Repression of peaceful protests, including through the massive use of lethal force<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\nIranian security forces\u2019 horrific killing spree has taken place with complete impunity. From 15 November 2019, they used lethal and excessive force to crush protests that took place in more than 100 cities across Iran and unlawfully killed and injured protesters. The number of people believed to have been killed during the demonstrations has risen to at least 304, based on credible reports received by Amnesty International, though the real death toll is likely to be significantly higher.<\/p>\n
Horrific accounts from eyewitnesses and victims\u2019 relatives, information gathered from human rights activists and journalists outside Iran and extensive verified video footage all provide clear evidence that the security forces have used firearms against protesters who posed no imminent threat to life. The scale of lethal force and other unnecessary or excessive force used against unarmed protesters is an escalation of past abusive practices of Iran\u2019s security forces, who have previously unlawfully killed and injured protesters with impunity.<\/p>\n
The High Commissioner for Human Rights noted that at least 7,000 people have reportedly been arrested.<\/p>\n
Within 48 hours of the start of the protests, the authorities implemented a near total shutdown of global Internet communications, cutting off nearly all means of online communications for people inside Iran. The National Information Network,\u00a0which kept domestic platforms online throughout the shutdown, is known to be monitored by Iranian officials. The resulting information blackout was a deliberate attempt by the authorities to prevent people from sharing images and videos of the deadly force being used by security forces. Shutting down communications over the Internet is a systematic assault on the right to freedom of expression, which includes the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media. This has placed barriers to international monitors \u2013 including UN human rights experts \u2013 and their efforts to document the unfolding situation in the country. To this date, authorities have refused to announce the total number of those killed during the crackdown.<\/p>\n
Concerns regarding the situation of prisoners<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\nAmongst the thousands detained since the protests began are journalists, students and human rights defenders. The undersigned organizations are seriously concerned about the fate and whereabouts of the detainees. While some have been released, many of the detainees remain forcibly disappeared or have otherwise been arbitrarily detained and denied access to their families and lawyers of their own choosing. Harrowing reports show that some detainees have been subjected to torture and other ill-treatment in detention centers and prisons. Consistent with past patterns of abuse, the authorities have broadcast the \u201cconfessions\u201d of several detainees likely obtained under duress or torture and other ill-treatment.<\/p>\n
Various statements by government officials, including by the\u00a0Supreme Leader and\u00a0head of judiciary, have\u00a0called protesters \u201cvillains\u201d\u00a0and \u201crioters\u201d and\u00a0associated\u00a0protesters\u00a0with foreign powers. The Iranian authorities have also called for the executions of protest \u201cleaders\u201d.<\/p>\n
The head of the Public and Revolutionary courts in Tehran\u00a0has stated that\u00a0\u201cspecial branches will be formed in the courts, and with speed and care judicial decision-making will take place<\/em>\u201d\u00a0in reference to plans to prosecute protesters who have been arrested, raising concerns that defendants will be tried unfairly by these special courts. Authorities have previously used such special courts to deny defendants\u2019 access to lawyers of their own choosing and the right to appeal.<\/p>\nWe\u00a0regard\u00a0these\u00a0statements, along with the mass arrests across the country, as\u00a0warning signs. They point to the\u00a0imminent risk of\u00a0further\u00a0mass violations of due process and fair trial standards, which would\u00a0result in\u00a0yet more cases of\u00a0arbitrary detentions, torture and\u00a0other ill-treatment and\u00a0possibly\u00a0death sentences.<\/p>\n
Call for a Special Session<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\nIn light of these\u00a0grave concerns, the undersigned organizations urge the members of the UN Human Rights Council to convene a special session of the HRC in order to seize itself of this situation, with\u00a0the aim of:<\/p>\n
\u2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Mandating an independent inquiry into the allegations of grave human rights violations, including unlawful killings, torture and enforced disappearances, that have taken place inside the country since 15 November. The inquiry should report on its findings to the Human Rights Council, and its report should include recommendations on how to ensure Iran\u00a0upholds\u00a0its\u00a0human rights obligations, including in\u00a0the context\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0protests\u00a0and their aftermath, and on bringing those responsible for serious human rights violations to justice in fair trials;<\/p>\n
\u2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Calling on Iran to give full and unrestricted access to those conducting this inquiry, as well as to UN officials, including special procedures mandates, including to places of detention and to monitor trials related to the protests and their aftermath.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/strong>Signatories:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\nAbdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran<\/p>\n
AHRAZ \u2013 Association for the Human Rights of the Azerbaijani people in Iran<\/p>\n
All Human Rights for All in Iran<\/p>\n
Amnesty International<\/p>\n
ARTICLE 19<\/p>\n
ASL19<\/p>\n
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies<\/p>\n
Center for Human Rights in Iran<\/p>\n
Centre for Supporters of Human Rights<\/p>\n
ECPM \u2013 Together against the Death Penalty<\/p>\n
FIDH \u2013 International Federation for Human Rights<\/p>\n
Human Rights Watch<\/p>\n
HRAI \u2013 Human Rights Activists in Iran<\/p>\n
Impact Iran<\/p>\n
Iran Human Rights<\/p>\n
Iran Human Rights Documentation Center<\/p>\n
Justice for Iran<\/p>\n
Kurdistan Human Rights \u2013 Geneva (KMMK-G)<\/p>\n
OutRight Action International<\/p>\n
Reprieve<\/p>\n
Siamak Pourzand Foundation<\/p>\n
Small Media<\/p>\n
United for Iran<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
December 16, 2019 \u2014 A coalition of international human rights organizations including the Center for Human Rights in Iran has called on the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) to launch<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1527","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-human-rights"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iransos.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1527","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iransos.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iransos.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iransos.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iransos.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1527"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.iransos.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1527\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1528,"href":"https:\/\/www.iransos.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1527\/revisions\/1528"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iransos.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1527"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iransos.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1527"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iransos.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1527"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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December 16, 2019 \u2014 A coalition of international human rights organizations including the Center for Human Rights in Iran has called on the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) to launch an independent inquiry and demand accountability for the Iranian government\u2019s repression of last month\u2019s street protests, which resulted in at least 304 deaths. Among the thousands who were detained since the protests erupted throughout the country in mid-November 2019 are journalists, students, and human rights defenders who are at risk of further violations of due process, which would result in more cases of arbitrary detentions, torture, and other ill-treatment.<\/p>\n