Jan 12, 2010

Iran Joint Stakeholders Report Released (UPR Feb2010)


As part of the analysis of Iran’s human rights situation under the Universal Periodic Review process, the Office of the High Commissioner has released the Joint Stakeholders Report. This report summarizes “credible and reliable information” provided by relevant stakeholders from civil society and will be used as part of Iran’s review under the 7th Session of the UPR Working Group in February this year (2010).

 

UNPO’s contributions are mentioned in the Joint Stakeholders Report regarding the failure to implement recommendations from the Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing suggested during a visit in 2006 regarding the continued discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities and nomadic groups. (para 11)


UNPO supported and advised several UNPO member and associate organisations throughout the preparation and submission of their own reports. The Ahwaz Human Rights Organisation , a member of UNPO, is quoted regarding discrimination of Arabs in the oil sector and civil service as well as their inadequate political representation (para 15). They report that most Arab villages in Iran have no schools and those Arabs who do attend school have a high drop out rate as they are forced to study in the official language. (para 64)


The Balochistan Human Rights Council (BHRC) recommends an immediate moratorium on all executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty (para 17). They express concern for Baloch people who, in virtue of their Sunni religion, have become government targets for harassment and report that hundreds of religious activists have been arrested and remain imprisoned.  (para 42) BHRC also recommend the end to forced assimilation and demographic manipulation (para 67) and policies which include the banning of publications and harassment of editors (para 68)


Kurdish Human Rights Association (KHRA) noted that many executions in Iran were carried out in public. (para 17) Finally, the Association for the Defence of Azerbaijani Political Prisoners (ADAPP) were quoted regarding Azerbaijani rights activists who are detained arbitrarily by the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence for an indefinite period of time and barred from family visits and prevented from access to lawyers. (para 27) ADAPP also highlighted that the Azerbaijani language is banned in schools, Azerbaijanis are barred from political representation, deprived economically and face high illiteracy rates. Many advocates of broader linguistic and cultural rights for Azerbaijanis are detained arbitrarily, held indefinitely and tortured, on occasion murdered, in custody, and released only to be tried and sentenced to heavy terms. (para 69)

UNPO will be lobbying states to include these points in their recommendations during the Working Group for Iran on 15th February 2010 in the Palais des Nations, Geneva.


For a copy of the Report (Document A/HRC/WG.6/7/IRN/3) please click here

For the UNPO report click here

For the Ahwaz Human Rights Organization report click here

For the Association for the Defence of Azerbaijani Political Prisoners report click here

For the Balochistan Human Rights Council report click here

For the Kurdish Human Rights Association report click here