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United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran

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The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran is a United Nations Special Rapporteur whose mandate is to monitor and investigate human rights violations in Iran. The current Special Rapporteur is Mai Sato. She is the seventh special rapporteur to Iran, following the tenures of Andrés Aguilar (1984–1986), Reynaldo Galindo Pohl (1986–1995), Maurice Copithorne (1995–2002),[1][2] Ahmed Shaheed (2011–2016),[3] Asma Jilani Jahangir (2016–2018)[4] and Javaid Rehman (2018−2024).

United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran
Emblem of the United Nations
Incumbent
Mai Sato
since July 2024
Inaugural holderAndrés Aguilar Mawdsley
Websitewww.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-iran

Tenures

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Andrés Aguilar (1984–1986)

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In 1984, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) appointed Andrés Aguilar of Venezuela as its Special Representative to Iran on human rights. Iran refused to engage with him and he "eventually resigned, unable to persuade Iranian officials to cooperate with him in any way."[2][5]

Reynaldo Galindo Pohl (1986–1995)

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Galindo Pohl, a prominent diplomat and professor of law from El Salvador,[6] served as the Special Representative from 1986 to 1995.[2] He visited Iran three times between 1990 and 1992, but after his third visit, he was barred from visiting Iran.[7]

Maurice Copithorne (1995–2002)

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Following the resignation of Galindo Pohl, the UNCHR appointed Maurice Copithorne,[8] a Canadian lawyer,[9] as the Special Rapporteur. On 22 April 2002, the UNCHR voted not to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, a decision condemned by Human Rights Watch (HRW)[10] and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).[11]

Ahmed Shaheed (2011-2016)

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In March 2011, the UN Human Rights Council re-established this mandate, which the UNCHR had terminated in 2002, under the title Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran.[12] Ahmed Shaheed was the Special Rapporteur from 2011 to 2016.[13] He went on to become the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief.[14] He was twice Foreign Minister of the Maldives from 2005 to 2007 and 2008 to 2010.[15]

Asma Jahangir (2016–2018)

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Asma Jilani Jahangir was selected as the Special Rapporteur in 2016. She was a human rights lawyer of Pakistani origin and a former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan. She suffered from cardiac arrest in Lahore on 11 February 2018 and later died at the hospital.[16]

Javaid Rehman (2018–2024)

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On 7 July 2018, Javaid Rehman was appointed as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Mai Sato (2024–)

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In its 56th session on July 12, 2024, the United Nations Human Rights Council appointed Mai Sato, a Japanese academic, as the new special rapporteur of this international body on Iran.[17][18]

List

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# Rapporteur Nationality Years
1 Andrés Aguilar   Venezuela 1984–1986
2 Reynaldo Galindo Pohl   El Salvador 1986–1995
3 Maurice Copithorne   Canada 1995–2002
— 2002–2011
4 Ahmed Shaheed   Maldives 2011–2016
5 Asma Jahangir   Pakistan 2016–2018
6 Javaid Rehman   Pakistan 2018–2024
7 Mai Sato   Japan 2024–

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "New U.N. Human Rights Rapporteur for Iran". The Iran Primer. United States Institute of Peace. 20 June 2011.
  2. ^ a b c Afshari, Reza (2011). Human Rights in Iran: The Abuse of Cultural Relativism. University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. xvii–xviii. ISBN 978-0812221398.
  3. ^ "Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran". Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
  4. ^ "Appointment of Asma Jahangir | U.S. Virtual Embassy Iran". U.S. Virtual Embassy Iran. 2016-10-05. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
  5. ^ "Iran Agrees to UN Visit". IranWire. 14 November 2014.
  6. ^ "UN investigator who revealed Iran's 'Baha'i Question' memorandum dies aged 93". Baha'i World News Service. 10 January 2012.
  7. ^ "A History of United Nations Special Representatives and Rapporteurs in Iran". Iran Human Rights Documentation Center.
  8. ^ "Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran" (PDF). United Nations. 20 October 1995.
  9. ^ "UN criticises Iran's human rights". BBC. 18 October 2000.
  10. ^ "Iran: U.N. Fails to Condemn Rights Abuses". HRW. 22 April 2002.
  11. ^ "Commission Deplores Unwarranted Rejection of UNCHR Resolution on Iran". USCIRF. 24 April 2002.
  12. ^ "Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran". UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  13. ^ "Human rights in Iran are still atrocious: While Iran reopens to the West, repression still prevails at home". The Economist. 24 March 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  14. ^ "IHEU | UN appoints new Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief". iheu.org. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
  15. ^ "Special Rapporteur on Iran". www.ohchr.org. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
  16. ^ Human rights icon Asma Jahangir passes away in Lahore Human rights icon Asma Jahangir passes away in Lahore
  17. ^ Baillie, Adam (2024-07-11). "New UN rights rapporteur for Iran is a highly regarded expert". Iran International. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  18. ^ "UN Names Japanese Lawyer as Iran's Human Rights Rapporteur".
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