A stark paradox currently emerging on the global stage is the appointment of a well-known human rights violator as the head of the United Nations Human Rights Council Social Forum. It’s challenging to fathom Ebrahim Raisi, or any Iranian state official, with a track record intertwined with the regime’s rights abuses, presiding over a prestigious human rights organization. Yet, this scenario appears poised to become a reality today.
In April 2022, the President of the Human Rights Council revealed that the Iranian regime had secured the position of chair for the nineteenth session of the Social Forum of the Human Rights Council in 2023, scheduled in Geneva on November 2-3. The forum’s central theme revolves around “The Role of Science, Technology, and Innovation in Advancing Human Rights, Particularly in the Period of Recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic.” This event encompasses various sessions involving experts, international officials, government representatives, and non-governmental organizations.
Witnessing a repressive regime assume a leadership role in such an institution has taken many by surprise, including the state-run Keyhan daily, which expressed disbelief, stating, “This is yet another outcome of the active diplomacy pursued by the Raisi government. Chairing this forum is indicative of a great diplomatic achievement for the Islamic Republic.”
Even Kayhan expressed astonishment that the Raisi government faced no regional competition from Asian and Arab nations for this position. Only two days prior to the announcement, the Human Rights Council had voiced profound concerns about the surge in executions in Iran. Their statement highlighted that the Iranian regime had executed an average of ten individuals every week throughout the year, a fact they deemed “horrifying.”
On November 24, 2022, members of the Human Rights Council voted to establish a fact-finding mission to investigate the harsh crackdown on protesters during the nationwide uprising in 2022. In December 2022, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women deemed the regime unworthy of membership due to its severe violations of women’s rights, leading to its expulsion from the Commission.
The process of selecting the chairmanship of the Social Council of the Human Rights Council was equally unconventional. No other Middle Eastern countries were nominated, raising serious questions about whether this was a result of coercion or a policy of appeasement toward Tehran.
The international community must shun this regime and end impunity for its criminal leaders.
The leaders of this regime, and above all, Ali Khamenei, Ebrahim Raisi, and the Judiciary Chief, Gholam Hossein Mohseni Eje’I, must be prosecuted in an International Court. #Iran… pic.twitter.com/AsqpSBOuGc— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) November 2, 2023
On May 14, celebrating the UN decision, the IRGC-run Fars News Agency wrote an entire report titled “Iran’s sophisticated diplomacy to chair the UN Human Rights Council Social Forum”.
The report boasted, “In the selection of the new president for the council, there was no inherent requirement for the Islamic Republic of Iran to be chosen, and the former president could have been from other regional groups. In other words, Iran was not the sole available option, and it wasn’t obligatory for Iran to be selected; other regional groups could have also been chosen as the president of this assembly.”
Meanwhile, Joseph Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, defended the regime’s appointment, claiming that it was made based on the UN’s procedures.
However, the decision was met with swift disapproval from governments, prominent individuals, human rights organizations, and international entities dedicated to upholding human rights. Following this, a worldwide wave of opposition to this authoritarian regime holding a key position in a human rights council emerged, but it failed to yield any substantial outcomes.
Today, on November 2, the very same regime known for inflicting suffering on its own citizens and spreading terror beyond its borders is paradoxically set to lead a session at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Social Forum. This situation calls for a reevaluation of our understanding of human rights and a reconsideration of the actions we are willing to take to protect fundamental human values.
At a press conference at the Geneva Press Club, representatives of the Iranian Resistance and human rights activists and jurists expressed concern over the regime’s oversight of the committee and called for a more firm approach toward the regime’s human rights abuses.
«Situation des droits de l’homme en Iran» avec Jean-Pierre Brard, Tahir Boumedra, @AntonioStango, @BehzadNaziri https://t.co/jChhC7nuFG
— Geneva Press Club (@genevapressclub) November 2, 2023