UN Report Accuses Iran of Atrocity Crimes

A recent report by UN expert Javaid Rehman has sparked controversy, accusing Iran of committing “atrocity crimes” against minorities and engaging in mass killings during the 1980s. Rehman, the UN’s special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran, has called for an investigation into these grave allegations.

Allegations of Crimes Against Humanity

Rehman’s report details alleged summary, arbitrary, and extra-judicial executions that occurred between 1981-1982 and in 1988. He asserts that these actions constitute crimes against humanity, including murder, extermination, and genocide. The expert emphasized that there should be “no impunity for such gross human rights violations, regardless of when they were committed.”

Iran’s Firm Denial

In response, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Nasser Kanani, vehemently denied the accusations, labeling the report as a baseless attempt by Iran’s adversaries to malign the Islamic republic. Kanani accused Rehman of “abusing his position” and spreading “false news,” asserting that the claims “lack any legal basis and are completely rejected.”

Continued Human Rights Violations

Rehman’s report highlighted ongoing persecution and violence against religious, ethnic, and linguistic minorities in Iran, particularly targeting the Baháʼí community, the largest non-Muslim minority in the country. He accused the Iranian regime of targeting these groups with genocidal intent and persecution, a charge that further intensifies the international scrutiny on Iran’s human rights record.

Call for Accountability

Rehman stressed that the Iranian regime and its leaders should face consequences for their alleged crimes. He argued that the targeting of minorities and political opponents has continued with impunity since the establishment of the Islamic republic in 1979. As his mandate concludes on July 31, Rehman has made a final plea for justice for the victims of these alleged crimes.

Iran’s Legal Right to Protest

In a strong rebuttal, Kanani asserted that Iran reserves its legal right to challenge what it views as a flawed process within certain human rights institutions. He underscored Iran’s commitment to defending its sovereignty and countering what it perceives as unjust and politically motivated accusations.