NCRI – The United Nations Human Rights Council extended the mandate of Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran.
The resolution to renew the mandate received 21 votes in favor, 9 against, and 16 abstentions.
The countries in favor of the resolution included : Argentina, Austria, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Montenegro, The Netherlands, Peru, Romania, UK, and the United States.
India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Russia, Venezuela,Vietnam, China, and Cuba voted against the mandate renewal resolution.
In a report to the U.N. Human Rights Council, the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Hassan Rouhani, the president of clerical regime has failed to to allow greater freedom of expression and there has been a sharp rise in executions since his election.
Ban highlighted the prevalent use of capital punishment in Iran and called for the release of activists, lawyers and journalists as well as political prisoners that were in custody for exercising their rights to free speech and assembly.
