Iran dismisses claims on human rights situation

Iran on Thursday dismissed a recent UN report on
its human rights situation, saying the report was
“unacceptable and politically-motivated.”
Iran’s foreign ministry said the recent report by UN
Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon” lacks credibility
and legality, because it used “undocumented and
illegal accusations” against Iran. “Parts of the
released report indicates that the UN chief has not
been impartial, hence tampered.”
The ministry said it expects the UN chief to “act
fairly” and in line with the UN’s mechanisms when
reviewing human rights situation in Iran. It also
called on the UN to avoid interfering in Iran’s
internal affairs.
On Wednesday, Ban criticized Iranian President
Hassan Rouhani for not doing enough to improve the
human rights situation in Iran since he took office
last August.
Increased death sentences, arbitrary detention,
unfair trials, discrimination against minorities and
women, mistreatment of political prisoners, and
restrictions on freedom of speech are examples of
rights violation by the Islamic republic, Ban said in
his report.
He also called for “immediate release” of two
reformist opposition leaders, Mir-Hossein Mousavi
and Mehdi Karoubi, demanding their “urgent access
to medical care.”
Mousavi and Karoubi have been under house arrest
after the 2009 presidential elections. They used to
lead massive rallies protesting what they called
“fraud” in favor of hardline candidate Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad.
Some Iranian hardline officials, including Judiciary
Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani, have reacted angrily
to Ban’s report, reiterating that it is an interference
in Iran’s internal affairs.
Larijani dismissed the “claims” concerning
pressures on political prisoners and minorities in
Iran as “part of the enemies ‘ campaign of lies
against the Islamic republic.”
In addition, the foreign ministry also criticized EU
foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton for meeting
with a number of Iranian female rights activists in
her recent visit to Tehran.
“Ashton’s selective approach toward human rights
issues in Iran will only deepen the Iranian nation’s
distrust of the West,” local media said. “Such moves
will deepen our people’s suspicion of the West and
are not helpful to the relations between Iran and the
European Union.”.
The ministry said contacting civil society is
recognized as long as it does not interfere in the
countries’ internal affairs and respects local
customs and values. It said Ashton’s meeting with
the dissident Iranian females, which took place
without prior coordination with the ministry, is
rooted in the Western double- standards.
The ministry has sent an official protest note to the
Austrian embassy in Tehran, which reportedly
organized Ashton’s meetings.
On Wednesday Tehran’s university students also
held a rally in front of the embassy to protest
against the meetings.