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(November 19, 2013) \u2013 The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran welcomes the United Nations General Assembly\u2019s Third Committee vote today overwhelmingly supporting human rights in Iran, and urges the Iranian government to comply with UN human rights mechanisms and take concrete steps to address the ongoing violations in the country.<\/p>\n
Resolution A\/C.3\/68\/L.57 on the promotion and protection of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran passed today with a vote of 83 in favor, 36 against, and 62 abstentions. All delegates who spoke today expressed their condolences for the victims of the violent attack on the Iranian Embassy in Beirut earlier today.
\n\u201cThe Third Committee\u2019s decision to adopt another resolution on Iran\u2019s human rights situation indicates that despite a new government in Tehran, major human rights violations are still taking place and some may even have accelerated,\u201d said Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. \u201cThe UN is keeping the world\u2019s focus on the appalling status of human rights in Iran.\u201d
\nThis year\u2019s resolution focuses on Iran\u2019s exorbitant execution rate and calls upon the government of Iran \u201cto address \u2026 substantive concerns \u2026 and to respect fully its human rights obligations, in law and in practice.\u201d The resolution specifically asks Iran to eliminate \u201camputations, flogging, blinding and other forms of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,\u201d as well as \u201cpublic executions and other executions carried out in the absence of respect for internationally recognized safeguards.\u201d In October 2013, the Campaign and the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center\u00a0reported\u00a0that Iran had already executed 125 individuals since Rouhani\u2019s August inauguration. That number has now exceeded 200 hangings.
\nIn addition to the ongoing systematic violations cited in previous years, this year\u2019s resolution also adds an explicit push for the promotion of women\u2019s rights, \u201cto promote women\u2019s participation in decision-making positions, and \u2026 to lift all restrictions on women\u2019s equal access to all aspects of university education.\u201d
\n\u201cThe tremendous international support for this resolution sends a clear message to the Iranian leadership that the world will not turn a blind eye to Iran\u2019s human rights crisis,\u201d said Ghaemi. \u201cThe Iranian government should acknowledge the issues raised by the international community, put an end to years of denying the ongoing human rights issues in the country, and act more responsibly towards improving the current situation.\u201d
\nThe Third Committee resolution welcomes the many pledges newly elected President Hassan Rouhani has made in the area of human rights, \u201cparticularly on eliminating discrimination against women and members of ethnic minorities, to promote freedom of expression and opinion, as well as the president\u2019s proposal to implement a civil rights charter.\u201d It also welcomes the release of dozens of prisoners of conscience, and further calls for the release of \u201call those who have been arbitrarily arrested and detained for exercising their rights to freedom of religion or belief, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and participating in peaceful protests about political, economic, environmental or other issues.\u201d
\nHowever, the resolution does express concern over the closed process of candidate selection during the election, \u201cincluding the exclusion of all women candidates, and the further erosion of democratic space for political activities prior to the elections.\u201d
\nShortly before the vote, two countries joined the resolution as co-sponsors: Monaco and Vanuatu. Today\u2019s resolution enjoyed broad cross-regional support, especially from Latin American, Caribbean, and European countries. Before the vote on human rights in Iran, the Third Committee adopted resolutions on the situations of human rights in Syria and North Korea, both of which voted against the resolution on the promotion and protection of human rights in Iran.
\nSeveral delegates spoke to explain their country\u2019s votes. While all expressed their condolences for the governments and families of the victims of today\u2019s violent attack on the Iranian Embassy in Beirut, the Syrian ambassador explicitly condemned the idea of voting on a draft resolution on human rights in Iran on the same day as such an attack. Iran, Syria, Belarus, Cuba, North Korea, Djibouti, Venezuela, Russia, and Ecuador all spoke before the vote to emphasize the importance of the Universal Periodic Review and to say that the country-specific resolution was politicized and therefore they would vote against it.
\nIndonesia, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, and New Zealand spoke after the vote, noting the positive developments since the election of President Hassan Rouhani and encouraging Iran to continue to improve its human rights record. Uruguay, Costa Rica, and France also wished to give a statement, but since the meeting exceeded the amount of time the translators were present, they agreed to submit their statements on the morning of Thursday, November 21.
\nToday\u2019s vote marks the tenth consecutive year the UN General Assembly Third Committee has passed a resolution promoting human rights in Iran. Since the election of President Hassan Rouhani this past June, the UN has noted improvements in certain areas of human rights, and has been encouraging the country to continue to address its human rights violations.
\nThe Campaign welcomes the broad international support for the promotion and protection of human rights in Iran, and urges President Rouhani and the Supreme Leader to enact necessary changes to improve the situation of human rights in Iran and cooperate with UN mechanisms.
\nThe UN General Assembly will formally adopt the resolution in December of this year.
\nListen to the Campaign\u2019s Iran Rights Podcast\u2028\u2028For the latest human rights developments in Iran visit the Campaign\u2019s website
\nFor interviews, contact Hadi Ghaemi at +1-917-669-5996
\nFollow the\u00a0Campaign on Facebook and Twitter<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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