Iran's poor human rights record needs continued monitoring, activists say

[Sally]

I would imagine that there are loads of Iranians who are mighty happy that they fled Iran to the West..

Iran's poor human rights record needs continued monitoring, activists say

Demonstrators protest Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's visit to Paris in January 2016. Iran executed at least 966 prisoners in 2015, the highest number in over two decades, according to Ahmed Shaheen, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Iran.

(Christophe Ena / Associated Press)

Ann M. SimmonsContact Reporter
Even as it is being welcomed back into the international community, Iran is continuing to violate the most basic civil and political rights of its people and needs continued monitoring, advocates who are pushing for greater freedoms in the Islamic Republic contend.

The activists, including dozens of international human rights groups, insist Iran has continued a disturbing pattern of abuses including increased executions and decreased opportunities for women.

To force change, they have called on the United Nations Human Rights Council to renew its agreement with a special rapporteur, Ahmed Shaheed, to continue monitoring and reporting on the human rights situation in the country. The council could vote Thursday or earlier to extend monitoring.

See the most-read stories this hour >>
The accusations come on the heels of the implementation of a landmark nuclear deal between Tehran and six world powers, including the United States. The Obama administration says the agreement would prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and in return for Tehran’s cooperation, international sanctions on Iran have been lifted.


Several of the activists suggested that enthusiasm over the nuclear deal and prospects of future trade with Iran are causing the international community to turn a blind eye to Iran’s human rights violations. Since sanctions were lifted in January, foreign business delegations have flooded Iran and multibillion-dollar deals have been brokered.

“Although this is some progress on the surface, we don’t see any dramatic change toward democracy,” said Maryam Faghihimani, an Iranian advocate for women's rights, entrepreneurship and the right to education. “On the contrary, we see a lot of backward movement with regards to human rights issues and violations in Iran today.”

Women stand in line at a polling station during the parliamentary and Experts Assembly elections in Qom, Iran, on Feb. 26, 2016.

(Ebrahim Noroozi / Associated Press)
President Hassan Rouhani has remained largely mum on human rights. While addressing the opening of the United Nations General Assembly in October, for instance, he focused on the nuclear agreement and underscored Iran’s commitment to fighting terrorism, but made no mention of improving human rights.

In his latest report to the United Nations, Shaheed acknowledged that Iran had taken some strides toward reform, such as granting criminal suspects the right to an attorney. But such safeguards, he said, are not always implemented.

The number of executions last year, for instance, accelerated and reached its highest level in two decades — 966 prisoners put to death, Shaheed said in his report. He expressed particular concern with the number of juvenile offenders executed and fundamental flaws in the administration of justice.

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Iran's poor human rights record needs continued monitoring, activists say

 

[cnm]

That is especially so when it is compared to the human rights record of its neighbour across the gulf, that exemplar of human dignity, Saudi.

 

[Sally]

That is especially so when it is compared to the human rights record of its neighbour across the gulf, that exemplar of human dignity, Saudi.

Instead of always making innocuous comments on this forum, why don't you at least give us an article about the human rights in Saudi Arabia?

 

[Sunni Man]

I would imagine that there are loads of Iranians who are mighty happy that they fled Iran to the West..

Iran's poor human rights record needs continued monitoring, activists say

Demonstrators protest Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's visit to Paris in January 2016. Iran executed at least 966 prisoners in 2015, the highest number in over two decades, according to Ahmed Shaheen, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Iran.

(Christophe Ena / Associated Press)

Ann M. SimmonsContact Reporter
Even as it is being welcomed back into the international community, Iran is continuing to violate the most basic civil and political rights of its people and needs continued monitoring, advocates who are pushing for greater freedoms in the Islamic Republic contend.

The activists, including dozens of international human rights groups, insist Iran has continued a disturbing pattern of abuses including increased executions and decreased opportunities for women.

To force change, they have called on the United Nations Human Rights Council to renew its agreement with a special rapporteur, Ahmed Shaheed, to continue monitoring and reporting on the human rights situation in the country. The council could vote Thursday or earlier to extend monitoring.

See the most-read stories this hour >>
The accusations come on the heels of the implementation of a landmark nuclear deal between Tehran and six world powers, including the United States. The Obama administration says the agreement would prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and in return for Tehran’s cooperation, international sanctions on Iran have been lifted.


Several of the activists suggested that enthusiasm over the nuclear deal and prospects of future trade with Iran are causing the international community to turn a blind eye to Iran’s human rights violations. Since sanctions were lifted in January, foreign business delegations have flooded Iran and multibillion-dollar deals have been brokered.

“Although this is some progress on the surface, we don’t see any dramatic change toward democracy,” said Maryam Faghihimani, an Iranian advocate for women's rights, entrepreneurship and the right to education. “On the contrary, we see a lot of backward movement with regards to human rights issues and violations in Iran today.”

Women stand in line at a polling station during the parliamentary and Experts Assembly elections in Qom, Iran, on Feb. 26, 2016.

(Ebrahim Noroozi / Associated Press)
President Hassan Rouhani has remained largely mum on human rights. While addressing the opening of the United Nations General Assembly in October, for instance, he focused on the nuclear agreement and underscored Iran’s commitment to fighting terrorism, but made no mention of improving human rights.

In his latest report to the United Nations, Shaheed acknowledged that Iran had taken some strides toward reform, such as granting criminal suspects the right to an attorney. But such safeguards, he said, are not always implemented.

The number of executions last year, for instance, accelerated and reached its highest level in two decades — 966 prisoners put to death, Shaheed said in his report. He expressed particular concern with the number of juvenile offenders executed and fundamental flaws in the administration of justice.

Continue reading at:

Iran's poor human rights record needs continued monitoring, activists say

Do tell .....

 

[cnm]

Instead of always making innocuous comments on this forum, why don't you at least give us an article about the human rights in Saudi Arabia?

I remember HRW was used to denigrate Iraq's human rights. Let's see what it has to say about a regime the US strongly supports.

World Report 2015: Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia continued in 2014 to try, convict, and imprison political dissidents and human rights activists solely on account of their peaceful activities. Systematic discrimination against women and religious minorities continued. Authorities failed to enact systematic measures to protect the rights of 9 million foreign workers. As in past years, authorities subjected hundreds of people to unfair trials and arbitrary detention. New anti-terrorism regulations that took effect in 2014 can be used to criminalize almost any form of peaceful criticism of the authorities as terrorism.​

 

[Sally]

Instead of always making innocuous comments on this forum, why don't you at least give us an article about the human rights in Saudi Arabia?

I remember HRW was used to denigrate Iraq's human rights. Let's see what it has to say about a regime the US strongly supports.

World Report 2015: Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia continued in 2014 to try, convict, and imprison political dissidents and human rights activists solely on account of their peaceful activities. Systematic discrimination against women and religious minorities continued. Authorities failed to enact systematic measures to protect the rights of 9 million foreign workers. As in past years, authorities subjected hundreds of people to unfair trials and arbitrary detention. New anti-terrorism regulations that took effect in 2014 can be used to criminalize almost any form of peaceful criticism of the authorities as terrorism.​

That's great. Now I hope you are up to contributing something about the other Middle East countries of which there are many. I find it amusing, though, that every time Iran is mentioned with regard to human rights abuse, there will be someone who pipes up and mentions Saudi Arabia. I think everyone here knows about Saudi Arabia, and their human rights abuses have been discussed previously. However, no one is stopping anyone from starting a thread about abuses in Saudi Arabia instead of them waiting for abuses in Iran to be brought up.