A letter to Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, U.N Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran, by two Kurdish Human Rights organizations in the United States

 

  July 21, 2013

Your Excellency Dr. Ahmed Shaheed,

U.N Special rapporteur for Iran to the Human Rights Council

Dear Dr. Shaheed:

Let us commend you for your latest comprehensive report on Human rights violations in Iran and your advocacy for open conversations about human rights. We share your concerns and hopes for changes in the status quo.

As you continue to work on the continuing violations of human rights in Iran, we are sure you are aware that the condition of ethnic minority groups, Kurds, in particular, is deteriorating. Violations of human rights continue as the increasing militarization of Kurdish cities and towns contributes to even more pervasive human rights abuses in violation of Article 27 of the Declaration of the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities .

These abuses as your latest report on the situation of human rights in Iran had documented, include arbitrary arrests, unfair trials, torture, and summary executions, and public hanging .

From 2009, 13 Kurdish prisoners have lost their lives in prison as a result of torture and abusive treatment. Many Kurdish prisoners of conscience remain in prison without any legal resources and recourse. Several prisoners deprived of medical care have died in custody. Kurds as a distinct ethnic minority continue to suffer from institutionalized social, religious, and cultural discrimination. They experience internal displacement, expulsions, linguistic discrimination, suppression of publications, imprisonment of journalists and imposition of heavy bails on detainees. Psychological torture and intimidation through public ridicule and humiliation is becoming the hallmark of the Islamic Republic of Iran as it was the case with dressing up a convict as a Kurdish woman, the stigmatization of Yarsan and draconian restrictions against their religious practices are the latest examples of the Islamic Republic’s flagrant violations of Kurdish human rights.

Kurdish political and human rights organizations and activists are treated and punished even more harshly. Even lawyers of Kurdish prisoners are not immune from persecution and imprisonment. Every year hundreds of the so-called Kurdish “border crosser” and couriers, many of whom young children are mercilessly killed by the Iranian patrolmen on the borders of Iran, Turkey and Iraq.

From 2010 to 2012, 320 couriers were slain and many more injured (Please see the attachment). The plight of these couriers despite documented massacres and injuries is largely ignored and rarely reported and investigated by the international community. We are working on documenting the recurring violations of human rights to report to your office for consideration and review to be included in your next report.

We are grateful that your office has begun to address some of our concerns;

we have indeed seen some positive signs by the UN to address more specifically the situation of Kurdish human rights in Iran as defined in the Declaration of the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. We welcome this increased attention; nevertheless, these steps are inadequate and fall short of expectations as stipulated in Article 27 of the aforementioned treaty.

Kurds have no other hope and aspiration beyond these international treaties to protect them against discriminatory practices and ensure that they enjoy their fundamental freedoms and cultural and linguistic rights. In this context the United Nations has a key role to play both in the protection and promotion of the Kurdish ethnic, political, cultural and linguistic rights.

It is our hope that you continue to pay particular attention to the situation of the Kurdish human rights in the context of Kurds as a distinct ethnic and linguistic group. It is imperative that the UN visit Kurdish areas to gain a better insight into the actual condition of human rights in Kurdish areas in Iran. You would be happy to lend you our support in your difficult and yet very important mission.

Cordially,