Courtney R. Nemroff
Acting U.S. Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Council
U.S. Mission to the United Nations
New York, New York
November 14, 2019
AS DELIVERED
The United States is pleased to cosponsor this resolution on the human rights situation in Iran, and we thank Canada for its leadership in achieving a strong resolution. We join the international community in expressing grave concerns regarding the Iranian regime’s continued repression of human rights and fundamental freedoms despite its treaty obligations and public pledges. This important resolution highlights the persecution and targeting of individuals for arbitrary arrest and other human rights violations on the basis of their religion, including members of Baha’i, Christian, and Sufi Muslim communities, and expresses serious concern about the continued imposition of the death penalty against minors. It calls for an end to widespread and serious restrictions on the right of peaceful assembly and the freedoms of association and expression, as well as the ongoing persecution of women, members of ethnic and religious minority groups, striking or protesting workers, human rights lawyers, journalists, and other media workers. The resolution calls on Iran to launch a comprehensive accountability process for human rights violations, including allegations of excessive use of force against peaceful protesters and cases of suspicious deaths in custody. For these reasons, and in recognition of the dire human rights situation in Iran, the United States will vote Yes on this resolution and urges all States to do the same.
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