The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran welcomed a statement by a broad, cross-regional group of 56 countries, expressing serious concern about the human rights crisis in Iran, which was issued today at the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Iran along with a number of supporting states attempted to block the statement, but their procedural maneuver was dismissed by a ruling by the Council President, in which he allowed the statement to be read.
The statement, read by Norway on behalf of the 56 signatories, called on the Iranian government “to allow freedom of expression, freedom of the media and of assembly; to take all measures necessary to ensure the protection of religious minorities; to respect the human rights of prisoners and detainees; to ensure equal treatment of women and girls in law and practice; and to conduct an independent investigation regarding killings, arrests and detentions following the demonstrations following the 2009 elections.”
“We cannot let this Human Rights Council’s session go by without marking the one year anniversary of these events this month,” the statement added.
The 56 states endorsing the statement included Japan, Chile, Peru, Argentina, Liberia, Mexico, Bosnia-Herzegovina, EU members, the United States, and Canada.
