Time for ‘concrete action’ by the international community to hold Iran’s security forces to account

Amid the protests caused by the death in custody last month of Mahsa Amini following her arrest by the so-called “morality police”, Special Correspondent Javaid Rehman, told reporters in New York that since then, many in the UN human rights community have done “a lot. strong calls for independent, impartial investigations”, with no response from Iran, other than progress.

‘A duty to act’

“I will stress that the international community has a responsibility to act, to combat impunity for rights violations”, he said, saying that “it is very important” the UN and other international organizations, “take concrete action”.

“Iran is in turmoil” he told reporters, with news reports on Thursday broadcasting a video showing security forces attacking mourners at the grave of young Nika Shakarami, after widespread protests across the country in Wednesday, to mark 40 days after the death of Ms. Amen. .

His briefing at the UN headquarters in New York came just hours after he issued his call for a new international investigative mechanism.

Even youth and women have led the opposition, demanding change, justice and accountability.

Mr. Rehman said that not only has the State ignored calls for impartiality and an immediate investigation into the massacre that has left at least 250 dead, including 27 children, but it has escalated into violence, which has not has no offense from the authorities.

‘Women, life and liberty’

He said that Iran’s investigations have “failed the minimum standards of impartiality and freedom”, while the call for change in the street under the slogan, “women, life and freedom”, grew.

The independent expert said Ms Amini was “not the first woman to face these dire consequences” of the morality police’s enforcement of strict dress codes, and she would not be the last.

Most of the protestors are “bright intelligent women – they see the world… Iran’s rulers as brutal as they are, terrorist as they are, they cannot stop the youth; they will not be able to stop this movement,” he said.

A day ago, a large group of UN rights experts signed a statement condemning the killings and killings, which include arbitrary arrests and detentions, based on gender and sexual violence, the use of excessive force torture, torture, and coercion.

Deep sadness

“We are deeply troubled by the continued reports of deliberate and illegal use by Iranian security forces of live ammunition, steel pellets and buckshot against unarmed peaceful protesters in violation of the principles of law, prudence, necessity, non-discrimination and division, applicable to the use of force,” said experts.

“An alarming number of protesters have been detained and killed, many of them children, women and the elderly. The government must order the police to immediately stop using excessive and lethal force and use weapons.”

They said that reports of physical and sexual violence against women and girls during protests and in public places, and the denial of the rights of other women and girls while in detention, or while active in public, are appalling.

An example of repression

“We see such crimes as a continuation of long-standing, widespread, gender-based discrimination embedded in laws, policies and social structures. All this has been devastating for women and girls in the country for the last four years.”

Internet communications have been disrupted since the protests began, preventing access and sharing of information.

Reports of acts of terror and harassment against the protesters’ families by the authorities have also emerged. They point out that family members are being interrogated illegally, with the aim of removing false information that is responsible for killing relatives to “rebels” or individuals working for “enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran”.

Special Rapporteurs are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights topic or country situation. The positions are prestigious and the experts are not paid for their work.