women, political prisoners, civil society activists and others, accusing it of violating its own domestic laws as well as international law.
Ahmad Shaheed’s 36-page report catalogues “allegations that produce a striking pattern of violations of fundamental human rights,” highlighting an almost eight-fold increase in executions between 2003 and 2011.
The special rapporteur was not allowed to visit Iran, so he produced the report by speaking to diplomats, civil society activists and Iranian expatriates. The Islamic Republic condemned for relying on such second hand sources—but it didn’t offer to al.low hiom to come to Iran and use first hand sources.
Shaheed, a diplomat from the Maldive Islands, noted that Iran has the highest number of unanswered requests from UN human rights investigators, creating an information vacuum that “encourages the international community to imagine the worst.” This information void also prompts the international community to “intensify” the focus on Iran’s human rights record.
Shaheed said it would be in Iran’s own best interest to allow him and other UN investigators to come to Iran.
Shaheed said the Islamic Republic often violates its own legal provisions in dealing with suspected offenders. These violations include arbitrary detention, not informing the families of those detained, lack of access to legal counsel, unlawful searches and seizures, torture and confessions solicited under duress—all banned under the Constitution or laws of the Islamic Republic.
The regime frequently defends itself by saying international human rights standards were framed by westerners and do not reflect Islamic values. But it ignored Shaheed’s point-by-point recitation of how the regime violates its own laws.
The report also explores issues such as quotas on the number of female students in higher education and restrictions on the press.
Shaheed also critiqued some of the current laws and some that are in the pipeline.
For example, laws about punishable “insults” to officials are not clear, resulting in the prosecution of individuals and organizations on vague and often arbitrary charges that violate international human rights laws, Shaheed said.
He also cited a pending bill in the Majlis that would empower a committee of lawmakers to conclude that any statement, speech or interview conducted by a member had “violated the moral charter of representatives or undermined national security.” The bill allows for disciplinary action that might even include expulsion from the Majlis, which contradicts articles of the Constitution that guarantees representatives the right to “express their views on all internal and external matters of the country.”
Shaheed’s report was not all condemnation, however. He pointed to recent legislation to ban the execution of minors and stoning for adultery as positive developments.
Shaheed concludes that although there is a need for new laws to safeguard human rights in the country, the Islamic Republic has a more pressing obligation to cease violating existing laws that protect the basic rights of Iranians.
“Although the Special Rapporteur agrees that the Government should consider additional instruments that promote human rights in the country, the gov-ernment’s insufficient enforcement of its current obligations is of immediate concern.”
