Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran

The Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran is a United Nations Special Rapporteur whose mandate is to monitor and investigate human rights violations in Iran. The current Special Rapporteur is Ahmed Shaheed, who has held the position since 2011.[1] He is the fourth special rapporteur to Iran, following the tenures of Andrés Aguilar (1984-1986), Reynaldo Galindo Pohl (1986-1995), and Maurice Copithorne (1995-2002).[2][3]

Tenures

Andrés Aguilar (1984-1986)

In 1984, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) appointed Andrés Aguilar of Venezuela as its Special Representative to Iran on human rights. Iran refused to engage with him and he "eventually resigned, unable to persuade Iranian officials to cooperate with him in any way."[3][4]

Reynaldo Galindo Pohl (1986-1995)

Galindo Pohl, a prominent diplomat and professor of law from El Salvador,[5] served as the Special Representative from 1986 to 1995.[3] He visited Iran three times between 1990 and 1992, but after his third visit, he was barred from visiting Iran.[6]

Maurice Copithorne (1995-2002)

Following the resignation of Galindo Pohl, the UNCHR appointed Maurice Copithorne,[7] a Canadian lawyer,[8] as the Special Rapporteur. On 22 April 2002, the UNCHR voted not to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, a decision condemned by Human Rights Watch (HRW)[9] and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).[10]

Ahmed Shaheed (2011- )

Ahmed Shaheed is the current Special Rapporteur.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran". Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
  2. ↑ "New U.N. Human Rights Rapporteur for Iran". The Iran Primer. United States Institute of Peace. 20 June 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 Afshari, Reza (2011). Human Rights in Iran: The Abuse of Cultural Relativism. University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. xvii–xviii.
  4. ↑ "Iran Agrees to UN Visit". IranWire. 14 November 2014.
  5. ↑ "UN investigator who revealed Iran's 'Baha'i Question' memorandum dies aged 93". Baha'i World News Service. 10 January 2012.
  6. ↑ "A History of United Nations Special Representatives and Rapporteurs in Iran". Iran Human Rights Documentation Center.
  7. ↑ "Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran" (PDF). United Nations. 20 October 1995.
  8. ↑ "UN criticises Iran's human rights". BBC. 18 October 2000.
  9. ↑ "Iran: U.N. Fails to Condemn Rights Abuses". HRW. 22 April 2002.
  10. ↑ "Commission Deplores Unwarranted Rejection of UNCHR Resolution on Iran". USCIRF. 24 April 2002.
  11. ↑ "Human rights in Iran are still atrocious: While Iran reopens to the West, repression still prevails at home". The Economist. 24 March 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
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