Deputy FM Refutes Human Rights Allegations against Iran

Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, delivered a speech to the 48th session of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) about the fourth national report of the Islamic Republic of Iran, held in Geneva on January 24.

What follows is the text of his statement:

Mr. President,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to the delegations, the Bureau of the Council, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for their participation and cooperation in enriching the UPR process and reviewing Iran’s national report during the fourth cycle. The overwhelming support expressed by the vast majority of countries in today’s session for Iran’s actions, serves as a valuable asset for my country to continue its human rights policies with greater determination, aimed at enhancing human rights across all sectors.

I would also like to emphasize that we will give due consideration to the recommendations made with the objective of improving the state of human rights. I will use, if I may, the remaining time to address some of the questions and observations raised.

1. Regarding Cooperation with the Special Rapporteur:

The Islamic Republic of Iran, while respecting the recently appointed Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, views the appointment of a country-specific Special Rapporteur as a politically motivated measure that is part of an ongoing campaign against Iran, driven by a limited number of member states of the Human Rights Council. A closer examination of the performance and reports of Special Rapporteurs on Iran since 2011 reveals that their reports fail to reflect the realities of human rights in the country. Instead, these reports are largely based on inaccurate information, unreliable sources, and biased perspectives, driven by political motives. The Special Rapporteurs have deliberately ignored the progress made in human rights in Iran and have consistently sought to portray a distorted and misleading image of the human rights situation. Despite this unacceptable approach, the Islamic Republic of Iran has consistently engaged with the Special Rapporteurs through in-person and virtual meetings, responses to draft reports, and written correspondences. They must adhere to their codes of conduct and demonstrate respect for the political structure and legal frameworks of the country concerned. Only by doing so can they foster trust and mitigate the perception that their mandates are politically charged.

2. Regarding the so-called fact-finding mission:

This mission is the result of another political action against Iran by some specific countries. Although the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran has formed a national committee to investigate the 2022 unrest and has taken several responsible measures in this regard, the extension of the FFM last year was another political action.

These efforts remain ongoing, with compensation payments and judicial follow-ups continuing to address the aftermath of the unrest. We firmly believe that engineering such mechanisms, like the so- called Fact-Finding Mission, reflects political objectives rather than a genuine concern for human rights. This is evident that in the silence and inaction of international human rights mechanisms vis-a-vis crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide committed by the Zionist regime of Israel, which has slaughtered over 47,000 innocent individuals, the majority of whom were women and children, it is paradoxical that such mechanisms are established for a country like Iran -a nation that rose against a dictatorship supported by self- proclaimed defenders of human rights to establish a system based on popular sovereignty and democratic institutions, and which has made significant progress in the realm of human rights- and all the while the rights of its people are systematically violated through oppressive, unlawful, unilateral sanctions and support for terrorist activities by the very same proponents of human rights. It is high time for the mission of such politically motivated mechanisms to come to an end.

Distinguished delegate, I was surprised that we did not hear a word from the delegates who requested Iran to abolish the death penalty and not issue such sentences, about the impact of unilateral sanctions and terrorist acts on the right to life of Iranians, which has been widely and severely violated. It is a fact that the imposers and enforcers of sanctions have taken more lives of Iranians compared to death sentences in the field of narcotics.

3. The third point I would like to touch upon relates to capital punishment:

The Islamic Republic of Iran applies capital punishment in accordance with international regulations, limiting its use to the most serious crimes, including premeditated murder, acts of terrorism, and large-scale, organized, and armed drug trafficking. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), a significant portion of the world’s narcotics are produced in regions neighboring Iran. Drug trafficking through Iran toward Europe predominantly involves organized criminal networks operating violently and armed with various weapons. Iran has borne a heavy cost in combating these traffickers, with nearly 4,000 law enforcement personnel martyred and approximately 12,000 wounded in the line of duty. Furthermore, the domestic distribution of narcotics has inflicted severe social harms upon Iranian families and youth, resulting in over 4,000 drug-related deaths annually. The challenge Iran faces in this regard is in no way comparable to the issues encountered by some European countries vis-a-vis this phenomenon. Consequently, the Islamic Republic of Iran has had no choice but to confront certain types of drug-related crimes within the framework of the “most serious crimes." However, with amendments to its anti-narcotics laws in recent years, the issuance of death sentences in this domain has significantly decreased. Regarding qisas (retribution-in-kind), it must be emphasized that it is indeed a personal right distinct from state- administered executions. It can only be waived with the pardon offered by the victim’s family members who are considered the owners of the blood. The fundamental policy of the Islamic Republic in such cases is to encourage reconciliation and seek pardon from the victim’s family. To this end, a National Council for Patience, Peace, and Forgiveness has been established, comprising 25,000 members across 31 provinces. Over the past 18 months, 835 cases of finalized qisas sentences have been resolved through reconciliation and settlement, 21 of which involved individuals under the age of 18, where the execution of qisas was averted by securing pardon from the victims’ families. Regarding the death penalty for individuals under the age of 18, it should be noted that, in practice, no executions of minors have been observed.

Mr. President,

In conclusion, I would like to share a few key points with the delegations present at this session:

1. Regrettably, human rights continue to suffer from challenges such as instrumentalization, politicization, discriminatory approaches, and double standards. Certain countries persist in attempting to impose their way of life on the rest of the world, showing no respect for the diversity of cultures, the unique characteristics of nations, or their political systems. Unless we overcome these challenges, we will not contribute meaningfully to the promotion and protection of human rights.

2. The Islamic Republic of Iran is a party to a significant number of human rights instruments. Naturally, joining a few remaining treaties requires thorough consideration. We have begun reviewing the Convention Against Torture and are in direct communication with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Torture is explicitly prohibited in Iran's Constitution, and those who commit it are subject to punishment. Iran is among the few countries where torture is constitutionally banned.

3. In Iran, no individual is arrested for their lawful profession or professional activities, including those in the media and civil society. However, it is natural that individuals who violate the law must be held accountable. The presence of 14,000 media outlets and more than 30,000 NGOs highlights the freedom of their activities in Iran.

4. Arbitrary detention is prohibited under Iranian law, and anyone engaging in it will be punished accordingly.

5. In Iran, we do not have ethnic minorities. The country is composed of diverse Iranian ethnic groups; of whom we are proud.

6. Iran remains committed to supporting and promoting human rights, considering it both a religious and legal obligation.

The foundation of human rights indeed lies in divine religions. While the modern concept of human rights emerged in the aftermath of the devastation of two world wars, with millions of lives lost, the Holy Quran emphasized human dignity over 14 centuries ago. The Islamic Republic of Iran’s commitment to human rights is deeply rooted in the teachings of Islam and enshrined in its Constitution. Countries that claim to champion human rights must recognize that the Islamic Republic of Iran is a democratic system founded on Islamic and religious rationality, which has achieved significant advancements in the promotion and protection of human rights. The era of imposing Western standards and lifestyles has passed. These same countries have demonstrated through their silence and inaction in the face of the Zionist regime’s atrocities in Gaza over the past 15 months that they are far from being credible models of human rights or global leadership.

Thank you for your attention.