On March 18, 2024, as part of the 55th session of the Human Rights Council, a Side-Event on human rights in Iran was held in Room XXV of the Palais des Nations in Geneva. This initiative was organized by the Zagros Human Rights Center, an NGO with consultative status with ECOSOC, in collaboration with the Iranian Diaspora Mission, Maloca International, and Solidarity International for Peace. The main objective of this event was to shed light on human rights violations in Iran since the 2022 uprising, with a particular focus on minorities and victims of these violations.
The meeting brought together a diverse panel of speakers, including human rights activists, survivors of violence, and trauma experts. Each speaker shared poignant testimonies, providing a firsthand glimpse into the systematic human rights abuses in Iran.
Key speakers included:
- Mrs. Sabah Bandoui, Baloch human rights activist;
- Mrs. Jaleh Tabrizi, President of the Association for the Defense of Human Rights and Democratic/Cultural Claims of the Azerbaijani People in Iran (ARCDH);
- Ms. Awyar Shekhy, human rights activist and member of the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights;
- Dr. Azadeh Afsahi, psychotherapist and trauma expert for political prisoners, founder of Iran House;
- Mrs. Sima Moradbeigi, gunshot survivor;
- Mr. Semko Imani, gunshot survivor;
- Mrs. Mersedeh Shahinkar, survivor of intentional blinding;
- Mrs. Elaheh Tavakoliyan, gunshot survivor;
- Mr. Kayvan Samadi, human rights advocate, former political prisoner, co-chair of Kurdpa Human Rights Organization and the Red Sun;
- Mrs. Kosar Eftekhar, gunshot survivor.
The event was moderated by Mrs. Nazanin Afshin-Jam, human rights advocate and founding member of the Iranian Diaspora Mission and Justice Collective.
The interventions highlighted various forms of human rights violations in Iran, including arbitrary arrests, torture, extrajudicial executions, discrimination against women and girls, as well as ethnic and religious minorities. Additionally, the injuries and victims of government violence during the 2022 uprisings testified to these violations. Speakers also urged the international community to intensify efforts to pressure the Iranian government to uphold its human rights obligations. They further called on the members of the Human Rights Council to extend the mandate of the International Fact-Finding Commission on Iran and that of the Special Rapporteur.
This parallel event played a crucial role in raising awareness of serious human rights violations in Iran and calling for immediate action from the international community. The testimonies of survivors and the advocacy of speakers underscored the urgency of the situation and emphasized the need for a collective response to address it.
his parallel event played a crucial role in raising awareness of serious human rights violations in Iran and calling for immediate action from the international community. The testimonies of survivors and the advocacy of speakers underscored the urgency of the situation and emphasized the need for a collective response to address it.