Iran has come under scrutiny from the United Nations for targeted arrests and bad treatment of minorities and other designations. The United Nations Commission of Human Rights expressed concern over the continued discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities and homosexuals, as well as the capital punishment acted on juveniles. These allegations could lead to many problems for Iran if it does not try to relegate its offenses. The committee in question is made up of independent experts monitoring implementation of human rights conventions. Overall, Iran is being put under a spotlight at the moment.
The human rights violated here are right to life, right to religious freedom, and right to freedom from discrimination based on ethinicity, race, sexuality, etc. These are pretty straight forward. Capital punishment is against the right to life on principle. Religious freedom is a given as Iran is openly discriminating and arresting those of the religious minorities. Freedom from discrimination is hands down the most obvious violation from the ethnic and homosexual arrests and prejudices.
I personally have never really understood anything Iran does and often wonder why states sign human rights treaties they are not going to follow. Why not be truthful rather than asking for international scrutiny by signing the paper? Iran is one of many that have a long way to go before they will be up to snuff on human rights. I could not allow this to happen if I were in charge, but there is too much cultural and historical background for this not to have happened at some point in time.
What should be done about Iran? Why even bother making a statement? Will anything come of this scrutiny?
I definitely agree with you! As Iran continues to scrutinize its citizens, it will scrutinize its own reputation. By targeting individuals discriminatorily and treating minorities in an ill manner, Iran just continues to prove that they are nowhere near becoming a country “for the people”. The United Nations Commission of Human Rights has every right to express concern about Iran’s practices because such discriminations are neither lawful nor legally moral. By violating the “right to life, right to religious freedom, and the right to freedom from discrimination based on ethnicity, race, sexuality, etc.”, the country of Iran is truly depriving its people of their civil liberties, and therefore, they deserve to be under the spotlight. I agree with you on not fully understanding why Iran would sign human rights treaties when they already know they do not plan to follow them. I guess it’s more so to cover themselves politically, and then blame it on other citizens, almost like a “well, that’s not our government’s fault. We have policies in place to help our citizens; it’s not our fault that some people don’t follow them”…..and that is just plain right dishonorable and disrespectful to not only those who are victimized by such practices, but also the other states who are actually putting forth effort to follow the human rights treaties.
ReplyDeleteIn theory if you sign a human rights treaty you should follow it, I agree. The problem is what exactly would be the negative side effects should you break said treaty? Your country comes under a negative light sure, but people are still going to continue to be persecuted if no actual actions occur. No matter how many times the UN slaps Iran on the wrist for their blatant human rights violations there will still be people dying and suffering within the country. What can the UN even feasibly do to physically stop the human rights violations?
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