HRC55 - Interactive Dialogue with the Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran - EU Statement
United Nations Human Rights Council
55th session
Interactive Dialogue with the Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran
15 March 2022
EU Statement
Mr President,
The European Union would like to thank the Fact-Finding mission for its report and presentation today.
Again, we express our deep concern over the dire human rights situation in Iran. The deep-rooted structural discrimination of women and girls remains particularly alarming.
One and a half year ago, Jina Mahsa Amini – a young woman of 22 years – was killed in custody of the Iranian morality police. Her death sparked a broad nationwide movement of women and men claiming their universal human rights, calling for freedom. The response by the Iranian authorities was only more repression – including against women, girls, persons belonging to minorities and others who stood up for their rights. People were silenced, persecuted and unjustly judged, several protesters have been executed or sentenced to death.
The EU notes that Fact-Finding mission has concluded that “many of the serious human rights violations outlined in the present report amount to crimes against humanity, specifically those of murder, imprisonment, torture, rape and other forms of sexual violence, persecution, enforced disappearance and other inhumane acts, that have been committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack directed against a civilian population - namely women, girls and others expressing support for human rights”, and that “the crime against humanity of persecution on the grounds of gender has been committed”. It is alarming to see the pervasive impunity while the victims have been left without reparations.
The EU calls upon Iran to eliminate, in law and in practice, all forms of discrimination and gender persecution against women and girls in public and private life and to take gender-responsive measures to prevent and ensure protection for women and girls against sexual and gender-based violence. The EU also calls on Iran to immediately release all persons arbitrarily arrested and detained in connection with the protests or for non-compliance with the mandatory hijab. We fully support the FFM and its work that has yet to be concluded. This is why this Council needs to extend the mandate of the FFM. The "Woman, Life, Freedom” movement fully deserves our further attention.
We urge Iran to allow free and unhindered access to the country for UN Human Rights Special Procedures mandate holders and to fully cooperate with the SR and the independent, international Fact-Finding Mission.
Thank you.