Posts archive for: 19 December, 2008
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UN General Assembly condemns rights abuses in Iran
@ 19.12.08 – 20.01:59
Iran Focus
London, Dec. 19 - The United Nations General Assembly accused Iran on Thursday of continuing the practice of torture and punishments such as flogging, stoning and amputation of limbs.The UNGA adopted a Canadian-sponsored resolution by a vote of 69 in favour to 54 opposed, with 55 abstentions.
The 192-member world body expressed "deep concern" at "serious human rights violations in the Islamic Republic of Iran" relating to "Torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including flogging and amputations ... The continuing high incidence of executions carried out in the absence of internationally recognized safeguards, including public executions and executions of juveniles ... Persons in prison who continue to face sentences of execution by stoning ... Arrests, violent repression and sentencing of women exercising their right to peaceful assembly, a campaign of intimidation against women's human rights defenders, and continuing discrimination against women and girls in law and in practice".
It urged Iran to "eliminate, in law and in practice, amputations, flogging and other forms of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" and "abolish the use of stoning as a method of execution".
The resolution also pointed out that there was "discrimination and other human rights violations against women and girls" in Iran.
The UN body requested an update from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the situation of human rights in Iran, including its cooperation with international human rights mechanisms, at its next session.
It also decided to continue its examination of the situation of human rights in Iran at its sixty-fourth session under the item entitled "Promotion and protection of human rights".
