Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

1990/79. Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran

The Commission on Human Rights, Guided by the principles embodied in the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenants on Human Rights, Reaffirming that all Member States have an obligation to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms and to fulfil the obligations they have undertaken under the various international instruments in this field, Taking note of the appreciation expressed by the Special Representative of the Commission for the co-operation of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Taking note also that the report of the Special Representative (E/CN.4/1990/24) marks a major development in the fulfilment of the mandate of the Special Representative and has opened up further possibilities of communications on a high level, Concerned that allegations about violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms are still being received, Noting the findings of the Special Representative on the situation of the Bahai's in the Islamic Republic of Iran,

1. Takes note with appreciation of the report of the Special Representative of the Commission, which was prepared after a visit to the country, and the conclusions and recommendations contained therein;

2. Welcomes the decision of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to invite the Special Representative to visit that country and the co-operation provided by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the course of the visit, as well as its commitment to continue the co-operation;

3. Welcomes also the invitation of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran extended to the Special Representative for a further visit to the country;

4. Takes note of the view of the Special Representative that the Commission should continue to monitor the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran in order to broaden his study, to go deeper into certain situations, and to listen to many persons who could not see the Special Representative as a result of the short duration of his stay in the Islamic Republic of Iran;

5. Endorses the opinion of the Special Representative that the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran continue to provide the Special Representative with replies to all allegations of human rights violations that have been transmitted to it;

6. Notes that the Special Representative, as in earlier reports, condemns terrorism in all its forms, whatever the motive, pretext or aim, and that during his visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, he received ample official and private information about the disastrous effects of this kind of activity;

7. Expresses its concern that testimony gathered by the Special Representative reiterated complaints about unlawful executions, torture, substitute prisoners, imprisonment beyond the period specified in the sentence, spontaneous decisions by low-ranking officials and the absence of council for defence as well as restrictions on the right to assemble, and recognizes that testimony was also gathered representing the opposite and thus two different kinds of personal experience and view were received;

8. Recognizes that the Special Representative rules out allegations that political prisoners had been executed under false charges of drug trafficking, unless specific proof is submitted to him in this regard;

9. Welcomes the clemency measures taken by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran;

10. Notes the receptiveness of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to some criticisms in earlier reports by the Special Representative and encourages the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to respond to the recommendations contained in the reports of the Special Representative;

11. Welcomes the favourable reception by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the suggestions made by the Special Rapporteur, namely that the International Committee of the Red Cross be permitted to make regular visits to prisons throughout the Islamic Republic of Iran in order to ascertain the conditions of imprisonment, and in particular to look into the situation of political prisoners; that there be a programme, or study, to identify clashes or inconsistencies between Islamic law and international law, particularly internationally recognized human rights; that consideration be given to requests transmitted by the Special Representative on purely humanitarian grounds; and that the possibility of technical assistance from the United Nations in the field of human rights be examined;

12. Encourages the Islamic Republic of Iran to comply with international instruments on human rights, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which the Islamic Republic of Iran is a party, and to ensure that all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction enjoy the rights recognized in these instruments;

13. Decides to extend the mandate of the Special Representative, as contained in its resolution 1984/54 of 14 March 1984, for a further year;

14. Requests the Special Representative to submit an interim report to the General Assembly at its forty-fifth session on the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the situation of minority groups, such as the Bahai's, and a final report to the Commission at its forty-seventh session;

15. Requests the Secretary-General to give all necessary assistance to the Special Representative;

16. Decides to continue its consideration of the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Islamic Republic of Iran as a matter of priority at its forty-seventh session.

54th meeting
7 March 1990
[Adopted without a vote. See chap. XII.]