Denying rights abuses could prove costly for Tehran, both economically and
politically. Iranian activists have viewed with anger and dismay the outcome of
a United Nations review of human rights in Iran and the country's rejection of
its recommendations.
Iran
attracted criticism from the West over a lack of freedom of speech and assembly
and the position of religious minorities like the Bahais at the routine session
in Geneva on February 15 of the UN Human Rights Council.
In its
reaction to the session, Iran accepted some recommendations but rejected a range
of calls to clean up its record and to allow UN human rights and torture
inspectors to visit. The UN has no powers to adopt resolutions or enforce any
measures raised at the session, called a Universal Periodic Review, UPR.
Already
marginalised, Iran appears to have no reason to care about its international
image, say analysts. However, some believe that it might not care to be seen
next to the governments of some states with notorious human rights records like
North Korea, Burma and even China and the path chosen by the Iranian government
in Geneva could prove risky.
Analysts
say Iran sees human rights as a political and ideological battleground with the
West and for that reason puts intensive effort into making alliances to counter
the West at the UN forum.
The
Iranian delegation led by Mohammad Javad Larijani, secretary-general of state's
High Council for Human Rights, reserved its response on 20 recommendations but
rejected 45, mainly those related to the country's major human rights challenges
over the past three decades and particularly since the June 12 presidential
elections.
Iran's
reaction to the recommendations, calling its critics an "organised clique", was
predictable.
Since the
1979 Islamic Revolution, western countries have frequently used international
platforms to criticise the Iranian government for its human rights record. Iran
has framed such criticism as a part of western countries' political fight with
it and has never shown any sign of caring about its international obligations.
It has,
however, been putting considerable effort into lobbying countries to side with
it in international forums and thus ease the political pressure. This resulted
in a number speaking in favour of Tehran at the Geneva meeting, including
Venezuela, Kuwait, Cuba, China and Russia, all of which have a close political
and economic relationship with Tehran.
An
Iranian NGO member who was in Geneva for the meeting, and asked to remain
anonymous, told IWPR that Iranian diplomats have done an intensive lobbying job.
"Over the
past four months there have been dozens of meetings with those countries which
share strategic economic, ideological and political interests with Iran to
ridicule the Human Rights Council," he said. "It was so confusing and even funny
to see some countries harshly criticise Iran while others praised its human
rights and asked Tehran to share its experience on how to improve conditions in
other countries."
One
ambassador who spoke in favour of Iran told IWPR in Geneva that his country's
vote was based on the two countries' political relationship. "The UN is not like
Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch. Every vote is designed and
calculated precisely towards the countries' national interests, which might be
political or economic," he said.
"This is
not just about the countries of the south. Even the United States and some
western countries use such calculations and that's why countries like Saudi
Arabia and Egypt, which do not enjoy brilliant human rights, always get a free
ride in international venues because of their relations with the United States
and western countries."
Iran's
lawmakers last November allocated 20 million US dollars to investigate what they
called "gross violations of human rights by Britain and the United States",
Iran's state-owned English language Press TV reported.
The bill
in the Iranian parliament (Majlis) earmarked the money from its Oil
Stabilisation Fund and made human rights a new front in the fight with the West
along with the issue of Iran's nuclear programme and Tehran's alleged support of
terrorism in the Middle East.
Seeking
to deflect attention from western countries' criticism, Larijani in his closing
remarks at Geneva referred to the US's double standards and accused Washington
of acting selectively on human rights issues. "We should pay attention to
cultural and historical values and the roles these cultures play in human
rights," Larijani said.
Some of
the claims made by Larijani and his 32-member delegation were viewed with
disbelief by members of the Iranian opposition and human rights activists.
Sarah
Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement,
"Tehran's response to the UPR session contradicts the reality facing thousands
of Iranians wishing to exercise their fundamental rights ... The government's
denials show that without strong international pressure on Tehran, human rights
abuses will continue."
The UPR
is applied to all UN members in rotation but in Iran's case comes as it is under
the spotlight following a period of unrest since last June's re-election of
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, which the opposition says was fraudulent. The
Green Movement that arose out of that opposition has been violently crushed by
the authorities when it has demonstrated.
Critics
say hundreds of Iranian journalists, activists, students and members of the
Bahai community are in prison and Iran executes the second largest number of
people in the world.
Larijani
said in Geneva that no one in Iran is detained or prosecuted for defending human
rights and that such cases that were pursued involve charges of terrorism or
espionage.
One
Iranian delegate, Ali Raeisol-Sadati, deputy minister of justice, in response to
criticism of Iran's excessive use of capital punishment, said the death penalty
is reserved "only for the most serious crimes".
However,
just a week before the UN meeting, a 20-year-old student named Mohammad Amin
Valian was charged with moharebeh, or enmity towards God, which is punishable by
death. According to human rights organisations, the only evidence against him
was a photograph of him throwing a stone during protests on the holy day of
Ashura last December. In court, he admitted throwing three stones but said he
did not hit anyone or anything. He is one of at least 11 post-election
protesters who have been sentenced to death.
A member
of the Larijani delegation from the interior ministry said that freedom of
assembly is fully respected in Iran and annually more than 5,000 demonstration
permits are issued.
However,
opposition candidates Mehdi Karroubi and Mir-Hossein Mousavi have both said they
cannot get permits for their supporters to assemble and peaceful protesters have
been clubbed, beaten, and even gunned down in the streets since June. The
government has admitted to at least 42 deaths on the streets since June not
including those killed under torture inside prisons.
Torture & Death at Kahrizak Prison
It's been confirmed by the
government that 4 protesters have died while in detention at the
notorious Kahrizak prison. No one had been brough to justice for the
deaths yet.
Mohsen Ruholamini
Mohammed Kamrani
Amir Javadifar
Ramin Aghazadeh Ghahremani
Members
of the Mourning Mothers who hold vigils on Saturdays in Tehran's Laleh Park are
often detained and beaten by security forces; opponents say this is a clear case
where freedom of assembly is disallowed and an indication that the government is
actually afraid of its own people by not letting even these mostly elderly women
demonstrate peacefully.
Larijani's presence in Geneva to defend the hardline government's human rights
record was seen by the opposition as signalling to those inside and outside Iran
that the country is determined to continue its crackdown and ignore its
international obligations and the concern of millions of people around the
world.
It will
not only deepen the mistrust towards the government in Tehran but could also
pave the way for world powers to use Iran's recklessness in this area as an
excuse to push their agenda in other areas like the nuclear issue and Iran's
regional and international role.
If so,
Iran's calculated decision to distort the truth over the post-election violence
could prove costly, both economically and politically.
About the author: Omid Memarian is an Iranian journalist and blogger based
in San Francisco.
About Mianeh: Mianeh is a new independent web-based initiative run as a
project by the Institute for War & Peace Reporting (iwpr.net)
the award-winning non-profit media development organisation that works across
the globe to platform local voices and promote international learning and
engagement. Mianeh aims to be an open space for ideas, news and debate where
writers in Iran can reach out to each other as well as to those outside the
country who are interested in learning more about the vibrant and dynamic
society that is Iran today.
Related Article:
Shocking Video of
Attack on Tehran University Dormitories Released
BBC Persian television station has aired a video clip, which was taped by the
attackers of Tehran University dormitories on June 15, 2009, during the
post-elections protests. The video, which has been recorded by attackers
themselves clearly demonstrates that police and plainclothes forces made the
attack in complete coordination and brutally beat, insulted, and arrested the
students.
