The Nowruz vacation coincided with a extremely crucial report by UN Special Rapporteur Jaid Rehman, and it was not the happiest of days for Iranian diplomats on the UN in Geneva.
Almost six months after the demise of Zina Mahusa Amini, the 47 member states of the Human Rights Council expressed their views on the report in two periods of the so-called interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the scenario of human rights. . In Iran. The board is scheduled to vote on the report on April 3 or 4 on the conclusion of its 52nd session, which started on February 27.
20 web page reportThe report, printed in February, detailed proof of great human rights violations, together with homicide, imprisonment, enforced disappearances, torture, rape, sexual violence, and persecution associated to the protests that started final September. ing. Professor Lehmann mentioned: “These have been a part of a scientific and widespread coverage instigated by the state…The gravity of those crimes signifies that crimes towards humanity could have been dedicated.”
This was the primary alternative for the report back to be submitted to the Council for feedback from Member States. The majority of the Council’s members, who characterize roughly 30 nations, expressed overwhelming assist for the Lehman report and its conclusions. Iran’s isolation on the world stage was made bodily obvious within the big, white-lit round council chamber as ambassadors from varied nations spoke in assist of Professor Rehmann’s findings and conclusions.
Council chambers are so massive that focus is concentrated on what’s being mentioned. Despite its measurement, it’s a quiet area as all communication takes place via microphones and interpreters. Diplomats, members of the press, and representatives of dozens of NGOs and different organizations are all listening in with earphones.
Tensions have been excessive over how Iran, a “nation of concern” that has the suitable of first reply in UN parlance, would react to Rehman’s abstract.
Iran’s response within the Security Council was to proceed its assaults. Ambassador Ali Bahaini, the pinnacle of Iran’s mission to the United Nations in Geneva, sat with a decided look on his face as he listened to a abstract of Rehman’s report in the beginning of the primary session. After Prime Minister Bahraini known as in English for “the spirit of spring and Nowruz to deliver dignity, integrity and justice to our world,” Rahman mentioned, “This is an entire disregard for our obligations beneath decision 5/2. , it emphasizes the next. Impartiality of the Special Rapporteur”. Mr Bahrain mentioned Mr Rehman was “enjoying the function of the opposition”. In all his writings and statements, he makes use of biased language and violates the code of conduct for particular responsibility holders. ”
Although the Special Rapporteur remained characteristically unsettled, the Ambassador known as the report “like a tragic novel…Jade Rehman’s claims…that many Western governments, their media retailers, and the terrorists stationed of their nations… It’s being repeated by teams.” The previous few months. They tried to painting their creativeness as the truth of Iran’s human rights scenario. ”
But past this, Bahaini didn’t broaden on his understanding of the truth of Iran’s human rights scenario. And the ambassador left. There have been no additional appearances and no press convention.
Although most board members supported the Lehman report, there have been additionally opponents. Russia, Syria, China and Belarus have been among the many seven nations that reacted negatively to the report (together with Zimbabwe, Cuba and Laos).
Their statements didn’t dispute the information of the report, however have been extra basic complaints concerning the “politicization” of human rights points by Western nations and resistance to the thought of oversight outdoors state management. .
Professor Lehmann’s very lawyerly insistence on accountability may additionally have performed a job, with worldwide arrest warrants probably being issued for state actors discovered responsible of human rights violations. The following instance was given: Arrest and trial of Hamid Nouri And the PS752 case is presently underway on the International Criminal Court. The information that a world arrest warrant had been issued for President Vladimir Putin was contemporary in everybody’s minds.
I by no means heard from the Bahraini ambassador once more, however Professor Rehman appeared to be in all places. As nicely as the 2 periods of the council itself, Jawaid Rehman additionally held a press convention to debate Article 19, human rights in Iran, a number of conferences organized by organizations such because the Ensemble Center La Seine du Morte and the International Federation of Journalists. He additionally spoke at a aspect occasion.
The mild-mannered and soft-spoken particular rapporteur has turn out to be more and more outspoken about human rights in Iran in latest months. Professor Rehman has been in cost since 2018 and has persistently known as on Iran to permit him to enter the nation and perform his duties, however Iran has not acknowledged this. Regarding Iran’s criticism of Rehman’s findings, Rehman mentioned his report is fact-based and never subjective, calling for substantive responses from Iran and involving him within the course of. I’m asking you to.
“I ought to report back to you from Tehran,” he says.