| For a summary of Iran’s review at the second cycle please click here. |
7th UPR session
Date of review: 15 February 2010
Date of report adoption: 15 March 2010
Document number: A/HRC/14/12
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SUMMARY SOGIESC issues during Iran’s 1st UPR review |
I. SOGIESC issues/recommendations identified by NGOs
Right to life, liberty and security of the person
18. ELEI [Extra-Legal Executions in Iran] stated that judicial executions were still taking place in Iran at a rate of at least one a day, including juvenile offenders, for crimes that hardly ever constitute “the most serious crimes.” FPC [Foreign Policy Centre] recommended a moratorium on the execution of minors in all cases including qesas crimes, and that the Government implement the Juvenile Crimes Investigation Act and other planned legal measures to end the practice of executing minors and those convicted as minors. According to Stop Child Executions, as of June 2009, at least 1601 juveniles were waiting on death row for a wide range of “offences,” including homosexuality, acts incompatible with chastity, apostasy, drug trafficking and involvement in school or street fights that result in a murder.
Right to privacy, marriage and family life
36. Noting the existence of criminal sanctions, including the death penalty, against sexual activity between consenting adults, Joint Submission 1 (JS1) [ILGA, ILGA-Europe, IGLHRC, and ARC International] recommended that Iran bring its legislation into conformity with its international human rights obligations by repealing all provisions criminalizing such activity between consenting adults.
Freedom of religion or belief, expression, association and peaceful assembly, and right to participate in public and political life
46. According to Joint Submission 3 (JS3) [International Publishers Association (IPA), International PEN (NGOs in Consultative Status with ECOSOC) & Index on Censorship], enjoyment of the freedom of expression had deteriorated drastically since 2005, including in the independent section of the publishing industry. It added that censorship was comprehensive and arbitrary in Iran, and was both pre- and post-publication. Taboos included politics, religion, and sexuality. The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance acted as the censor. JS3 recommended Iran lift the permit system attached to the publication and distribution of books, formalise all administrative measures affecting the freedom to publish, and enable effective and transparent judicial review of all administrative decisions in this regard.
II. Excerpts on SOGIESC issues from the national report
No references.
III. Excerpts on SOGIESC issues by UN agencies
Right to life, liberty and security of the person
26. The Secretary-General in 2008 noted reports of amputation, flogging, suspicious deaths and suicides of prisoners, justified by the authorities as Islamic punishments. It was also reported that those accused of homosexual acts were routinely flogged and threatened with execution. CRC expressed similar concerns regarding offenders under the age of 18.
IV. References to SOGIESC issues during the Working Group review
No references.
V. Conclusions and/or recommendations
Iran noted the following recommendations:
92.17. Eliminate, in law and practice, all forms of discrimination against persons belonging to religious, ethnic, linguistic and other minorities, as well as against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons (Israel);
92.18. Revise legislative provisions that are discriminatory on the basis of sex, religion, political opinion or sexual orientation (Luxembourg);
92.19. Decriminalize consensual same-sex activity between adults and eliminate legal provisions discriminatory to women and religious, national and other minorities (Czech Republic).
VI. Further information
You will find all documents relating to Iran’s first review at UPR-Info and OHCHR’s websites.