Human Rights in Iran - Council on Foreign Relations

Iran has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights without reservations, committing itself to the protection and promotion of civil, political, economic, and social rights including freedom of expression, assembly, association, and religion. The Iranian Constitution also guarantees these freedoms.

But Iranian lawyer and human rights activist Mehrangiz Kar says several articles of the constitution guaranteeing specific liberties suffer from ambiguity and are often restricted by various conditions and provisions. For instance, Article 24 on press freedom states: "publications and the press are free to express their ideas unless these contravene the precepts of Islam or harm public rights. These conditions will be defined by laws."

Since the precepts of Islam and public rights are not clearly defined by legislated laws, Kar writes, the authorities are free to interpret the "article in support of their own political and factional interests."

In the aftermath of the June 2009 disputed presidential election and the ensuing mass protests, the Iranian government has severely limited citizens' rights to many of the freedoms it ratified under international covenants. In October 2009, even after security forces killed dozens of protesters, arrested and detained thousands of demonstrators and opposition figures, and reportedly tortured and mistreated detainees, Iran submitted a report (PDF) to the UN Human Rights Committee claiming it was in compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Independent group Human Rights Watch said the report "does not begin to adequately address allegations concerning violation of core civil and political rights." While the report makes references to legal provisions in the country's constitution and criminal and civil codes, the watchdog group said it fails to show how the authorities are complying with these provisions.

International organizations have accused several branches of the Iranian government of human rights abuses, particularly security forces like the elite Revolutionary Guards and the volunteer paramilitary force the Basij, as well as the judiciary.Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran,writes that after the 2009 protests, the "judiciary has emerged as a key instrument to intimidate protestors and remove many leading activists and opinion makers, steps that were both critical to the regime's survival." The judiciary, he notes, also implements the Islamic penal code, including stoning, amputations and flogging, all considered torture under international law. Plus, Iran has separate Islamic revolutionary courts whose legal standing has been repeatedly questioned by rights groups. Formed after the 1979 revolution to prosecute government officials of the previous regime, they are primarily charged with trying offenses involving acts against national security, drug smuggling, and espionage.

Source: http://www.cfr.org