TEHRAN: Iran claimed on Thursday that the United States orchestrated its expulsion from a UN women’s rights body as a result of its response to protests sparked by Mahsa Amini’s death.
Since the September 16 death in custody of Amini, a young Iranian Kurd who had been arrested for allegedly violating the country’s dress code for women, the Islamic republic has seen waves of protests.
The street violence has resulted in hundreds of deaths and thousands of arrests, resulting in international condemnation and Iran’s removal from the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) on Wednesday.
Iran blamed the United States, claiming that the move lacked “legal justification” and was the result of coordinated efforts by its adversary.
Nasser Kanani, a spokesman for the foreign ministry, stated, “This one-sided action of the US… is an attempt to impose unilateral political demands and ignore electoral procedures in international institutions.”
He went on to say that “removing a legal member of the commission is a political heresy that discredits this international organization and also creates a unilateral procedure for future abuses of international institutions.”
Iran, which had been elected to the body in April to serve a four-year term, was kicked out immediately.
The move had to be approved by a simple majority, so 29 UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) members voted in favor, eight countries, including China and Russia, voted against, and 16 abstained.
“Continuously undermine and increasingly suppress the human rights of women and girls, including the right to freedom of expression and opinion, often with the use of excessive force,” the UN resolution stated.
Kazem Gharibabadi, the head of Iran’s high council for human rights, stated that the United States of America supported the resolution to safeguard its own interests.
He stated in a tweet that the United States “only pursues its inhumane and anti-human rights interests and goals” by making “false and hypocritical statements and comments” about Iran.
On December 3, Iran stated that the unrest had resulted in the deaths of more than 200 individuals, including security personnel. Over 450 people have been killed by the country’s security forces, according to international human rights organizations.
In connection with the protests, Iran has executed 11 people. In the past week, it has carried out two executions. A dozen other defendants, according to campaigners, face charges that could result in their execution as well.
