UN Demands Iran Investigate Rights Violations of Minority Protesters

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has released a new report expressing serious concerns about the Iranian government's treatment of ethnic and religious minorities during recent protests.

The report, published on Friday, focuses on protests of November 2019, July 2021, and September 2022.

"The committee voiced serious concerns over reports of grave human rights violations and abuses committed by law enforcement officers against protesters belonging to ethnic and ethno-religious minority groups during the November 2019, July 2021, and September 2022 protests, particularly in the provinces predominantly inhabited by these minority groups," the report stated.

The committee has urged the Islamic Republic's authorities to "immediately conduct impartial investigations into allegations of violations and abuses of human rights committed by state actors during these protests and to provide reparation for the victims."

It also expressed concern over reports indicating a high number of judicial and criminal cases against members of ethnic and religious minorities.

"The committee expressed concern over reports that ethnic and ethno-religious minorities are overrepresented in the criminal justice system and are disproportionately subjected to arbitrary detention and death sentences for broadly defined offenses under the Islamic Criminal Code, as well as for drug-related offences.

"It called on Iran to review its legal framework, repeal vaguely worded criminal offenses punishable by death, ensure fair and due process for minority groups, and establish a moratorium on the death penalty with the goal of abolishing it."

The report follows a statement by the UN Fact-Finding Committee, which noted that ethnic and religious minorities, particularly Kurds and Baluchs, have faced indiscriminate repression since the beginning of the Woman, Life, Freedom protests.

The repression has been especially severe in the provinces of Khuzestan, Kurdistan, Kermanshah, East and West Azerbaijan, and Sistan and Baluchistan.