AFP, United Nations , Sept 21, 2009 – Two human rights groups on Monday pressed the UN General Assembly to appoint a special envoy to probe grave rights abuses in Iran since the disputed June 12 presidential election.
The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran and New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the 192 member states should seize on Iranian President Mahmoud Ahamdinejad’s attendance at the General Assembly this week to demand accountability for the wave of state-sponsored violence in Iran.
They cited ’unlawful use of lethal force against peaceful protesters, lengthy solitary confinement and coerced confessions’ as well as ’numerous allegations of torture and rape of detainees.’
’Despite the government’s tightening grip and resort to brutality, responsible members of Iran’s civil society and political and clerical communities continue to demand the authorities respect fundamental rights, at grave risk to their own well-being,’ said Hadi Ghaemi, head of the Campaign.
’Member states of the United Nations should honor the courage of Iran’s citizens by appointing a special envoy,’ he told a press conference.
Steve Crawshaw, of HRW, meanwhile said it was ’enormously important for the General Assembly to fully come to grips with the scale of the worsening crisis and the worsening abuses we are seeing in Iran.’
He also called on UN chief Ban Ki-moon to speak out against the abuses.
The two groups pointed out that no independent international right groups have been allowed to operate inside Iran while their Iranian bodies have been either shut down or subjected to threats and intimidation.
Ghaemi said that since the disputed polls in which Ahamdinejad was re-elected in June, more than 4,000 Opposition supporters have been detained and nearly 400 are still being held.
Iran’s powerful conservative camp has rejected claims that election protesters were raped in custody and issued a stern warning to Opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi for raising the allegations.
Speaking by telephone from outside Iran, Ibrahim Sharifi, a 24-year-old computer science student, gave details at the press conference of how he was kidnapped by security and intelligence agents after taking part in anti-government protests.
He said through an interpreter that he was ’subjected to severe beatings, mock executions and sexually assaulted.’
Upon his release, Sharifi said he tried to file a complaint with the authorities but ultimately fled Iran for his own safety after being threatened by intelligence agents.