Iran questions Europe’s human rights double standards
The Secretary General of Iran’s High Council for Human Rights Kazem Gharibabadi has criticized international mechanisms for not taking a position regarding the deterioration of human rights situations in Western countries.
In a letter to “Volker Türk”, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Gharibabadi noted, “The world suffers from fundamental challenges and dilemmas regarding human rights, mainly caused by the actions of countries that claim to be defending human rights and see themselves in the position of making demands from others and being immune from any criticism and responsibility. The responsibility of the international human rights mechanisms in such conditions is fundamental to support and promote human rights, which must be fulfilled by respecting independence, impartiality, professionalism, and non-selectivity,” IRNA reported.
He then drew the Commissioner’s attention to “some situations over the last six months in several countries regarding the right to freedom of assembly and of association.”
“France regularly witnesses massive public demonstrations in protest against the government’s policies. Instead of listening to the protesters’ demands and trying to improve the situation, the French government resorts to large-scale violence to deal with the gatherings. Using anti-riot equipment, assaulting people, and arresting thousands of protesters are only part of the countermeasures adopted by the French government,” he wrote.
Gharibabdi also noted, “Following a sit-in protest in Germany, the German Minister of the Interior took to Twitter and said, ‘Blocking escape routes puts lives at risk. We saw that in a terrible way in Berlin. The police have my full support for a crackdown.” On the other hand, over 3,000 German police and security forces arrested hundreds of political opponents under the pretext of plotting to stage a coup d’état. Arresting these people – who only sought to bring changes in the German political system gun-free and without closing the street and killing the police – on suspicion of subversion and restricting any support for them on social networks is considered suppression of freedom of expression and opinion. ‘”
Referring to the recent riots in Iran, the Secretary General of Iran’s High Council for Human Rights added, “Egged on by incitement and backing of particular States, media outlets and terrorist groups, the recent gatherings in the Islamic Republic of Iran deviated from their peaceful nature and morphed into riots, causing violations of the fundamental rights of citizens, including but not limited to the right to personal liberty and security, the right to freedom of movement as well as the right to health and safety.”
“I would like an answer to the following question: Why didn’t the High Commissioner and his Office take a position regarding the deteriorating human rights situations in the aforementioned countries?! The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is expected to perform its duties in a professional and non-selective manner. Public opinion is still awaiting an appropriate reaction,” Gharibabadi
concluded.