The UN Human Rights Council, during its latest session, shone a critical light on the human rights situations in Iran, Syria, and Venezuela, as reported by independent experts in Geneva. The chair of the Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, Sara Hossain, detailed severe violations following protests after Mahsa Amini’s death in 2022, with alarming accounts of children injured by metal projectiles and facing brutal treatment in detention, including torture.
Hossain condemned Iran’s lack of acknowledgment of demands for justice, highlighting the criminalisation and repression of protesters, especially women and girls. She remarked on the ongoing harassment inflicted on victims and their families, stressing that many lack faith in Iran’s judicial system. Consequently, she called for accountability measures beyond Iran’s borders to address these violations.
In Syria, the head of the Commission of Inquiry, Paulo Pinheiro, urged for increased efforts to reveal the fates of thousands who have disappeared under the Assad regime. While he noted the new authorities’ cooperation, he lamented the ongoing dire economic conditions and dwindling humanitarian funding, which fuel violence. Pinheiro called for removing sanctions that impede recovery and encouraged preserving evidence vital for seeking justice.
Marta Valiñas, leading the Independent International Fact-finding Mission on Venezuela, presented alarming reports of political repression, arbitrary detentions, and election irregularities that threaten the integrity of the presidential elections. She reported that, prior to the inauguration on January 10, 2025, an unsettling number of opposition figures were detained amidst state-sponsored violence against protests.
Investigations revealed that many detainees died under state custody due to health complications, with instances of torture uncovered during interrogations. The Venezuelan Government refuted these claims, labelling them politically motivated and lacking scientific basis, which highlights the ongoing tension between human rights advocates and state narratives.
The UN Human Rights Council’s session highlighted severe rights violations in Iran, Syria, and Venezuela. Reports indicated child injuries and torture in Iran, ongoing disappearances in Syria, and political repression and election irregularities in Venezuela. Experts called for accountability and greater efforts for justice as governments refuted the findings.
In summary, the UN Human Rights Council’s session brought forth troubling revelations concerning human rights violations in Iran, Syria, and Venezuela. The persistent denial by the Iranian government of the people’s call for justice, the alarming disappearances in Syria, and the political repression in Venezuela reflect the dire state of human rights in these countries. The testimonies and evidence gathered by independent commissions are crucial in the pursuit of accountability and justice, urging the international community to take action.
Original Source: www.globalissues.org
