....a pattern of concern arises with respect to the protection of minorities,
including the Baha'i community, the Arab minority in Khuzestan
 United Nations A/64/357
General Assembly
Distr.: General
23 September 2009
Original: English
09-52186 (E) 121009
*0952186*
Sixty-fourth session
Agenda item 69 (c)
Promotion and protection of human rights: human
rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs
and representatives
The situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic
of Iran*
Report of the Secretary-General
G. Rights of minorities
46. The Iranian Constitution explicitly declares Islam to be the State Religion but
contains two important provisions concerning religious minorities. Article 13 states
that Zoroastrian, Jewish and Christian Iranians are the only recognized religious
minorities who are free to perform their religious rites and ceremonies, within the
limits of the law, and to act according to their own canon in matters of personal
affairs and religious education. Article 14 also provides protection for non-Muslims,
provided they refrain from conspiracy or activity against Islam and the Islamic
Republic of Iran. The Baha'i community is not recognized as a religious minority,
but the authorities assert that Baha'is enjoy the rights accorded to all other Iranians.
47. OHCHR continues to receive reports of human rights abuses against minorities
in the Islamic Republic of Iran. While it is impossible to verify all the information
received, a pattern of concern arises with respect to the protection of minorities,
including the Baha'i community, the Arab minority in Khuzestan, the Nematollahi
Sufi Muslim community, the Kurdish community, the Sunni community, the Baluchi
community and the Azeri-Turk community
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United Nations A/64/357
General Assembly
Distr.: General
23 September 2009
Original: English
09-52186 (E) 121009
*0952186*
Sixty-fourth session
Agenda item 69 (c)
Promotion and protection of human rights: human
rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs
and representatives
The situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic
of Iran*
Report of the Secretary-General
Summary
The present report, submitted in accordance with General Assembly resolution
63/191, is intended to provide an update to the previous report of the Secretary-
General on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran (A/63/459).
The present report covers developments in the human rights situation in the Islamic
Republic of Iran since June 2008, showing broad patterns and trends and drawing
upon that country's international treaty obligations and the observations made by
treaty monitoring bodies and the special procedures of the Human Rights Council.
The report focuses on the special concerns identified by the Assembly in resolution
63/191 but also includes an outline of human rights developments following the
2009 presidential election in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
* The present report was submitted after the deadline as a result of consultations with the Member
State.
A/64/357
2 09-52186
Contents
Page
I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
II. Legal and institutional framework of the Islamic Republic of Iran relevant to the promotion
and protection of human rights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
III. Economic, social and cultural rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
IV. Civil and political rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
A. Human rights developments since the elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
B. Torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including
flogging and amputations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
C. Death penalty and public executions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
D. Stoning as a method of execution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
E. Executions of juveniles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
F. Women's rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
G. Rights of minorities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
H. Freedom of peaceful assembly and association and freedom of opinion
and expression. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
I. Lack of due process rights and failure to respect the rights of detainees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
V. Cooperation with international human rights mechanisms and the Office of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
A. Cooperation with the United Nations human rights treaty system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
B. Cooperation with the special procedures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
C. Cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
VI. Conclusions and recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
A/64/357
09-52186 3
VI. Conclusions and recommendations
64. Once again the present report highlights many areas of continuing
concern with respect to human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is
encouraging that some of those issues, such as the rights of women, were the
subject of open and vigorous debate in the course of the country's presidential
elections this year. The high level of participation in those elections, and the
peaceful protests that have ensued, are positive signs of the dynamism of civil
society in the Islamic Republic of Iran. As I noted in earlier public statements, I
urge the Government and the opposition to peacefully resolve their differences
through dialogue and legal means. I have been deeply troubled by reports of
the excessive use of force, arbitrary arrest and detention, and possible torture
and ill-treatment of opposition activists.
65
A/64/357
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68. Although the Government's standing invitation to the Human Rights
Council special procedures mandate holders is welcomed, I regret that no visit
has taken place since 2005 and encourage the Government to facilitate their
requested visits to the country as a matter of priority in order that they might
conduct more comprehensive assessments. I urge the Government of the
Islamic Republic of Iran to implement without delay the recommendations
issued by the Human Rights Council special procedures, by the ILO Committee
of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations and by the
human rights treaty bodies.
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