Senior judicial official Mohammad Javad Larijani says Tehran has opposed any visit by the UN human rights rapporteur, Ahmed Shaheed, due to his “biased” reports against the Islamic Republic.
Larijani, who is the secretary of Iran’s High Council for Human Rights, said Shaheed has acted as a “propaganda agent” for anti-Iran forces instead of implementing the duties of a UN investigator, adding that based on false information he accused the Islamic Republic of rights violations.
“(His recent) report was compiled without a proper methodology and in fact Mr. Shaheed has collected false information from opposition websites,” he said.
“All this in disregard of the comprehensive reports that we have regularly submitted (to the UN),” Larijani told Iranian television on Thursday night, IRNA reported.
In his October report on the situation of human rights in Iran, which was submitted to the 69th session of the UN General Assembly, United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran Ahmed Shaheed claimed widespread violations of civil and political rights in the country.
He also criticized Iran’s judicial system as being unfair and referred to alleged instances of torture and punishment of detainees.
In response, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Marzieh Afkham said on October 8, Iran is committed to promoting civil rights in various spheres.
Afkham added significant steps have been taken to promote civil rights, minority groups’ rights, and women’s rights since President Hassan Rouhani took office in 2013.
