This week, United Nations Special Rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed is expected to publish his latest report on human rights in Iran. Today’s podcast features an interview with Dr. Shaheed conducted in May 2012, in which he discusses his concerns about executions, torture, lack of due process, and treatment of juvenile offenders. He also discusses the methodology ...
In a statement released October 2, 2012, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations expressed its concern over “the arrest and imprisonment of several prominent human rights defenders, journalists and political activists in … Iran in the past two weeks.” The OHCHR warned of “a further severe clamp down ...
Commentary: CNN’s prime time interview with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his final official trip to New York in September 2012, for many who follow Iran’s human rights crisis, seemed to be a great opportunity to shed some light on the eight years of worsening human rights violations during his time in office. Piers Morgan’s September 24 ...
(September 22, 2012) As Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrives in New York for his last official visit to the United Nations, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran has released a short video demonstrating and highlighting systematic cover-ups accompanying the marked rise in human rights violations over the eight years of his presidency. ...
Commentary: Shortly after Ban Ki-moon left Tehran, Iranian Human Rights Council head Mohammad Javad Larijani criticized the UN’s human rights mechanisms publicly, including the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, on Iran’s State TV. (ISNA). (link in Persian) ...
Speaking at the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s School of International Relations on August 30, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, ”I have urged the authorities during my visit this time to release opposition leaders, human rights defenders, journalists and social activists to create the conditions for free expression and open debate. I also urge Iran to strengthen ...
Three United Nations Special Rapporteurs* on Iran, summary executions and torture condemned the recent execution of four members of the Ahwazi Arab minority in Ahwaz’s Karoun Prison in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Following a reportedly unfair trial, they were sentenced to death and executed on or around 19 June 2012. “Given the lack of transparency ...
In a statement released today, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran Ahmed Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders Margaret Sekaggya, and Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Gabriela Knaul condemned the Iranian government’s practice of targeting and prosecuting human rights defenders. “The conviction and extremely harsh sentencing of ...
(22 March 2012) The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran today welcomed the Human Rights Council’s 22 to 5 vote extending the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran for another year. Facing the international community’s resolve to address the country’s human rights crisis, Iranian ...
In today’s session at the Human Rights Council (HRC), UN member states voted to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ahmed Shaheed. With 22 yes votes, 5 no votes, and 20 abstentions, member states again showed their support for the mandate and ...
In his interim report on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran presented 21 March 2012, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon regretted the country’s continued lack of cooperation with UN mechanisms, especially with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran. ...
Iranian Delegate Responds Angrily Without Addressing Report's Content Head of Iran's Human Rights Council Mohammad Javad Larijani delivers his opening statements at today's Human Rights Council (Reporting ...
Ever wonder why UN human rights resolutions on Iran are important? In this week’s Weekly Rights Podcast, we talk to Dokhi Fassihian of United 4 Iran, a global network of human rights activists. Ms. Fassihian talks about the recent resolution passed by the UN on the situation of human rights in Iran. She tells us ...
In this week’s Weekly Rights Podcast: The Campaign speaks out about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to the UN General Assembly in New York; American hikers Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal are released from prison; seven documentary filmmakers are arrested and charged with espionage on behalf of BBC Persian; 17-year-old Alireza Molla-Soltani is executed; and ...
In this week’s Weekly Rights Podcast: the court reviewing the case of the three Americans arrested more than two years ago has not yet issued its ruling; UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran requests entry into the country; imprisoned actress Marzieh Vafamehr’s husband Nasser Taghvai appeals on behalf of his ...
The possibility of a US military strike against Iran has been debated for almost a decade, since Iran’s nuclear program first gave rise to concerns about the possible development of a nuclear weapon and calls for exercising a “military option” to stop it. Some have also suggested an attack to change the government of Iran, ...