“Iran welcomes @UNHumanRights urgent debate on human rights violations in the US. Systemic racism, police brutality & violence against peaceful protests represent just the tip of the iceberg. It's high time world works for the US regime's human rights accountability at home & abroad,” the Ministry said in a recent tweet.
Iran's Foreign Ministry posted the message, hailing the convening of an urgent UN Human Rights Council debate on the brutal murder of African-American citizen George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer last month and the broader issue of racism in the United States that has been fueling such atrocities.
The debate began on Wednesday and continued into Thursday.
The gathering hosted an address via video-link by the victim’s brother, Philonise, who urged the UN body to investigate police brutality and racial discrimination in the US.
Disturbing footage emerged on May 25 showing the officer choking unarmed Floyd to death by pinning him down with his knee.
The officer refused to relieve the pressure although Floyd was heard repeatedly pleading for his life and saying, “I can’t breathe.” The officers had been called to the scene, a Cup Foods’ store on the 3700 block of Chicago Avenue South, after the victim was reported to be attempting to use forged documents.