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Full Speech of Iran's envoy to Russia in Human Rights Committee meeting

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

1390/07/26
10-18-2011
14:05:32
News Code :9007-19155

TEHRAN (ISNA) - The Full Speech of Iranian ambassador to Russia Seyyed Mahmoud Reza Sajjadi in the Human Rights Committee session comes as follow:

In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Statement delivered by His Excellency Mr. Seyyed Mohammad Reza Sajjadi

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Permanent Representative

Before the 103rd session of Human Rights Committee

October 17, 2011

Geneva

Honorable chairperson and members of the Human Rights Committee

I am pleased with the opportunity that has been provided to study the 3rd periodic report of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has been submitted in the context of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. I also look forward to a beneficial and constructive dialogue between the honorable members of the Human Rights Committee and the high ranking delegation from the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, inspired by the exalted teachings of Islam, the Constitution and international conventions, has given the greatest importance to the promotion of human rights in its goals and programs.

Chapter three of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Constitution, which was sspassed into law with 98 percent of the vote, is titled “the rights of the nation”. The chapter is made of 32 articles and describes the human rights and basic freedoms of the nation. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, all state organs are manifestations of the will of the people and have come into office as a result of the direct, or indirect, vote of the people. To date and after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, each year has seen the organization of at least one general election in which voters have participated in large numbers. It is worth noting that the voter turnout has always been above the regional and international averages.

In view of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the main indicator for the promotion of human rights has to be measures that are taken and the national capacity that is put in place to institutionalize the process and to maintain human rights. To achieve this, the Islamic Republic of Iran has moved in three directions. We have engaged in legislative reform, capacity building and have raised awareness. Thus we have taken fundamental steps to promote and protect human rights. To realize this indicator, extensive national and international efforts have been made. Based on these, and by utilizing domestic capacities and international technical and advisory assistance, as well as bilateral collaborations, we have managed to strengthen domestic institutions to better promote and protect human rights. To further expand this trend; to date many effective measures have been put in motion. In this context a good example would be the signing of an advisory and technical assistance agreement with OHCHR, inclusion of human rights in school curriculums, open invitations extended to thematic Rapporteurs and their subsequent visits to the Islamic Republic of Iran – which include visits by the Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression (February 2003), Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants (February 2004), Special Rapporteur on violence against women (February 2005), Special Rapporteur on adequate housing (July 2006), also a February 2003 visit by the working group on arbitrary detention, a 2006 visit by the UN Secretary General’s independent expert on violence against children and the September 2007 visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran by Ms. Louise Arbour, the then-High Commissioner for Human Rights. It is also worth noting that the Islamic Republic of Iran is working with OHCHR to make preparations for a visit by the High Commissioner. On the same lines, bilateral human rights dialogues between the Islamic Republic of Iran and different countries have produced positive achievements. In this context, human rights dialogues with Japan, Switzerland, Australia, and Russia; as well as four round of human rights dialogue with the EU, are worth mentioning.

As for human rights initiatives by the Islamic Republic of Iran, briefly put, I can refer to the initiation of the “human rights and cultural diversity” resolution in the General Assembly, organization of the 2007 NAM foreign ministers conference on cultural diversity and human rights and the subsequent establishment of the NAM Center for Human Rights and Cultural Diversity, also the organization of the conference of chiefs of judiciary of Islamic countries in Tehran, organized to help pave the way for the 2007 establishment of the legal and judicial association of Islamic countries.

As for honoring our obligations under international human rights documents, it must be said that the Islamic Republic of Iran, aside from being signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights, International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, Convention on the Rights of the Child and its optional protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, as well as other important human rights instruments, has worked– in the context of divine Islamic laws, the Constitution and other national codes -- to fulfill its obligations. In this regard I can refer to the 2009 submission of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s fifth periodic report to the economic, social and cultural rights committee, the 2008 submission of the eighteenth and nineteenth periodic report to the committee on the elimination of racial discrimination and its subsequent review in the committee, submission of two periodic reviews to the Committee on the rights of the child, as well as completing the final passages of the third and fourth periodic reports on CRC obligations and its submission to the supervising body.

With regards to the International Covenant on civil and political rights, it must be noted that aside from the preparatory report, two periodic country reports have already been reviewed and the present report, submitted as the Islamic Republic of Iran’s third periodic report – in accordance with article 40 of the covenant – was compiled as a collaborative effort by all relevant domestic organs and submitted in October of 2009 to the body supervising the covenant. The goal of the report was to provide a brief description of the legislative, judicial and executive measures and initiatives taken by the Islamic Republic of Iran to promote human rights within the confines of its ICCPR obligations. Also following the 101st meeting of the Human Rights Committee, a list of questions was prepared and given to us. The judiciary’s human rights council, Working with the relevant domestic organizations, composed answers and submitted them, in a timely fashion, to OHCHR.

Before I end my comments, I would like to introduce the members of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s delegation, as present in this meeting:

1.Dr. Hakeeme, Deputy Secretary of the Human Rights Council and advisor to the Chief of the judiciary.

2.Dr. Elaheyan, Chairperson of the Islamic Parliament of Iran’s committee on human rights.

3.Dr. Sharieat Bagheri, Deputy Head of the court of administrative justice.

4.Mr. Poor-Mosavi, Director General for political affairs, Ministry of Interior.

5.Dr. Tahmasebi, Director General in charge of the judiciary’s bills and regulations department.

6.Mr. Hagheghat, representative of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

7.Ms. Hamed, representative of the judiciary’s General Directorate for international affairs.

8.Ms. Ebraheme, representative of the center for women and family, affiliated to the President’s office.