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STORY: GENEVA / IRAN-HRC
TRT: 2.22
SOURCE: CH UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 11 MARCH 2013, GENEVA SWITZERLAND
FILE – 2012, PALAIS DES NATIONS, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, exterior Palais des Nations
11 MARCH 2013, GENEVA SWITZERLAND
2. Pan right, Human Rights Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Ahmed Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran:
"The prevailing situation of human rights in Iran continues to warrant serious concern, and will require a wide range of solutions that are both respectful of cultural perspectives and mindful of the universality of fundamental human rights promulgated by the treaties to which Iran is a party. I further regret to inform the Council that two reprisal cases were reported in the media in November and December 2012. In one case, reports have maintained that five Kurdish prisoners located in Orumiyeh Prison have been charged with “contacting the office of the Special Rapporteur among other charges. These prisoners were reportedly interrogated and severely tortured for the purpose of soliciting confessions about
their alleged contact with me."
4. Cutaway, podium
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Ahmed Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran:
"A majority of human rights defenders, including those that defend the rights of women, religious and ethnic minorities, as well as those that work to advance protections for the environment, workers and children continue to be subjected to harassment, arrest, interrogation, and torture and are frequently charged with vaguely-defined national security crimes, which is seemingly meant to erode the frontline of human rights defense in the country."
6. Cutaway, conference room
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Ahmed Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran:
"My current report also presents what appears to be unimpeachable forensic evidence that torture is occurring in Iran on a geographically widespread and systemic (across a number of government branches) basis"
8. Cutaway, delegates
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Mohammad Javad Larijani, Secretary-General of the High Council for Human Rights, of the Islamic Republic of Iran:
"The report before this august body today is a product of an unhealthy, non-objective and counter-productive exercise initiated by the United States and its European allies. Therefore, we never expected to receive and consider a balanced and impartial report out of hostile policies of Western powers. This is why we have in front of us a compilation of unfounded allegations and accusations bearing unfortunately the symbol of the United Nations."
10. Cutaway, United States delegation
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Mohammad Javad Larijani, Secretary-General of the High Council for Human Rights, of the Islamic Republic of Iran:
"The Islamic Republic of Iran has the most influential democracy of the region with its leading advancement in science and technology, strongly believes that the current onslaught on human culture is the greatest crime ever committed to humanity and, let me be quite frank and clear: we, as a Muslim nation and part of huge Muslim community of the world, have equally the God given right to choose a life style based on Islamic rationality and our precious culture."
12. Wide shot, podium
The United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ahmed Shaheed accused Iran today (11 March) of serious “violations of human rights.”
Presenting his report to the UN’s Human Rights Council in Geneva, Ahmed Shaheed said that “workers and children continue to be subjected to harassment, arrest, interrogation, and torture and are frequently charged with vaguely-defined national security crimes.”
He also highlighted concerns about the fate of Iranians who had collaborated with him on the report. He said that “in one case, reports have maintained that five Kurdish prisoners located in Orumiyeh Prison have been charged with contacting the office of the Special Rapporteur, among other charges. These prisoners were reportedly interrogated and severely tortured for the purpose of soliciting confessions about their alleged contact with me."
But Iran dismissed the report by the Special Rapporteur describing it as “a product of an unhealthy, non-objective and counter-productive exercise initiated by the United States and its European allies.” Mohammad Javad Larijani, the Secretary General of High Council for Human Rights, of the Islamic Republic of Iran, added that, “therefore, we never expected to receive and consider a balanced and impartial report out of hostile policies of Western powers.”
