A report submitted to the Human Rights Council highlights the numerous abuses of human rights that are carried out in Iran.
It points out that there were at least 530 executions carried out in Iran during the 2016 period, highlighting that most of these were for minor drug-related offences.
In Iran, many prisoners are denied fair trial rights including basic due process. For example, prisoners are left incommunicado for long periods, and spend excessive amounts of time in pre-trial detainment.
Prisoners are also denied access to lawyers very frequently and are often tortured into proving a “confession” that will secure a death sentence.
The report stated: “The Islamic Republic of Iran has reportedly executed the highest number of juvenile offenders in the world during the past decade. Despite an absolute ban on the practice under international law, the penal code continues to explicitly retain the death penalty for boys of at least fifteen lunar years of age and girls of at least 9 lunar years for qisas (retribution in kind) or hudud crimes, like homicide, adultery or sodomy. As a result of the 2013 amendments to the penal code, judges are now required to assess the mental capacity of juvenile offenders before issuing a death sentence to determine if they understood the consequences of their actions at the time they committed hudud-related crimes. In January 2015, Iran’s Supreme Court issued a ruling requiring that all courts retroactively apply the new amendment for cases adjudicated prior to 2013 if juvenile defendants petition for a retrial of their capital sentences. Amendments to the penal code in 2013 also repeal capital punishment for juveniles found guilty of violating drug-related offences.”
The case of Ms. Akbari Monfared was mentioned. She is serving a 15 year prison sentence for being part of the opposition group – the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). She has been denied medical attention as a punishment for demanding justice for her siblings who were executed during the 1988 massacres.
Cases like this are very frequent in Iran, but the authorities respond by saying that the prisoners are in good health and are provided with the necessary care.
Concern is expressed about the situation of women and equality in Iran, as well as the rights of religious minorities and workers. There is little freedom for the people in Iran – whether this be in the form of religion, dress, education, and so on.
“The Special Rapporteur urges the Islamic Republic of Iran to take proactive steps to promote the full realization of the rights of human rights defenders and to refrain from any acts that violate the rights of human rights defenders because of their human rights work. The government should take strict measures to ensure that the security and intelligence apparatus does not use reprisals against families of those who monitor or campaign against human rights violations or express views that are contrary to government policies.”
