UN human rights experts strongly condemned the suppression of protests in Iran
UN human rights experts declared that the actions of the Islamic Republic in serious human rights violations during the recent nationwide protests are condemned, and the Iranian government is obligated to protect the citizens’ right to life.
This stance was presented in a statement signed by Mai Sato, the UN Human Rights Council’s special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, along with three other rapporteurs of this body in the domains of arbitrary and extrajudicial executions and freedom of assembly and association. Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, also supported this statement.
The signatories emphasized in this statement that the use of lethal force against peaceful protesters, arbitrary arrests — including the detention of children — and attacks on medical centers are clear violations of universal human rights.
Another part of this statement mentioned that the use of lethal force can only be considered when it is the last resort, and even then, it must be carried out entirely in accordance with the legal principles of necessity, proportionality, and caution.
The UN experts concluded by stating that execution cannot be the government’s response to protests.