A U.N. committee on human rights voted on a resolution sponsored by Canada, last Thursday, urging Iran to stop its widespread use of arbitrary detention and expressing serious concern at its “alarmingly high” use of the death penalty.
The General Assembly’s Human Rights Committee adopted the resolution by a vote of 85-30, with 68 abstentions. It is virtually certain to be approved by the 193-member world body next month.
Prominent Iranian human rights activist Hassan Nayeb Hashem tweeted, “The resolution concerning the situation of human rights in Iran was adopted with a very high margin at the United Nations General Assembly.”
The resolution “strongly urges” Iran to eliminate discrimination against women in law and practice and expresses “serious concern about ongoing severe limitations and restrictions on the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief.”
The resolution singles out violations including harassment, intimidation and persecution against religious minorities including Christians, Gonabadi Dervishes, Jews, Sufi Muslims, Sunni Muslims, Yarsanis, Zoroastrians and members of the Baha’i faith — and urges the release of religious practitioners including Baha’i leaders.
The resolution also calls on Iran to end “widespread and serious restrictions” including on freedom of assembly of political opponents, human rights defenders, labor leaders, environmentalists, academics, filmmakers, journalists, bloggers, social media users and others.
The map above shows how Asian/Middle Eastern countries voted which is in stark contrast to European countries (below) which are by and large are US vassal states that more often than not side with whatever position(s) the US takes. The full vote (globally) can be seen below.
