Human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran

The state of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran has been regarded as very poor. The United Nations General Assembly and the Human Rights Commission^[1] have condemned prior and ongoing abuses in Iran in published critiques and several resolutions. The government is criticized both for restrictions and punishments that follow the Islamic Republic's constitution and law, and for "extrajudicial" actions by state actors, such as the torture, rape, and killing of political prisoners, and the beatings and killings of dissidents and other civilians.^[2] Capital punishment in Iran remains a matter of international concern.

Restrictions and punishments in the Islamic Republic of Iran which violate international human rights norms include harsh penalties for crimes, punishment of victimless crimes such as fornication and homosexuality, execution of offenders under 18 years of age, restrictions on freedom of speech and the press (including the imprisonment of journalists), and restrictions on freedom of religion and gender equality in the Islamic Republic's Constitution (especially ongoing persecution of Baháʼís).

Reported abuses falling outside of the laws of the Islamic Republic that have been condemned include the execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988, and the widespread use of torture to extract repudiations by prisoners of their cause and comrades on video for propaganda purposes.^[3] Also condemned has been firebombings of newspaper offices and attacks on political protesters by "quasi-official organs of repression," particularly "Hezbollahi," and the murder of dozens of government opponents in the 1990s, allegedly by "rogue elements" of the government.

According to Human Rights Watch, Iran's human rights record "deteriorated markedly" under the administration of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.^[4] Following the 2009 election protests, there were reports of torture, rape, and even murder committed against protesters,^[5]^[6] as well as the arrest and publicized mass trials of dozens of prominent opposition figures in which defendants "read confessions that bore every sign of being coerced."^[7]^[8]^[9] The United Nations human rights office stated in October 2012 that Iranian authorities had engaged in a "severe clampdown" on journalists and human rights advocates.^[10]

Officials of the Islamic Republic have responded to criticism by stating that Iran has "the best human rights record" in the Muslim world;^[11] that it is not obliged to follow "the West's interpretation" of human rights;^[12] and that the Islamic Republic is a victim of "biased propaganda of enemies" which is "part of a greater plan against the world of Islam".^[13] According to Iranian officials, those who human rights activists say are peaceful political activists being denied due process rights are actually guilty of offenses against the national security of the country,^[14] and those protesters claiming Ahmadinejad stole the 2009 election are actually part of a foreign-backed plot to topple Iran's leaders.^[15]

As of 2019, issues of concern presented by Amnesty International include the use of lethal force, killing over 300, to unlawfully crush November protests, arbitrary detention of thousands of protesters; sentences of imprisonment and flogging for over 200 human rights defenders; entrenched discrimination, torture and other ill-treatment for ethnic and religious minorities; a crackdown on women's campaigning against forced veiling laws.^[16]

^ Iran rejects UN report on 'rights abuses' Archived 25 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine aljazeera.net 20 October 2011
^ Ehsan Zarrokh (Ehsan and Gaeini, M. Rahman). "Iranian Legal System and Human Rights Protection" The Islamic Law and Law of the Muslim World e-journal, New York law school 3.2 (2009).
^ Abrahamian, Ervand, Tortured Confessions: Prisons and Public Recantations in Modern Iran, University of California Press, 1999, p.4
^ "Rights Crisis Escalates Faces and Cases from Ahmadinejad's Crackdown, 20 September 2008". Iranhumanrights.org. 20 September 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
^ "Iran reformer says he wants to present rape evidence, 19 August 2009". Reuters.com. 19 August 2009. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
^ Cite error: The named reference NYTWorth was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director (21 September 2009). "Iran: Appoint Special UN Envoy to Investigate Rights Crisis". Hrw.org. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
^ Robert F. Worth; Nazila Fathi (14 June 2009). "Opposition Members Detained in a Tense Iran". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 June 2009.
^ Iran reformists arrested after Tehran riots. London: Times Online. 14 June 2009. Retrieved 16 June 2009.
^ Cumming-Bruce, Nick (2 October 2012). Iran Engaged in 'Severe Clampdown' on Critics, U.N. Says. New York. Retrieved 2 October 2012. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ Iran has best human rights record in the Muslim world quoting Ali Akbar Salehi| Tehran Times| 28 February 2012| accessed 29 February 2012
^ "Islamic world urged to stand against Western-style human rights Tehran, 15 May, IRNA". .irna.com. Archived from the original on 10 October 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
^ "Human rights fully respected in Iran: Judiciary chief Tehran, April 10, IRNA". .irna.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
^ "Iran: End Widespread Crackdown on Civil Society". Hrw.org. 7 January 2008. Archived from the original on 10 November 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
^ "Testimony in Iran Trial Ties Mousavi to Unrest. Thomas Erdbrink. Washington Post. 17 August 2009". The Washington Post. 17 August 2009. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
^ "IRAN 2019". Amnesty International. Retrieved 19 January 2021.

[rejects-1] Iran rejects UN report on 'rights abuses' Archived 25 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine aljazeera.net 20 October 2011

[2] Ehsan Zarrokh (Ehsan and Gaeini, M. Rahman). "Iranian Legal System and Human Rights Protection" The Islamic Law and Law of the Muslim World e-journal, New York law school 3.2 (2009).

[TortAbrah-3] Abrahamian, Ervand, Tortured Confessions: Prisons and Public Recantations in Modern Iran, University of California Press, 1999, p.4

[ICHRIescalates-4] "Rights Crisis Escalates Faces and Cases from Ahmadinejad's Crackdown, 20 September 2008". Iranhumanrights.org. 20 September 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2013.

[5] "Iran reformer says he wants to present rape evidence, 19 August 2009". Reuters.com. 19 August 2009. Retrieved 26 September 2013.

[NYTWorth-6] Cite error: The named reference NYTWorth was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[7] Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director (21 September 2009). "Iran: Appoint Special UN Envoy to Investigate Rights Crisis". Hrw.org. Retrieved 26 September 2013.

[detained-8] Robert F. Worth; Nazila Fathi (14 June 2009). "Opposition Members Detained in a Tense Iran". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 June 2009.

[times-arrests-9] Iran reformists arrested after Tehran riots. London: Times Online. 14 June 2009. Retrieved 16 June 2009.

[severe-NYT-10] Cumming-Bruce, Nick (2 October 2012). Iran Engaged in 'Severe Clampdown' on Critics, U.N. Says. New York. Retrieved 2 October 2012. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[11] Iran has best human rights record in the Muslim world quoting Ali Akbar Salehi| Tehran Times| 28 February 2012| accessed 29 February 2012

[12] "Islamic world urged to stand against Western-style human rights Tehran, 15 May, IRNA". .irna.com. Archived from the original on 10 October 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2013.

[13] "Human rights fully respected in Iran: Judiciary chief Tehran, April 10, IRNA". .irna.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2013.

[hrw-14] "Iran: End Widespread Crackdown on Civil Society". Hrw.org. 7 January 2008. Archived from the original on 10 November 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2013.

[15] "Testimony in Iran Trial Ties Mousavi to Unrest. Thomas Erdbrink. Washington Post. 17 August 2009". The Washington Post. 17 August 2009. Retrieved 26 September 2013.

[AI-2019-16] "IRAN 2019". Amnesty International. Retrieved 19 January 2021.

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