The United Nations Human Rights Council voted on Friday to establish an independent international fact-finding mission to investigate human rights abuses in Iran since the beginning of protests there in December of last year. The resolution, which passed with 24 votes in favor, nine against and 11 abstentions, was drafted by the United States, France, Britain and Germany. The mission would have a mandate to investigate reports of “any acts of violence or discrimination targeting individuals because of their race, ethnicity, religion or belief” as well as “calls for unlawful protests and any other expressions of dissent.” The goal of the resolution is to provide a credible independent investigation into the situation in Iran and help build pressure on Iranian authorities to address protesters’ demands for democracy and human rights. ###
What is the UN Human Rights Council?
The United Nations Human Rights Council voted on Tuesday to establish an international fact-finding mission to investigate human rights violations in Iran during the recent protests. The resolution, which was sponsored by the United States, Canada, and other Western countries, passed with 30 votes in favor and five abstentions. The mandate of the independent mission will be “to gather facts and report back to the Human Rights Council within one year.” The council’s president, Costa Rica’s Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, called the vote a “historic moment” that would help preserve human rights around the world. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif criticized the resolution as “politically motivated” and said that Iran would not cooperate with any such mission.
What is the Resolution?
On September 25, 2016, the UN Human Rights Council voted to establish an independent international fact-finding mission to investigate the recent protests in Iran. The resolution, which passed with 14 votes in favor and one abstention, was proposed by the United States and co-sponsored by the European Union and Norway.
The fact-finding mission will be composed of three experts from different UN human rights bodies: the Independent International Fact-Finding Commission on Syria (IIFFFC), the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief (SRF), and the Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women (SRFV). The mandate of the mission is to gather information about violations committed during protests that began on December 28, 2013, and extend until December 31, 2018.
While this resolution does not impose any punishment on Iran for its alleged human rights violations, it sets a precedent for future investigations into Iranian abuses. It also sends a strong message to Tehran that its actions will not go unpunished.
What are the consequences of this resolution?
The UN Human Rights Council voted on Friday to establish an independent international fact-finding mission to investigate human rights violations in Iran related to the ongoing protests. The resolution, which passed with a vote of 18 in favor and seven against with two abstentions, expresses “deep concern about reports of serious human rights violations” in Iran, including allegations of systematic abuse and torture by Iranian security forces. The resolution also calls for the investigation of “any abuses or possible crimes committed by members of the Iranian regime, including the paramilitary Basij militia.” Tehran has long denied any role in the protests, which have continued for more than four months now.
What will happen next?
The UN Human Rights Council has voted to establish an independent international fact-finding mission to investigate allegations of human rights abuses in the Iranian protests. The resolution, which passed by a majority vote, was introduced by the United States and is supported by a number of European countries. The mandate of the mission is to identify any violations of human rights in Iran since the beginning of the protests and make recommendations on how to improve human rights conditions in the country. The opposition parties in Iran have long called for an international inquiry into their allegations of widespread violations, but President Rouhani has so far refused calls for a probe.
Conclusion
The UN Human Rights Council today passed a resolution establishing an independent international fact-finding mission to investigate the recent protests in Iran. The vote, which was 22-5 with five abstentions, follows weeks of protests and clashes that have left dozens dead and scores more injured. The mission will be headed by retired Canadian judge William Schabas and will have access to all Iranian territory.
