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Our Oral Statement at the 35th Special Session of the Human Rights Council

December 2, 2022

We took the floor at the 35th Special Session of the Human Rights Council on November 24th to highlight the human rights violations against women, children, and ethnic minorities in Iran. Here's the oral statement, delivered by our partner Mr. Taimoor Aliassi, from the Association for Human Rights in Kurdistan of Iran Geneva, a fellow member of the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty. After delivering the statement, Taimoor told us, "I wish to express my deepest gratitude for helping us to make a voice in [the special session] on Iran. As the French philosopher Albert Camus said: 'Nothing is more noble than defending a people whose rights to speak is taken.'"
Text of the statement, delivered November 24, 2022:

"Mr. President,

The Advocates for Human Rights, Ensemble Contre la Peine de Mort, and Kurdistan Human Rights Association-Geneva support the establishment of an independent international fact-finding mission to Iran.

Since nationwide protests began after the death of Jina Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman, authorities have killed over 400 people, including 50 children and 27 women.

Authorities have detained thousands of people for joining peaceful protests. They have sentenced to death at least six people connected to the protests, based on vague charges of waging war against God (moharebeh) or corruption on earth (efsad-e fel-arz).

We are deeply concerned by authorities' use of excessive force against protestors, in particular in Baluchistan and Iranian Kurdistan provinces. There are confirmed killings of at least 126 Baluchis and 100 Kurdish protestors-including women and minors. The Kurdish cities of Mahabad and Juwanrud are militarized and people face an imminent risk of a massacre.

We also strongly deplore the enforced disappearances of injured and killed protestors and authorities' refusal to release the bodies of the deceased to their families, or making the release of bodies contingent upon the families not speaking to the media or agreeing to support authorities' false explanation of the cause of death.

Under international law, minorities have a right to protection. We call on the international community to take urgent action to stop human rights violations against the protestors, including Kurds and Baluchis, and to put an end to Iran's long history of impunity.

Thank you."