UNITED NATIONS MONITOR FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ON : IRAN / KURDS
Canada: Iranian peoples’ hopes for a democratic future continues to be suppressed
The United Nations’ monitor for human rights in Iran sounded the alarm Tuesday over a rise in arrests of journalists, volume of executions and extrajudicial killings in Iran. Many western countries, including Canada applauded the Special Rapporteur’s periodic human rights report on Iran. Canada referred (full statement below) to the treatment of ethnic and religious minorities in Iran ‘troubling’.
“These blatant violations are in direct contravention of Iran’s obligations with respect to the UN charter and other international obligations.” Canada’s mission to the Human Rights Council stated. “Iranian peoples’ hopes for a democratic future also continue to be suppressed” she added.
Along with firmly condemning inhumane practices in Iran under the regime of Islamic Republic, Canada’s mission was eager to find out about the Special Rapporteur’s plans to draw greater attention to Iranian minorities’ efforts for the rights to be upheld. Canadian Mission statement to the 22nd Regular Session on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran is as follow:
Mr. President,
The special report on the situation of human rights in Iran once again exposes the Iranian authorities’ sustained contempt for the most basic rights and freedoms of its people. The Iranian authorities persecution of its ethnic and religious minorities remains troubling. Iranian authorities systematically and arbitrarily intimidate detain and interrogate religious minorities including Baha’is, Christians, Jews, Sufis and Sunni Muslims.
These blatant violations are in direct contravention of Iran’s obligations with respect to the UN charter and other international obligations. Iranian peoples’ hopes for a democratic future also continue to be suppressed; Iran’s upcoming presidential election must be a clear break from calculated efforts to deny Iranians their most basic freedoms; however, as detailed in the Special Rapporteur’s report, we are instead witnessing new evidence that Iranians are not free to express their views publicly, to freely and peacefully gather, to engage in an open discourse on the nature of their governement’s, its policies and the future of their country. inversely Iranian citizens are now being threatened and intimidated against calling for free and fair elections. The recent mass arrest of Iranian Journalists and bloggers is another example of Iranian regime’s oppressiveness and paranoia. It also reveals the regime’s fear of accountability. Canada firmly condemns these practices.
I would like to pose two questions to the Special Rapporteur: first, we will be interested in hearing from the Special Rapporteur for about his planned reporting activities at the United Nations General Assembly and about any monitoring activities he might undertake to the lead of June presidential elections; and secondly, we would be grateful for the Special Rapporteur thinking about how he plans to draw greater attention to Iranian minorities’ efforts for the rights to be upheld.
Thank you Mr. President,
Video link of Canada’s Ms. Alison LeClaire Christie at the 29th Meeting of the 22nd Regular Session Human Rights Council