Iran official slams Canada over UN human rights resolution
Published: Tuesday, November 18, 2008
21:00GMT—4:00PM/EST
CANADA – HUMAN RIGHTS – REACTIONS – UN
Washington, 18 November (IranVNC)—A Canada-sponsored United Nations resolution denouncing the human rights situation in Iran could deprive that country of chances for “fair” ties with the Islamic Republic, a source from Iran’s Foreign Ministry told the official IRNA news agency in an interview today.
The UN General Assembly’s Third Committee is due to vote on the Canada-sponsored resolution, which outlines human rights violations in Iran and urges steps to end them, on 21 November in New York.
If approved, the resolution will be put to a final vote by the entire General Assembly.
“Canada, by designing and sponsoring an anti-Iranian human rights resolution, is once again demonstrating its enmity toward the nation of Iran,” the news agency quoted the unnamed “informed source” as saying.
The source continued: “The Canadian government’s current approach will deprive that country from the chance to take advantage of equal and fair relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
“Canada’s hostile action toward the Islamic Republic of Iran is deserving of an appropriate response,” the source added.
The resolution calls for an end to torture and “degrading punishments,” public executions, the execution of juvenile offenders, discrimination against women and minorities, the “emancipation” of the Baha’i community and the release of political prisoners, according to the website of Canadian member of parliament, David Kilgour.
The text also urges Iran to uphold due process of law and requests an update on the human rights situation in that country from the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon.
Canada has sponsored one such resolution on human rights in Iran each year since the death of Montreal photo-journalist Zahra Kazemi in Tehran’s Evin Prison in July 2003.
Lawyers of Kazemi’s family have said she was beaten to death in prison. Iran charged an intelligence official, Reza Ahmadi, with her murder, but he was cleared of the charge.
Iran has not permitted any international forensic teams to examine Kazemi’s body, which was buried before her family could see it.
Sources: IRNA in Persian, Website of Canadian MP, David Kilgour
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