Current special rapporteur has condemned Tehran’s treatment of religious, ethnic minorities Groups cite ‘persistent pattern of serious human rights violations and international crimes by Iranian authorities’ LONDON: Leading human rights advocacy groups have urged UN member states to renew the mandate of a UN special rapporteur responsible for monitoring what they describe as a “dire situation” in Iran. The groups, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and dozens more, wrote to member states: “We, the undersigned Iranian and international human rights organizations, call on your country to support the renewal of the mandate of the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran at the 49th session of the Human Rights Council. “The renewal of this mandate is essential in light of the persistent pattern of serious human rights violations and international crimes committed by Iranian authorities, as extensively documented by civil society monitors and by the special rapporteur.” The special rapporteur is a voluntary position appointed by the UN, responsible for working on and highlighting a given topic, such as torture, freedom of expression, or on specific troubled locations, such as Iran. In a recent report, the current special rapporteur said that in Iran “discrimination in law and practice remains pervasive and perpetuates violence against women and girls,” as well as “persons belonging to ethnic or linguistic minorities, including Ahwazi Arabs, Azerbaijani Turks, Baluchis, Kurds and Turkmen.” The report added that repression also extends to “persons belonging to religious or belief minorities, including Baha’is, Christian converts, the Yarsan (Ahl-e Haq), Sunni Muslims, atheist beliefs and nonbelievers.” Long-standing patterns of human rights violations have been facilitated by what the special rapporteur described as “institutional impunity” due to “the absence of a system for accountability.” “Obtaining accountability for human rights violations is arbitrary at best and impossible at worst,” the special rapporteur said. The groups’ letter concluded: “We urge your government to support the renewal of the mandate of the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran at this session and to press Iran to give the expert unfettered access to the country.” It added: “We also call on your government to voice concern at the dire situation of human rights in Iran, and to send a strong message to the Iranian authorities that the cycle of impunity must be broken.”