Author: Staff Writer

Source: Bahá’í World News Service

http://www.bahaiworldnews.org/story/670

The Baha’i International Community praised the United Nations General Assembly for today rejecting a so-called “no-action motion” on human rights in Iran.

Such a motion, if it had passed, would have used procedural rules to set aside a resolution that is sharply critical of the Islamic Republic of Iran over its use of torture, the high incidence of executions, the “violent repression” of women, and “increasing discrimination” against Baha’is, Christians, Jews, Sufis, and Sunni Muslims, among other minorities.

That resolution subsequently passed the Assembly’s Third Committee, by a vote of 70 to 51 with 60 abstentions, in a second vote today. The resolution will now be sent for final approval by the full Assembly in mid-December.

“This motion allowed governments an easy way to evade their responsibility to protect international human rights, and by rejecting it they have cleared the way for a thorough investigation of human rights abuses in Iran,” said Bani Dugal, the principal representative of the BIC to the United Nations.

“The UN General Assembly therefore deserves praise for rejecting the motion, which was sponsored by Iran in an obvious effort to evade international condemnation for its worsening human rights record.