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The UN experts on Dec 20 called on the Iranian regime to release all individuals arbitrarily detained and mistreated during recent protests.<\/strong><\/p>\n Written by\u00a0Mansoureh Galestan<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a020 December 2019.<\/em><\/p>\n More than a dozen United Nations\u00a0human rights<\/a>\u00a0experts\u00a0on Friday\u00a0called on the Iranian\u00a0regime\u00a0to release all individuals arbitrarily detained and mistreated during recent protests.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are shocked at reports of the ill-treatment of those detained during the\u00a0protests\u00a0<\/a>that took place in November 2019, and deeply disturbed that the reported use of excessive force by the Iranian security forces led to an untold number of casualties, including deaths,\u201d\u00a0the UN experts said<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cReports suggest that detainees are being tortured or are suffering other forms of ill-treatment, sometimes to extract forced confessions. Some are also reportedly being denied medical treatment, including for injuries caused by the security forces\u2019 use of excessive force, and are being held in overcrowded detention\u00a0centres. Some are being held incommunicado or subjected to enforced disappearances.\u201d<\/p>\n Official sources state that at least 7,000 protesters were arrested, thousands of whom are still in detention, said the UN experts\u2019 press release.<\/p>\n The experts also fear that detainees will be denied the right to a fair trial because of\u00a0the\u00a0Iranian regime\u2019s failure to adhere to due process standards, especially for those who have voiced opposition to the Government.<\/p>\n \u201cSenior officials have said that protesters will face severe punishment,\u201d the experts said. \u201cWe have already seen Iranian state television broadcast so-called \u2018confessions\u2019, despite claims that these are being obtained under duress. Many detainees are also reportedly being denied the right to a lawyer of their choosing.<\/p>\n \u201cWe urge the Government and the judiciary to ensure that all those accused of crimes go through court proceedings that adhere to international fair trial standards, including the presumption of innocence.\u201d<\/p>\n According to credible sources, at least 304 people, including 12 children, are confirmed to have died, with unconfirmed reports indicating that the total could be more than 400, the experts said. The number of deaths appears to be particularly high in some provinces with large ethnic minority populations, the experts added.<\/p>\n \u201cReports and footage indicate that Iranian security forces not only fired live ammunition at unarmed protesters, but also aimed at their heads and vital organs,\u201d the experts said.<\/p>\n \u201cTargeting these parts of the body shows that the security forces were aiming to kill or at least cause serious injury. The Governor of Quds City has herself admitted publicly that she ordered security forces to shoot protesters who entered the governor\u2019s building.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are extremely disturbed that the Iranian authorities would use such tactics against peaceful protesters exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly, in breach of international standards on the use of force.\u201d<\/p>\n While noting that the internet shutdown had eased, the experts said they were still concerned about ongoing suppression of the right to freedom of expression.<\/p>\n \u201cMost disturbingly, the families of individuals killed by security forces have allegedly been threatened not to speak out. Iranian journalists have been ordered not to\u00a0criticise\u00a0the government response, while the relatives of journalists working for Farsi-language news outlets abroad are being pressured\u00a0in an effort to\u00a0silence their reporting.\u201d<\/p>\n The UN experts who made the declaration are\u202fMr.\u00a0Javaid\u00a0Rehman<\/strong>,\u202fSpecial Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran;\u202fMr. Clement\u00a0Nyaletsossi<\/strong>\u00a0Voule<\/strong>, Special Rapporteur on the right to peaceful assembly and association;\u202fMr. David Kaye<\/strong>, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression;\u202fMs\u00a0Agnes\u00a0Callamard,\u202f<\/strong>Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions;\u202fMr. Nils Melzer,\u202f<\/strong>Special\u202f<\/strong>Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;\u202fMr. Michel\u00a0Forst<\/strong>,\u202fSpecial Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders;\u202fMr\u00a0Diego Garc\u00eda-Say\u00e1n<\/strong>, Special Rapporteur on the independence of\u00a0judges and lawyers; members of the\u202fUN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention – Mr. Jos\u00e9 Antonio Guevara\u00a0Berm\u00fadez\u00a0(Chair),\u202fMs. Leigh Toomey<\/strong>\u202f(Vice-Chair on Communications),\u202fMs. Elina\u00a0Steinerte<\/strong>\u202f(Vice-Chair on Follow-up),\u202fMr.\u00a0Seong-Phil Hong<\/strong>\u202fand\u202fMr.\u00a0S\u00e8tondji<\/strong>\u00a0Adjovi;<\/strong>\u202fand the\u202fWorking Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances,\u202f<\/strong>comprising\u202fMr. Luciano\u00a0Hazan\u202f<\/strong>(Chair-Rapporteur),\u202fMr. Tae-Ung\u00a0Baik\u202f<\/strong>(Vice-Chair),\u202fMs<\/strong>\u00a0Houria\u00a0Es-Slami,<\/strong>\u202fMr. Bernard\u00a0Duhaime<\/strong>\u202fand\u202fMr.\u00a0Henrikas<\/strong>\u00a0Mickevicius.<\/strong><\/p>\n The Special Rapporteurs<\/strong>\u202fand\u202fWorking Groups<\/strong>\u202fare part of what is known as the\u202fSpecial Procedures\u202fof the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council\u2019s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"