Iran: UN renews Special Rapporteur mandate

Freedom from Torture welcomed today's renewal by the UN Human Rights Council of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Iran, Dr Ahmed Shaheed, whose work has exposed continued repression and harassment of political activists and wider human rights abuses including torture in the country.

"In 2014 Iranians were the second highest country group referred to us for clinical services, consistent with the year-on-year trend for Iran to feature in our top ten country group referrals regardless of changes in the Iranian leadership," said Susan Munroe, Freedom from Torture's chief executive.

"Failure to renew Ahmed Shaheed's mandate would send the message to President Rouhani that the international community is prepared to turn a blind eye to gross human rights violations in order to secure a successful nuclear deal."

Last year 195 Iranians were referred to Freedom from Torture for treatment and around 16 per cent of our treatment clients were of Iranian origin. Any rollback in diplomatic pressure on President Rouhani over Iran's dismal human rights record at this time would be unjustified and potentially disastrous.

"On behalf of the hundreds of Iranian torture survivors we treat each year, we welcome the Human Rights Council's endorsement of the renewal of Dr Shaheed's mandate. Continued human rights monitoring in Iran should not be considered optional; it is an essential element in improving the country's engagement with the international community," Ms Munroe said.