Iran violated rights and committed crimes against humanity in repression of protests, says UN

The Iranian government violated human rights and committed crimes against humanity during the repression of protests over the death of 22-year-old Jina Mahsa Amini, according to a United Nations (UN) mission in a report released this Friday. (8).

Actions that violated human rights include, according to the report:

• Extrajudicial and illegal executions and killings;
• Unnecessary and disproportionate use of force;
• Arbitrary deprivation of liberty;
• Torture;
• Rape;
• Enforced disappearances; It is
• Gender persecution.

The UN Human Rights Council stressed that most demonstrations over Amini's death were peaceful, but that “widespread institutional discrimination against women and girls has led to serious human rights violations.”

Mahsa Amini died while in the custody of the Iranian Morality Police. She had been detained due to inappropriate use of the Islamic veil, which is mandatory in the country.

Also according to the mission of the Human Rights Council, the violence that Amini suffered during prison was the cause of his death.

“Instead of investigating this unlawful killing quickly, effectively and thoroughly, as required by international human rights law, the government [do Irã] actively obfuscated the truth and denied Justice”, highlights the agency.

The “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests began on September 16, 2022 and the violent repression by the Iranian government left people dead, injured and hundreds arrested.

The report reinforces that “credible numbers suggest” that 551 protesters were killed by Iranian security forces, at least 49 women and 68 children. Most deaths were caused by firearms, including assault rifles, the text adds.

“Human rights violations have disproportionately affected women, children and members of ethnic and religious minorities. The Mission found that gender-based persecution intersected with discrimination based on ethnicity and religion”, highlights the UN Human Rights Council.

“These acts are part of a widespread and systematic attack directed against the civilian population in Iran, namely against women, girls, boys and men who demanded freedom, equality, dignity and accountability”, says Sara Hossain, president of the UN mission, according to communicated.

Security forces also died during clashes with protesters. In fact, in relation to this, the Iranian government executed three men.

According to the inquiry, Iran arbitrarily executed at least nine young people between December 2022 and January 2024, after what it classified as summary trials “which were based on confessions extracted under torture and ill-treatment.

“Arbitrary arrests” and sexual violence

The UN council also says security forces cracked down on protests with a pattern of arbitrary detentions, including of people who were not involved in violence.

“Many were blindfolded and taken away in unmarked vehicles, including ambulances. Hundreds of children, some as young as 10 years old, were arrested and separated from their families without any information about their whereabouts”, points out the UN.

At the time, the CNN reported a report that a woman had been raped in a Revolutionary Guard prison — which the government denied.

The United Nations mission identified that, during detention, state authorities tortured people to “extract confessions or to intimidate, humiliate or inflict punishment”.

There were also cases of rape and “other forms of sexual and gender-based violence, including gang rape, electrocution of genitals and forced nudity.”

Request to the Iranian government

Finally, the UN Human Rights Council stated that “Member States should explore avenues for accountability at the international level and in their national systems”.

The body calls for the principle of universal jurisdiction to be applied to all crimes under international law, without procedural limitations.

It also points out that funds must be established for victims and protection must be provided, including through the granting of asylum and humanitarian visas to those who “flee persecution in Iran in the context of the protests”.

“We call on the Iranian authorities to suspend all executions and immediately and unconditionally release all people arbitrarily arrested and detained in connection with the protests, and to cease the repression of protesters, their families and supporters of the Women, Life, Freedom movement ”, concluded Shaheen Sardar Ali, member of the Fact-Finding Mission.