called on Russia to cooperate with the Council-appointed Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine. He stressed the need for human rights monitors to have access to both Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia, and to Russia itself, “not least, to visit civilian detainees, prisoners of war and Ukrainian children and people with disabilities who have been taken to these areas”.
Turning to Iran, Mr. Türk expressed concern over the “massive” recent increase in executions of prisoners – mostly for drug-related offences and a disproportionately high number representing minorities – as well as continuing discrimination against women and girls.
Countries and civil society organizations will have the opportunity to respond to the UN human rights chief’s comments during an interactive dialogue scheduled on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Mr. Türk’s statement highlighted the main points of his report to the Human Rights Council, which reviews the cooperation of Member States with the international human rights ecosystem, which includes the 10 Treaty bodies, the Council itself, with its Universal Periodic Review process, investigations and Special Procedures, as well as the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR).
Teleprompter
We will now move to the item four and the Council will now consider the draught proposal L3, entitled The Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, and I would like to give the floor to the representative of Iceland to introduce the draught texts.
You have the floor.
[Other language spoken]
President, I have the honour to present draught Resolution L3 on behalf of the core group of Moltoa N Macedonia, the United Kingdom and Iceland.
L3 seeks to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran for another year.
The draught resolution is the product of an open and transparent process, and we are grateful for the constructive proposals and the informal consultations which serve to improve the text.
The human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran remains dire, with persistent violations of a wide range of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.
The Iranian authorities continue to violate the human rights of its people and stoke fear through instrumentalizing the death penalty.
Impunity for gross violations of human rights and the absence of accountability embolden perpetrators and perpetuate cycles of violence.
Continued monitoring, reporting and scrutiny is vital.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
President, today's adoption is about solidarity with the people of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
It is about demonstrating that the Council stands with all those who wish to simply enjoy their human rights and fundamental freedoms without fear of reprisal or repression.
It is about saying stop to the violence and discrimination in law and in practise against women and goals, children, persons belonging to minorities, human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists.
[Other language spoken]
President, I call on all members of the Council to support the resolution today and if a vote is called, to vote in favour.
[Other language spoken]
Let me inform you that there are additional 7 Co sponsors.
And now let me invite the members of the Council wishing to make their general comments.
Finland.
Finland, you have the floor.
[Other language spoken]
President, I have the honour to speak on behalf of the EU Member States that are members of the Human Rights Council.
This general comment has been agreed by the EU as a whole.
The European Union firmly supports the renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran and thanks him for his report that sheds light into the deteriorating situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
We also fully support the inclusion of substantial language in the resolution so it can reflect the extent and the gravity of the human rights violations.
We echo the grave concerns raised in the resolution on the violations of the human rights of women and girls.
Moreover, we condemn the arbitrary arrests and executions of peaceful protesters, among others.
The EU unequivocally opposes the use of the death penalty in all times and circumstances and calls on Iranian authorities to comply with the international obligations deriving from ICCPR.
Moreover, the EU urges the Iranian authorities to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur and the Fact Finding mission by providing information and facilitating their access to the country.
In this vein, we invite all members of the Human Rights Council to join consensus around the text and to support this important resolution.
[Other language spoken]
The next on my list is Costa Rica Gracias Presidente Costa Rica.
Without violence.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you, and now let me pass the floor to the United States of America.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
As we sit here in the comfort of Geneva, under the iconic ceiling of the UN Human Rights Chamber, far from the tragedy unfolding in Iran, we cannot ignore the rising number of reports of what the Iranian people have been suffering in the brutal crackdown that began in September of last year.
Mass arrests, sham trials, hasty executions and lengthy prison sentences being handed down to protesters, as well as the use of sexual violence as a tool to suppress protests.
These deeply disturbing actions unfortunately make clear that the situation in Iran continues to require our attention and the diligent, independent assessment that renewing the mandate of the Special Rapporteur can provide in the form of timely and critical reporting.
The deteriorating human rights situation in Iran demands that we take this action today.
The resolution before us is the product of collaboration among Member States with newly added language to addressed systematic impunity for gross violations of human rights, including torture and arbitrary arrests and detentions.
I'm grateful that after 10 years, the Council recognises that this resolution must evolve with the current human rights crisis.
Despite the devastating consequences of the regimes violent crackdown, members of the Iranian civil society, including defenders such as Sepita Golian and Nargis Mohammadi, among countless others, remain resilient and courageous.
the United States will continue to work closely with our allies and partners in the international community to take action to support the people of Iran who are the victims of these violations and abuses, and to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.
We are proud to join more than 65 Co sponsors and urge all Council members to support this resolution, and we thank the core group for their leadership.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Now let me ask the Council if there is another member wishing to make a general comment.
It's not the case.
So we will continue with the country concerned and I'm passing the floor to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
You have the floor similar.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
President, the draught resolution on which the Council is about to take action, submitted by Iceland and UK as its main sponsors, is totally unwarranted and rejected by Iran.
Tabling this resolution is considered by Iran as a malign attempt to deliberately target and destruct Iran's human rights face by producing twisted narratives, negative cliche and false accusations.
This resolution and its mandate deliberately ignores the human rights achievements of the Islamic Republic of Iran and name and shame by country, with the aim to divert attentions from the violations of him of the rights of Iranians and crimes against humanity committed by the sponsors of this resolution through imposing nationwide unilateral coercive measures against my my people.
[Other language spoken]
President, weaponization of human rights as a foreign policy tool is unacceptable and endangers the current cause of human rights.
This approach neither contributes to the protection and promotion of human rights, nor is it compatible with the realities on the ground and the history and background of the Iranian culture and civilization.
Islamic Republic of Iran earnestly believes in the imperative of respect for and promotion of human rights.
Our achievements in the field of human rights in the past four decades bears testimony to Iran's seriousness towards respecting, protecting and fulfilment of human rights.
In this line, we have continued our cooperation with human rights mechanisms, in particular with the UPR Working Group.
We have responded to more than 60% of the communications of the special procedures.
We have distributed 35 explanatory reports in Geneva since September 22 on the developments after the death of Miss Masa Amini.
We have also established a close contact with the UN **** Commissioner Office.
But all of these efforts and Iran's achievements are lost among the maximum pressure, policy and media manipulation of the sponsors of this resolution.
[Other language spoken]
President, members of the Human Rights Council know are at a sensitive crossroad.
They should decide whether to continue to vote in a favour of politically motivated resolution or to vote against it to support Iranian nation in the glory path that they have selected towards independence, indignity and success.
We hope the latter would be the choice today.
[Other language spoken]
President, by the request of the delegation of Pakistan, the Council will now proceed to a recorded vote on draught proposal L3 and now ask this result to open the voting machine and I asked the delegations to register their votes.
So please let me ask you if your votes are recorded accurately and reflected on the screen and if that is the case, I'm asking the secretariat to close the voting machine and the voting is now closed.
Results of the recorded votes are as follows.
23 in favour, eight against, 16 abstentions.
Draught Proposal L 3 is therefore adopted.
Copies of the results of the road will shortly be uploaded on the extranet.