Mr. Vice-President,
FIDH and its member organisation LDDHI welcome the Fact-Finding Mission’s oral update. We continue to be extremely troubled by the impunity the authorities continue to enjoy for their violent crackdown on nationwide protests that erupted in September last year.
Since then, the authorities and their proxies have killed nearly 700 civilians in connection with the protests, including many women and children. While not a single member of Iran’s security forces has been held accountable, thousands of demonstrators have been detained, at least 26 have been sentenced to death, and seven have been executed following unfair trials.
Proceedings against protesters confirmed the criminal justice system’s complete absence of independence from the executive. The Islamic Revolution Courts, which have targeted political dissidents and human rights defenders for more than four decades, continue to serve as a tool of repression and to silence all forms of dissent.
We call on the Fact-Finding Mission to investigate violations of fair trial rights in criminal proceedings brought against defendants in connection with their alleged participation in the protests. We also call on the Fact-Finding Mission to investigate the pattern of impunity for the serious human rights violations committed against protesters.
We trust your recommendations will include steps to be undertaken towards institutional reforms to ensure trials conform to international law, as well as the abolition of the death penalty.
Thank you.