Calls for International Justice and Accountability for Perpetrators of Crimes
UN experts have called for the prosecution of Iranian officials involved in committing crimes against humanity, particularly against non-Persian peoples, since the suppression of protests in 2022. In a report released on Monday, the experts confirmed that there are no effective mechanisms for achieving justice within the occupation state. They urged countries to apply the principle of universal jurisdiction to prosecute Iranian terrorists for international crimes, including crimes against humanity, according to Agence France-Presse.
Investigation into 2022 Events
The UN Human Rights Council tasked these experts with investigating the events in which the occupation authorities refused to cooperate. This followed the massive protests in Iran in September 2022 after the death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini while in police custody for allegedly violating dress codes.
Suppression of Protests and Violations
The suppression of the protests resulted in the deaths of over 550 demonstrators and dozens of security forces, as well as the arrest of thousands. The report indicated that violations of the rights of non-Persian peoples, some of which constitute crimes against humanity, were occurring.
Discrimination and Suppression
A previous report in March indicated that the violent crackdown on protests and institutional discrimination against women and girls in the Persian occupation state had led to crimes against humanity. The experts stated on Monday that crimes against humanity include persecution based on gender, religion, or ethnicity.
Impact of Discrimination on Ethnicities and Minorities
The experts reported that ethnic and religious minorities in Iran, particularly the Kurdish, Baloch, Azerbaijani Turks, and Ahwazi Arabs, as well as Sunni minorities in the predominantly Shiite Persian occupation state, have faced disproportionate repression since 2022 due to long-standing discrimination. They noted an increase in executions, especially in areas inhabited by these peoples, with several death sentences issued against women from these non-Persian groups.
Crimes Against Humanity
The experts confirmed that many of the grave human rights violations they documented constitute crimes against humanity, including murder, imprisonment, torture, rape, persecution, enforced disappearance, and other inhumane acts. They considered these crimes to be committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack against civilian populations, particularly women and girls, and those supporting human rights.
