Site icon Iran Human Rights Documentation Center

Interim report on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, prepared by the Special Representative of the Commission on Human Rights

          
          United Nations
          AJ54/365
          General Assembly
          Fifty-fourth session
          Agenda item 116 (c)
          fruman rights questions: human rights situations and reports of special
          rapporteurs and representatives
          Distr.: General
          21 September 1999
          Original: English
          Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran
          Note by the Secretary-General
          The Secretary-General has the honour to transmit to the members of the General
          Assembly the interim report on the situation of hum an rights in the Islamic Republic of
          Iran, prepared by Maurice Copithorne, Special Representative of the Commission on
          Human Rights, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 53/15 8 of 9 February
          1999 and Economic and Social Council decision 228 of 27 July 1999.
          99-27044 (E) 211099
        
          
          A/54/365
          Interim report on the situation of human rights in the Islamic
          Republic of Iran, prepared by the Special Representative of
          the Commission on Human Rights
          Summary
          In the period under review the Islamic Republic of Iran has seen more political and
          social turmoil than in recent years.
          ThePresident's commitments to change appear tobe undim inishedbut the slowrate
          of implementation is leading to increasing scepticism.
          The protection and promotion of hum an rights has had a central role in the recent
          turmoil, and the human rights of the participants and bystanders have been in jeopardy
          In particular, freedom of expression has suffered a setback in terms of the treatment
          in the media and perhaps peaceful demonstration as well.
          Although there continues to be improvement in the condition of women as reflected
          by some social indicators, there is virtually no progress towards the improvement of their
          legal status.
          The reform of the legal system rem ains a critical issue that has been on hold for some
          time.
          Executions remain at an unacceptably high level, torture and similar treatment or
          punishment continue to exist and the prison system is facing unacceptable physical
          conditions.
          The final report on a series ofmurders of intellectuals and political dissidents is still
          outstanding, which is contributing to widespread scepticism about the investigation.
          The status of minorities and the Baha'is in particular remains unchanged.
          Overall, whileprogress isundoubtedlybeingmade in some areas, this is notthe case
          in some of the most critical areas.
          2
        
          
          A/54/365
          Contents
          Paragraphs Page
          I. Introduction 1—5 4
          II. The Special Representative's activities and sources 6—8 4
          III. Freedom of expression . . 9—20 5
          A. The media 9—13 5
          B. Student protests 14—20 5
          IV The status of women 21—27 6
          V Legal subjects 28—44 7
          A. The legal system 28—33 7
          B. Executions 34—35 8
          C. Torture, or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment 36—38 8
          D. Political murders and disappearances . 39—44 9
          VI. The status of minorities 45—49 9
          VII. Other important matters 50—59 10
          A. The Islamic Human Rights Commission 50—51 10
          B. Terrorism 52—55 10
          C. Democracy 56—59 10
          VIII. Correspondence between the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and
          the Special Representative during the period January-August 1999 60—62 11
          IX. Conclusions 63—69 11
          Annexes
          I. Chronology of student demonstrations 12
          II. Information on the situation of the Baha'is 14
          III. Correspondence between the Special Representative and the Government of the Islamic
          Republic of Iran during the period January-August 1999 15
          3
        
          
          A/54/365
          I. Introduction
          1. As the Special Representative has had occasion to
          observe in the past, capturing a dynamic complex society
          of 60 million people in a 32-page report is a considerable
          challenge. In the case of Iran, contradictions abound and
          crimes in society are if anything growing more pronounced
          each year.
          2. Tension increasedmarkedly in July andAugust 1999.
          The aftermath of a series of brutal murders of intellectuals
          and political dissidents that had occurred in November-
          December 1998 was still being played out. Efforts to
          consolidate freedom of expression were being challenged
          more vigorously, culminating in the closure of prom inent
          reformist newspapers and the introduction of new
          repressive press legislation. These and other developm ents
          led in substantial part to the peaceful student-initiated
          demonstrations that subsequently turned violent.
          3. These events were generally seen as the most serious
          challengetotheregimesincethe lslamicRevolution. They
          reflected the continuing struggle between those who want
          the society to move forward towards the vision articulated
          by the President and those who view that prospect as an
          unacceptable erosion of the Islamic verities on which the
          Islamic Republic was founded. For some, the central piece
          in the struggle is the reform of the legal system, that is to
          say, the search for a system that is less arbitrary, less
          driven by ideology, less cruel towards its dissidents and
          criminals; in short a system based on the rule of law built
          around respect for the personal dignity of all individuals.
          However, in the process, the rights of those engaged in the
          struggle as well as bystanders may be trampled on; this is
          certainly happening in the Islamic Republic.
          4. While someprogressinhumanrightsisundoubtedly
          being made, this is not the case across the several critical
          scenarios still unfolding, particularlythose concerning the
          perpetrators of the string of murders, and the treatment
          accorded to students and others in the aifiermath of the
          demonstrations; the protection of human rights may well
          have suLered some significant erosion.
          5. With regard to cooperation with the Commission on
          Human Rights, the Special Representative would note that
          the Government has not issued an invitation to him during
          the period under review and that he has not been able to
          visit Iran since February 1996. The invitation of the
          Government to the Working Group on Enforced or
          InvoluntaryDisappearances hasnot been taken up as ofthe
          date of preparation of this report.
          IL The Special Representative's
          activities and sources
          6. The Special Representative presentedhis fifthreport
          (E/CN.4/1999/32) in April 1999 to the Commission on
          Human Rights at its fiifiy-fiifih session. He returned to
          Geneva in May to hold consultations and participate in the
          sixth meeting of special rapporteurs, special
          representatives, experts and chairpersons of working
          groups of the Commission on Human Rights. He again
          returned to Geneva from 16 to 24 August 1998, to prepare
          the presentreport. On each of these occasions, the Special
          Representative metwith senior officials ofthe Government
          of the IslamicRepublic of Iran and staff of the Office of the
          United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
          (OHCHR), and had other consultations.
          7. In seeking to discharge his mandate, the Special
          Representative continues to draw from a wide range of
          information sources, including the Government of the
          Islamic Republic of Iran, other Governments, United
          Nations organizations, bodies and programmes, non-
          governmental organizations, individuals and media reports
          emanating from inside and outside the Islamic Republic
          of Iran. In Geneva, the Special Representative participated
          in an inter-agency informal consultation convened by
          OHCHRfor discussion and exchange of information among
          various United Nations and other intergovernmental
          agencies about the human rights and humanitarian
          situations in the Islamic Republic.
          8. During the period under review, the Special
          Representative receivedwritten communications from the
          following non-governm ental organizations: About Iran;
          Amnestylnternational; Baha' i International Community;
          Committee for Defence of Liberty in Iran; Committee for
          the Defence of Prisoners in Iran; Committee to Protect
          Journalists; Constitutionalist Movement of Iran;
          Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan; Dr. Homa Darabi
          Foundation; Human Rights Watch; International PEN
          American Center; International PEN Writers in Prison
          Committee; Iranian Worker Leifi Unity; Organization for
          Defending Victims of Violence; National Council of
          Resistance of Iran; Reporters Sans Fronti res; Society for
          the Defence of Political Prisoners in Iran; and Spectrum
          Institute.
          4
        
          
          A/54/365
          I lL Freedom of expression
          A. The media
          9. As noted by the Special Representative in earlier
          reports, freedom of expression is the field in which the
          issue of change has been most clearly joined. This
          continues to be the case. In brief, disciplinary action
          against newspapers, their directors andtheirjournalists has
          risen sharply In February 1999, Mohsen Kadivar, a
          prominent cleric and writer, well known for his liberal
          views, was arrested by the Clerics Court to face such
          charges as OEonfusing public opinion”, on which he was
          subsequently convicted and sentenced to 18 months injail.
          Kadivar had rejected the jurisdiction of the closed court
          and argued for a trial by jury in a public court. Kadivar's
          treatment was widely regarded as an attack on intellectual
          freedom, pluralistic politics and the rule of law. The
          minister responsible for the press described Kadivar's
          treatment as the arrest of ideas and theories”. In March
          the Clerics Court issued a decree that any newspaper even
          mentioning the name of the dissident Shia dignitary
          Ayatollah Montazeri would be subject to prosecution.
          10. While new licences continued to be issued,
          newspapers andjournals continued to be closed for various
          offences including being guilty of lies” and of committing
          counter-revolutionary acts”. Over the period January to
          August 1999, some 40 publications appear to have had
          complaints filed against them. Many of the leading
          reformist papers have been closed and others have charges
          pending. The responsible minister himself survived an
          impeachment attempt in the Majlis for, it would seem,
          condoning if not promoting a liberal press environment.
          11. One of several cases that attracted a great deal of
          attention in the period under review was that brought in
          the Clerics Court against the leading reformist newspaper
          Salam, and its director Mousavi Khoeiniha. The Court
          imposed a five-year ban on Salam and a three-year ban on
          Khoeiniha's participation in journalism. Khoeiniha still
          faces trial before a revolutionary court on other complaints.
          The minister responsible for the press subsequently
          distanced him self and the executive from the Salam
          judgements, regretting the closure of the newspaper and
          hoping that in future, no daily of that stature would be
          banned. Journalists employed by Salam and other
          newspapers now banned have since been summoned by
          various courts to answer complaints against them
          personally.
          12. TheroleofthePress SupervisionBoardandthepress
          jury continues to be the subject of controversy One of the
          critical issues is the usurpation of the functions of the
          legislated press control system by the courts, including in
          particular the Clerics Court, a tribunal the Special
          Representative has in the past found to disregard the
          human rights of many of those brought before it. This
          development has been criticized by the minister whose
          ministry has legislated responsibility for the press.
          13. The press control regime has not been without fault.
          It has on occasion acted capriciously and without regard
          to the requirements of fair trial. There have also been
          problems because of certain ambiguities inthe law. In early
          July 1999, apparently purporting to address these
          ambiguities, the Majlis, reportedly without consulting the
          executive or the media, passed legislation that, among
          other things, permitted the suspension of publications
          before the prescribed legal process had been undergone,
          permitted a court to require the directors of publications
          to reveal their sources, required applicants for a licence to
          have practical allegiance to the Constitution” and
          expanded the membership of the Press Supervision Board
          to include representatives of certain Islamic organizations
          and agencies. The amount of bail for press offences was
          also substantially increased. These changes were criticized
          bythe governmentm inistry concerned. In August, a second
          piece of legislation was announced, also apparently draified
          without consultation with those most concerned. This
          legislation purported to address the need for a definition
          of a political oLence”, but is said to be so widely drawn
          as to threaten free comment not only on political matters
          but on social and economic ones as well. The Special
          Representative considers that passage of these two pieces
          of new legislation, both apparently opposed by those most
          concerned, would constitute a major defeat for the right of
          free expression in Iran.
          B. Student protests
          14. Without doubt the most significant political and
          social event during the period under review was the series
          of student dem onstrations in early July 1999. Their cause,
          their character and their implications are still being
          discussed. In human rights terms, they can be viewed
          through the optics of freedom of expression, of association
          and of assembly, as well of course as those of the person
          in cases of death, injury or arrest. The Special
          Representative chooses to position the dem onstrations, in
          the first instance at least, as the right to free expression and
          5
        
          
          A/54/365
          to peaceable demonstration through the rights of assembly
          and association.
          15. While student activism had been building for some
          months, the critical sequence of events took place in the
          period 7-14 July, with the fall-out continuing at the time
          of writing this report. They have been described by many
          comm entators inside and outside of lran as the most serious
          challenge the Government has faced since the early days
          of the Islamic Revolution. Where Governments feel
          threatened, the protection of human rights is usually on the
          line. This case is no exception.
          16. The Special Representative has attemptedto establish
          a chronology of the events, particularly as they might have
          a bearing on human rights; it is attached as annex I. The
          Government launched separate enquiries into each of the
          three phases of the events: on 8 and 9 July on the campus
          of the University of Tehran; the student demonstrations on
          9, 10 and 11 July; and the broader demonstrations on 12
          and 13 July Only the report on the first phase was
          available as the present report was being prepared.
          17. In grossly simplified terms, on 8 July some students
          held a small rally at the university apparently to protest the
          passage by the Majlis of the press legislation mentioned
          above andthe closure of a popular newspaper, Salam. Early
          in the morning of 9 July, the security forces and civilian
          elements”, widely assumed to be the extra-legal Ansari-
          Hezbollah, attackedthe student dormitories causing a great
          deal of damage and some injuries and arresting some
          students. On 10 July a large number of students held a
          demonstration which moved into the streets of Tehran,
          with discontent now focusing on the raid on the student
          dormitories. The demonstrations continued on 11 July.
          Meanwhile, the Government expressed its grave concern
          over the raid, undertook to reimburse the students for
          damage suffered and suspended the senior police oLicers
          concerned. The Minister of Higher Education and the
          President of the university resigned. The demonstrations
          continued on 12 and 13 July With many non-students now
          joining in, the demonstration turned violent. The political
          demands of the demonstrators broadened beyond the
          incident of 9 July. The Government vowed to restore order
          and a large pro-Government rally was organized for 14
          July This was the end of the demonstrations.
          18. Alm ost imm ediately, concern began to be expressed
          for those detained by the security forces and over
          allegations that arrests were continuing, including of
          persons connected to the Iran Nation Party. At least one
          detained student leader appeared on television to confess
          his role in the disturbances and to having been in contact
          with foreign elements. At one point, the Government
          announcedthat, contrarytorumours, some 1,200persons
          had been detained, of whom some 700 had already been
          released. However, other activists and journalists
          disappeared; they too were presumed to have been
          detained. The Special Representative and his colleagues
          made a number of urgent appeals about the situation (see
          annex III, paras. 5, 7 and 8).
          19. The atmosphere remains intimidating. State
          television has broadcast videotaped confessions of activists,
          accused of being counter-revolutionaries”, Ministry of
          Information (i.e. Intelligence) lists ofthose arrested openly
          state them to be guilty, and the head of the Tehran
          Revolutionary Court declared that it would move against
          persons whose statements had incited” or fomented”
          recent events.
          20. The protests provided a major challenge to the
          President's promise of diversity and freedom of expression
          within the rule of law. The attack on the student
          dormitories was a clear violation ofthe hum an rights ofthe
          students, as well as apparently being a violation of Iranian
          law. The Government has taken disciplinary steps against
          some of the senior officers concerned, but at the time of
          writing, not yet against the notorious civilian elem ents”,
          whom it accuses of OExerting immense pressure” upon the
          police. The first days of demonstrations that followed
          appeared to have been peaceable enough but later the
          presence of outside elements and the police response led
          to violence, injuries and the destruction ofpublic property.
          The challenge for the authorities is to distinguish between
          peaceable protest and violent confrontation, and to punish
          onlythose involved in the latter. At the time of writing, the
          signs are that despite the initial tolerance towards the
          students, the authorities are casting their net very widely
          to include some student leaders and members of the Iran
          Nation Party (see annex III, para. 8).
          11/. The status of women
          21. The period under review passed without much
          substantive change in the status of women in the Islamic
          Republic. The President and various senior figures in the
          executive continue to press for a change in attitude towards
          women andwomen's issues, noting againthatthe existing
          limitations are variously legal, economic and social in
          nature. It was again declared by some of these figures that
          some of the relevant Islamic laws were OEubject to
          adaptation and change due to circumstances”.
          6
        
          
          A/54/365
          22. The current emphasis appears tobe on the formation
          of civil and non-governmental organizations for women
          and, more specifically, on a national action plan to address
          violence against women. According to the press, the
          President's Advisor on Women's Affairs declared in May
          1999 that one cannot claim that violence against wom en
          did not take place in Iran”. The Special Representative
          reported on the draft plan in his 1999 report to the
          Commission on Hum an Rights (E/CN.4/1 999/32, para. 32).
          In the period under review it was announced that the plan
          now contemplates legal and judicial measures, a public
          information campaign, andthe establishment of a women's
          police college and an organization for defending women
          in peril as well as victims of violence.
          23. More generally, a number of relevant statistics
          continue to improve. In the recent local elections, 300
          women were elected and 114 of these received the highest
          or second highest number of votes in their constituencies.
          There are reportedly now some 70 daily and periodic
          publications which, generally or specifically, address
          women's issues, most of them run by women editors and
          managers. In higher education there have been some
          notable developments. Government officials have stated
          that female students enrolling in university in 1998
          outnumbered male students. About 30 per cent of university
          faculty members are women. The proportion of female
          graduate students, and ofwomen doctors and health-care
          workers is growing significantly
          24. The Special Representative's attention has been
          drawn to an important recent report by UNICEF entitled
          The State of Women: Is lamicRepub lic ofiran (ISBN 964-
          6513-10-7). It focuses in substantial part on the areas of
          compatibility and of divergence between the Convention
          on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
          Women and Iranian law. This report merits careful study;
          for the moment, however, the Special Representative
          wishes to highlight two situations that are singled out in
          the report.
          25. The first of these concerns early marriage. The
          Government, by becoming a party to the Supplementary
          Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade,
          and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery,
          committed itself not to allow the marriage of a minor even
          with the permission of a guardian, usually a father or a
          grandfather, a practice now permitted by article 1041 of
          the Civil Code. Given that the minimum age ofmarriage
          of girls is only nine years, very young girls can be married
          off in this manner, a clear violation of their rights as
          children. Although the Special Representative is informed
          that no girls are married oL at the age of nine or younger,
          the law remains on the books.
          26. The report also addresses the problems faced by
          Iranian wom en marrying refugees, most commonly Afghan
          refugees. According to the report, for the marriage to be
          registered, the foreign husband must have a valid passport
          and legal residence permit which, in practice, few Afghan
          refugees have. As a result of poverty and the young age of
          the women, and the fact that they oifien face brutality, such
          marriages are often unstable and the wom en are frequently
          deserted. Children of such marriages cannot be registered
          as the marriage itself is not registered. The UNICEF report
          concludes that as the woman has in eLect had foreign
          nationality imposed upon her, she is being denied her
          rights under the Iranian Constitution which states, in
          particular, that the Government cannot deprive anyofthis
          right unless upon his/her request or, if the citizenship of
          another country is adopted by him/her”. The Special
          Representative calls upon the Government to address both
          these denials of human rights with the compassion and
          urgency that the situations clearly merit.
          27. In general, it remains the Special Representative's
          view, as he has expressed in the past, that the Government,
          while showing some leadership, is not addressing the
          rem oval of those discriminatory laws and practices which
          remain the cause of the unequal treatment faced by wom en
          in Iran.
          V. Legal subjects
          A. The legal system
          28. In a previous report to the General Assembly
          (A153/423), the Special Representative noted that several
          events had engendered an intense public debate about the
          conduct of trials and the appropriate role of judges. This
          in turn had led to the widespread view that a major
          overhaul of the judicial system was a prerequisite for the
          establishment of civil society in the Islamic Republic. In
          August 1998, the Iranian Prosecutor General told the
          Special Representative of reforms that were planned
          including legislation that was to go to the Majlis shortly.
          Such reform measures have been slow in appearing.
          29. The need for change in the way legislation is
          prepared was highlighted during the period under review
          by two cases already mentioned in the section on freedom
          of expression (para. 9 above). These are therepressive laws
          passed in June amending the Press Law, and the draft law
          7
        
          
          A/54/365
          introduced in August on political oLences. Both of these
          bills were apparently prepared more or less in secret
          without input from the relevant offices of the executive,
          from interestgroups or from the public. While thisprocess
          is carried out by elected representatives of the people, in
          the Special Representative's view it is hardly a
          participatory or even democratic law-making process. It
          should not be surprising that such laws are met with strong
          opposition by those concerned and sometimes by a broad
          swath of the Iranian public. At the least, this approach
          leads to cynicism about legislators and their legislation,
          and towards the rule of law more generally
          30. The Special Representative wouldnote a recent eLort
          to legitimate the Clerics Court which comes at a time of
          increasing criticism of its activities, particularly in press
          matters. It has been brought to the attention of the Special
          Representative that in the course of a recent debate on the
          Revolutionary and Public Court Procedure Act, the Majlis
          added article 51 lAwhich appearsto legitim ate the Clerics
          Court through an amendment to legislation otherwise
          concerned with court procedure (Official Journal 15816,
          pp. 28-30). It is very difficult to argue, asjudicial oLicials
          appear to be doing, that although this Court was properly
          constituted in the first place, this new legislative provision
          is still needed. The Special Representative's position
          remains as stated most recently in his report to the
          Commission (E/CN.4/1999/32, paras. 48-53), that this
          Court's existence is a standing invitation for the violation
          of the human rights of those brought before it.
          31. The crisis in the prison system seems to be
          worsening. More reports are reaching the Special
          Representative about overcrowding, prisoner unrest and
          appeals from local prison oLicials that judges avoid
          imposing jail sentences. Reportedly, only 2.5 square metres
          are available for each prisoner.
          32. The Special Representative would again note the
          President's recent calls for the establishment of the rule of
          law in Iran. Certainly, such a development is central to the
          enjoyment of human rights in the country. Also certainly,
          little to this end has been achieved to date. Very recently
          the new head of the judiciary announced that there would
          be OE dramatic change in the culture prevailing in the
          judiciary system”. The Special Representative looks
          forward to describing in his next report the introduction
          of concrete reform measures.
          33. The concept of fair trial in Iran came to international
          attention during the period under review following the
          arrest of 13 Jews from Shiraz and Isfahan on suspicion of
          spying for Israel. The Government of Iran issued a
          statement declaring that all arrested suspects will receive
          a fair trial in accordance with due process of law”. The
          Special Representative followed up this statement with an
          urgent representation addressed to the Government noting
          the most significant elements of fair trial” and seeking
          assurances that they would indeed be accorded to those 13
          individuals. The chair of the Jewish Central Committee
          appears to have played a significant intermediary role in
          this matter. At the time of the preparation of the present
          report, no final decision had been taken by the Iranian
          judiciary in this matter.
          B. Executions
          34. According to information received by the Special
          Representative, Iranian media and Tehran-based foreign
          wire services reported 138 executions from 1 January 1999
          tomid-August 1999. In his report to the GeneralAssembly
          at its fifty-third session, the Special Representative noted
          that the Iranian authorities had agreed to cooperate with
          him in the provision of official statistics on the number of
          executions. No such statistics have yet reached the Special
          Representative's attention. The crimes for which most of
          the executions were carried out are unknown, although a
          number of those put to death were said to be supporters of
          or activists in the illegal opposition Mojahedin Khalq
          Organization.
          35. One of the offences that rarely attract the death
          sentence is major economic crimes”. In March 1999, the
          Tehran press reported that four merchants had been
          sentenced to death for exporting carpets without declaring
          their real value.
          C. Torture, or cruel, inhuman or degrading
          treatment or punishment
          36. In the period under review, there occurred to the
          knowledge of the Special Representative, the first trial of
          an oLicial for engaging in torture, an act prohibited by the
          Constitution of Iran. The Commander of the Intelligence
          and Security Division of the Tehran police, along with
          three co-defendants, was charged following complaints by
          a group of mayors and senior oLicials of Tehran
          Municipality over treatment they had received while in
          detention on charges of corruption in 1998. The case was
          heard by a military court in closed session. While the
          Commander was found guilty of only minor charges, the
          fact that the charge was brought at all reflects the more
          8
        
          
          A/54/365
          realistic approach that is gradually beginning to take hold
          in Iran to this abhorrent practice.
          37. According to Iranian press reports coming to the
          attention of the Special Representative, there continue to
          be amputations of arms, hands andmost commonly fingers,
          usually following multiple theft convictions.
          38. Press accounts suggest that corporal punishment is
          prevalent. In January1999, an Iranian newspaper reported
          that two 15-year-oldboyshadbeen sentencedto a flogging
          for OEffending public democracy” by dressing up as girls
          and wearing make-up. They explained to the Court that
          they did this to extract money from rich young men”. In
          June an Iranian newspaper reported that a young man in
          Mashad had been given 20 lashes for wounding public
          moral sentim ents” by plucking his eyebrows and wearing
          eyeshadow. In March an Iranian newspaper reported that
          six persons had been sentenced in Mashad to 18 months
          in jail and 228 lashes for goading passers-by to dance in
          the street in the traditional Zoroastrian festival of
          Chaharshanbe-Souri.
          D. Political murders and disappearances
          39. In his 1999 report to the Commission on Human
          Rights, the Special Representative reported on a series of
          murders and disappearances ofprom inent intellectual and
          political figures. These tragic events had the earmarks of
          an organized campaign and aroused great public concern.
          The investigation was put in the hands of the Military
          Prosecutor's office on the grounds that, as was soon
          acknowledged, a number of officials in the Ministry of
          Information (i.e. Intelligence) were involved. The
          Government committed itself to an open trial of those that
          would be charged. On 12 May 1999 a newspaper carried
          a statement by 325 political and cultural figures on the
          occasion ofthe 170th day aifier the murder ofDaryoush and
          Parvaneh Forouhar reiterating a call for justice and
          disclosure of the perpetrators' identity.
          40. The investigation dragged on into June, when the
          Chief Military Prosecutor, Mohammad Niazi made public
          his preliminary report on the matter. The names ofthe four
          main agents” were identified, one of whom had been able
          to commit suicide while in custody. Twenty-three persons
          hadbeen arrested in connection with these killings some
          of whom had been released on bail and 33 others
          summoned for investigation. Some of the accused were
          from the intelligence forces, while others were
          businessmen. Niazi declared thatthe motive for the killings
          had been to face the system with problems at the
          international and domestic scene”, to generate OE
          fratricidal conflict between political factions”.
          41. The report, coming five months aifier the
          investigation was announced, was greeted with scepticism
          in some quarters particularly as to the circumstances of the
          alleged suicide. Rumours persisted that some of those
          released on bail had been able to leave the country and that
          the individuals concerned had been acting with the
          knowledge if not the approval of powerful personages.
          Reference was frequentlym ade to the leader of the group's
          apparently close relations with certain Iranian leaders, and
          to the nature of the memorial services that were held after
          his suicide in custody, as well as his burial in a section of
          the cemetery reportedly designated for national martyrs.
          42. In early August, the recently retired head of the
          judiciary was quoted in the press as saying he had ordered
          a public and transparent trial” for those being indicted.
          43. The Special Representative, for his part, again urges
          the Government of Iran to expedite this investigation and
          to bring the accused to trial quickly The rule of law
          repeatedly declared to be an objective of President
          Khatami's administrationrequiresno less. Adark stain on
          the Government and the legal authorities will only be
          rem oved by a more expeditious and forthright approach to
          this enquiry
          44. The case ofthe dissidentwriter/editor Pirouz Davani
          who disappeared in August 1998 is no closer to solution
          following the denial of the Information (i.e. Intelligence)
          Ministry that he had been arrested. Further investigation
          is required of this highly suspicious disappearance (see
          annex III, para. 9).
          VI. The status of minorities
          The Baha'is
          45. The overall enjoymentofhumanrightsbythe Baha'i
          community rem ains of serious concern. There continue to
          be reports of violations of rights in particular those of
          freedom of assembly, association, expression, movement,
          liberty and security of the person. The Baha'i community
          continues to face a system atic violation of economic, social
          and cultural rights.
          46. Fiifieen Baha'is are imprisoned in Iran, of whom
          seven are under sentence of death. The four Baha'is
          arrested in October 1998 in Isfahan in connection with
          their activities with the Baha'i Institute of Higher
          9
        
          
          A/54/365
          Education (BIHE) were sentenced in March 1999 to
          various prison terms without parole (see annex II).
          47. TheBaha'i communityisdeniedtherighttoexercise
          its religion and to maintain administrative institutions.
          Activities aimed at providing education to Baha' i children
          continue to be curtailed and access to employment denied.
          Unemployment benefits are reportedlynot paidto Baha' is,
          andtheir pensions can be terminated on religious grounds.
          Confiscation of Baha' i property continues.
          48. The Special Representative once again urges the
          Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to improve its
          treatment of the Baha'i community and, specifically, to
          ensurethat the death penalty is not imposed on Baha'is for
          their religious beliefs; to liifi the ban on Baha'i
          organizations so that Baha'is may associate freely; to put
          an end to discrimination against Baha'is in all spheres of
          public life and services; to effect the return of confiscated
          personal and community Baha'i property; to institute the
          reconstruction of destroyed places of worship wherever
          possible or, at a minimum, ensure the provision of
          appropriate compensation to theBaha'i community; to liifi
          restrictionsregarding the burial and honouring of the dead;
          andto eliminate from passport application forms questions
          concerning religion, so as to avoid undue infringements of
          freedom of movement.
          49. The Special Representative again urges the
          Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to implement
          the outstanding recommendations of the Special
          Rapporteur on religious intolerance (see
          E/CN.4/1 996/95/Add. 2).
          VII.
          Other important matters
          A. The Islamic Human Rights Commission
          50. In a previous report to the General Assembly
          (A/53/423, paras. 47-49), the Special Representative
          commented on this Commission and in particular, on the
          need for it to take certain steps to establish its credibility
          as a national hum an rights institution. The following new
          information published by the Commission has now come
          to the Special Representative's attention:
          In the period from March1998 to March1999, 1,051
          files were opened on the basis of complaints received.
          Of these, the most prominent respondent, the object
          of 394 complaints, was the Judicial authorities”.
          Ofthe total of some 3,000 currently active files, some
          1,000 related to women and women's issues.
          51. The Special Representative again recommends that
          the statistics in the reports of the Commission be broken
          down further and that, as he recommended, positive trends
          and best practices be publicized, and that a national action
          plan for human rights be developed.
          B. Terrorism
          52. During the periodunder review, the Government and
          a banned opposition group, the Mojahedin Khalq
          Organization, traded charges of terrorist activities both
          within and outside the country. Such attacks, on
          government officials and on members of the opposition,
          appear to have increased recently with senior government
          oLicials and military figures being targeted on one side,
          and groups of opposition members on the other, in at least
          one case on a loaded bus in Iraq. On one such occasion, the
          United Nations Secretary-General made a declaration
          condemning all forms of violence. A number of
          Governments expressed a similar point of view. More
          generally, the Commission on Human Rights has in the
          past expressed its serious concern over the gross violation
          of hum an rights that is inherent in terrorist acts.
          53. While eLorts have been made to distinguish the
          nature of such acts, for his part the Special Representative
          also holds the view that violence from any source and in
          the name of any cause, however noble that cause may be
          in its own right, is unjustifiable and an unacceptable
          violation of the human rights of the victims.
          54. In May 1999, the Chief Military Prosecutor
          announced the arrest of 13 members of a fundamentalist
          assassination group Mahdaviyat”. Its targets were said to
          include Sunni clerics and former President Rafsanjani,
          among others. The leader of the group was charged with
          the attack in January 1999 on the head of the Tehran
          judiciary that resulted in one death and severe injury to the
          head of the judiciary
          55. InFebruaryl999,thebrother ofthe SupremeLeader
          was attacked and severely injured. He reportedly serves as
          a press adviser to the President and runs a reformist
          newspaper.
          10
        
          
          A/54/365
          C. Democracy
          56. In February 1999, the Islamic Republic had its first
          elections at the local government level, thereby fulfilling
          a neglected provision of the Constitution. Government
          reports stated that about 280,000 candidates competed for
          130,000 council seats andthatthere was a 70 per centturn-
          out of voters.
          57. In Tehran, there was a controversy over the
          qualifications of five reformist candidates, all of whom
          went on to win seats. One of these was Abdollah Noun, a
          former Interior Minister who topped the Tehran polls.
          58. The next step in what President Khatami describes
          as the institutionalization of Islamic democracy” is the
          election for the 6th Majlis reportedly set for 18 February
          2000. Public discussion of this important event has begun
          and, once again, the role of the Council of Guardians in
          approving the candidates is a central issue. Most
          comm entators believe that a new law on the subject will not
          seriously impede the Council of Guardians from making
          its decisions on the basis of ideology rather than existing
          legal requirements for candidature.
          59. The Minister of the Interior, for his part, warned his
          officials that their role is to ensure the conduct of fair
          elections and that they are not to evaluate individuals on
          the basis of prevailing beliefs and preferences.
          VIII.
          Correspondence between the
          Government of the Islamic
          Republic of Iran and the Special
          Representative during the period
          January-August 1999
          60. The correspondence exchanged during the reporting
          period between the Special Representative and the
          Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran
          to the United Nations OLice at Geneva is described in
          annex III. In sum, the Special Representative transmitted
          to the Government five communications, including two
          jointly with other special rapporteurs of the Commission
          on Human Rights. During the same period, the Special
          Representative received responses from the Government
          to three out of six communications that were described in
          his previous report (see E/CN.4/1999/32, annex V).
          61. Some of the correspondence concerned requests for
          information about individual allegations. Also during the
          reporting period, the Special Representative sent urgent
          communications, jointlywith other special rapporteurs, in
          which he appealed to the Government to ensure that those
          affected benefited fully from all the internationally
          recognized safeguards, particularly those provided for in
          the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the
          International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the
          Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under
          Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment and the
          Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Being
          Subjected to Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
          Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
          62. While acknowledging the responses by the
          Government, the Special Representative encourages it to
          make additional effort to respond to his outstanding
          requests for information concerning individual cases.
          IX. Conclusions
          63. It is clear that freedom of expression with regard to
          the media has suffered a serious setback as a result of a
          hostile campaign mounted against the reformist press in
          particular, the usurpation of the legislated press control
          system by the courts, and the introduction of repressive
          legislation. Freedom of expression, as well as the rights of
          association and assembly may have suffered in the
          aifierm ath of the student dem onstrations, depending on the
          treatment accorded to the students and to other
          participants.
          64. There has been little substantive change with regard
          to the rights of women in the period under review. The
          Special Representative again calls upon the Government
          to take the lead in introducing change in law and in
          practice affecting the status of women.
          65. In order to achieve the rule of law and therefore the
          protection of human rights, the reform of the legal system
          remains an urgent matter. The Special Representative
          recommends that the hinted at reform measures be
          introduced as soon as possible. The Government should
          publish statistics on executions by category of offence and
          should ensure compliance with resolutions of the
          Commission on Hum an Rights in this regard. Torture and
          comparable treatment or punishment continues to exist and
          needs to be confronted by the Government in accordance
          not only with international standards but with the laws of
          Iran.
          11
        
          
          A/54/365
          66. The investigation of the string of murders of
          intellectuals and political dissidents that occurred in
          November and December 1998 needs to be completed
          quickly and with total frankness if it is to have public
          credibility
          67. The status ofreligious minorities rem ains precarious.
          The Government should address without further delay the
          matter of the Baha'is, in line with the outstanding
          recommendations of the Special Rapporteur on religious
          intolerance.
          68. Terrorism by Iranians against Iranians is on the rise
          bothwithin and outside of Iran. The Special Representative
          calls on both sides to heed the calls from the Secretary-
          General of the United Nations and others in this regard.
          69. There continues to be progress in the development
          of democracy in the Islamic Republic; the arrangements
          made to ensure open and fair elections for the sixth Majlis
          will be critical in this regard.
          Annex I
          Chronology of student demonstrations
          The following chronology is drawn from Iranian and
          foreign wire service reports on the events of 7 to 14 July
          1999. It may contain inaccuracies. Numbers of
          dem onstrators, those killed or injured, and those arrested,
          are notgiven as the press reportsvarywidely in this regard
          and no independent sources are available.
          7 July The Majlis passes a bill tightening
          controls on the press.
          Salam, a leading reform ist newspaper, is
          shut down by order of the Clerics Court.
          8 July A group of University of Tehran students
          stage a sit-in protesting the two events of
          7 July
          9 July In the early morning, security forces,
          accompanied by civilians widelybelieved
          to be the extra-legal Ansari Hezbollah,
          enter the University of Tehran without
          authorization and ransack the student
          dormitories, injuring some students and
          arresting others.
          10 July Students demonstrate in the streets.
          The Minister of Higher Education hands
          in his resignation, but it is refused.
          Demonstrations spread to other cities,
          particularly Tabriz.
          11 July Generally peaceful demonstrations
          continue in Tehran streets. The demands
          of the demonstrators broaden to include
          the system of governance in the Islamic
          Republic.
          Two senior security officials are
          dismissed over the raid on the student
          dormitories.
          The Minister of the Interior describes the
          event of 9 July as one of the most bitter
          social, political and cultural events of
          recent times”. He had visited the
          university on 9 July and could not
          believe what he saw”, including the
          scale of destruction” and the actions of
          the wilful and disobedient elem ents who
          are known as pressure groups in the
          society”. He declares that action has to be
          taken to confront the elements which
          12
        
          
          A/54/365
          caused the catastrophe including
          punishing a number of the attackers and
          sacking two of the law enforcem ent
          comm anders”.
          The President of the University ofTehran
          tenders his resignation.
          12 July There are further demonstrations in
          Tehran and clashes with the police,
          leading to some arrests.
          A large sit-in takes place in the
          university.
          University faculty issue a statement that
          the 9 July incident was the worst of its
          kind in University history”.
          Police and vigilantes attempt to take back
          control of the streets, particularly in the
          area around the university.
          The Supreme Leader describes the
          occurrence of 9 July as OE bitter and
          unacceptable incident”.
          The Governor of Tehran bans all
          demonstrations.
          At Tabriz University a student
          demonstration is broken up by force,
          resulting in injuries and arrests. At
          another university, following a student
          sit-in, the university is closed until
          October. The violence used in Tabriz and
          particularly the use of firearms by the
          police is only subsequently realized.
          13 July Tehran riot police disperse a large group
          of demonstrators, some of whom regroup
          and engage in vandalism. Arrests ensue.
          President Khatami calls the incident on
          9 July OExtremelybitter and intolerable”,
          adding that student protestors had now
          been joined by agitators with bad
          intentions”.
          Mainstream student leaders begin to
          distance themselves from the rioting of
          the previous two days.
          14 July A large counterdemonstration is held in
          Tehran.
          The Secretary of the Supreme National
          Security Council warns that those
          involved in the past few days' riots,
          destruction ofpublic property and attacks
          against the system would be tried and
          punished in the same way as those
          fighting God and those spreading
          corruption, charges which usually carry
          the death penalty
          In a separate speech to students at the
          University of Tehran, the Secretary
          declared that the role of students was
          highly valued and that compensation
          would be paid for the destruction in the
          university dormitories.
          17 July Student groups protest the continuing
          arrest of students by police and pressure
          groups”.
          Reports are published that students in
          some parts of the country are being
          brought before the RevolutionaryCourts.
          22 July Student groups protest the continuing
          arrest of students.
          4 August The director ofthe university dormitories
          complainsto avisitinggroup ofmembers
          of the Majlis that the facts of the raid on
          the dormitories are not in dispute and yet
          no action has been taken by security
          oLicials. Instead, more students are being
          arrested.
          13
        
          
          A/54/365
        
          
          A/54/365
          Annex II
          Information on the situation of the Baha'is
          1. The following is based on information received by the Special Representative.
          2. With regardto imprisonment of lranian Baha' is, the four Baha' is arrested in Isfahan
          in October 1998 for their involvement with the Baha'i Institute of Higher Education
          (BIHE) received verdicts on 16 March 1999. Dr. Sina Hakim an was handed down a fixed
          prison term of 10 years, Mr. Farrad Khajeh and Habibullah Ferdosian were given seven
          years and Mr. Ziaullah Mirzapanah was sentenced to three years (all without parole). It
          may be noted that one of the prisoners, Mr. Mirzapanah, had been released in January
          1999 but was called to attend the trial of the other three individuals, at which time he was
          also sentenced. The verdict (No. 2/791/787) stated generally: a number of people of the
          misled Baha'i sect have formed an illegal group under the title the Friends of Iran,
          Isfahan”, have taken action to establish a secret organization named Hay'at-i-Maarif-i-
          Ali-Amri' [ Institute for Higher Baha'i Studies] and are engaged in attracting youth,
          teaching against Islam and against the regime of the Islamic Republic”.
          3. Mr. Manuchehr Khulusi, a resident ofKhurasan, was reportedly arrested on 9 June
          1999 while on a visit to Birjand. He was subsequently transferred to Mashhad where he
          is being held in the Information Organization prison. While reports indicate that he was
          arrested because of his Baha' i activities, no indications have been given as to the charges
          brought against him or when his trial may be expected.
          4. Other Baha' is held in Iranian prisons include Mr. Bihnam Mithaqi and Mr. Kayvan
          Khalajabadi, arrested on 29 April 1989 for Zionist Baha'i activities; Mr. Musa Talibi,
          arrested on 7 June 1994, charged with apostasy and sentenced to death; Mr. Dhabihu' llah
          Mahrami, arrested on 6 September 1995, charged with apostasy and sentenced to death;
          Mr. Mansur Haddadan, arrested on 29 February 1996, charged with organizing a
          children's art exposition and sentenced to three years in prison; Mr. Sirus Dhabihi-
          Muqaddam, Mr. Hidayat Kashifi Najafabadih and Mr. Ata'u'llah Hamid Nasirizadih,
          arrested in October/November 1997, charged with continuing Family Life” meetings
          and sentenced to death; Mrs. Sonia Abmadi and Mr. Manuchehr Ziyai, arrested on 1 May
          1998, charged with holding meetings for youth and sentenced to three years'
          imprisonment. Reports further indicate that limitations have been placed on visits to
          several of those prisoners held in Tehran, including the necessity for wives to present
          proof ofmarriage in order to visit their husbands, which is complicated by the Iranian
          authorities' non-recognition of Baha'i marriages.
          5. Mr. Arman Damishqi and Mr. Kurush Dhabihi, referred to in the Special
          Representative's report to the Commission, were granted amnesty and released on 19
          March 1999. They were reportedly arrested early in 1996 for having refused to renounce
          their faith.
          6. Naser Qadiri, first arrested on 29 July1997 (then released andrearrested for refusing
          to desist from holding Family Life” meetings), has been released a second time after
          serving 21 months in prison.
          15
        
          
          A/54/365
          Annex III
          Correspondence between the Special Representative and the
          Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran during the period
          January-August 1999
          1. On 22 January1999, the Special Representative sent
          a letter once again requesting the urgent attention of the
          Government of Iran to additional reports he had received
          on the deteriorating situation of Mr. Amir-Entezam, a
          deputy prime minister under the transitional Government
          in 1979 and 1980 (see E/CN.4/1 999/32, annex para. 3).
          The Special Representative remains deeply concerned
          about the health of Mr. Am ir-Entezam, about the way he
          is being treated generally in prison and about his
          continuing detention. No response has been received yet
          from the Government to either of the communications on
          this matter.
          2. By letter dated 21 June 1999, the Special
          Representative drew the urgent attention of the Iranian
          authorities to the reported arrest in the Islamic Republic
          of 13 persons, all said to be Iranian Jews suspected of
          spying for Israel. While referring to international norms
          and standards with regard to fair trial, the Special
          Representative noted with concern the lengthy period the
          investigation of this matter had apparently taken and the
          assertion he had received that during this period the
          accused persons had been denied, among other things,
          familyvisits. Referring to the Government's statementNo.
          179 of 14 June 1999 on this matter, the Special
          Representative requested assurances that in receiving the
          fair trial to which the Government has committed itself,
          the accused will be accorded their rights in accordance
          with international hum an rights norms, including the Body
          of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any
          Form of Detention or Imprisonment adoptedbythe General
          Assembly in resolution 43/173 of 9 December 1988. No
          response has been received.
          3. The Special Representative joined the Special
          Rapporteurs on the question of torture, and on the
          promotion and protection ofthe right to freedom of opinion
          and expression, in sending an urgent letter on 12 July1999
          to the Minister for Foreign ALairs concerning the arrest
          and detention of Hechmatollah Tabarzadi and Hossein
          Kachani, both journalists of the weekly publication, the
          Hovizat-U- Khich, which had since reportedly been
          banned. According to the information received, the
          authorities have indicated that the two journalists were
          arrested for publishing information contrary to public
          order and public interest” and issuing an
          anti-establishment communiqu&'. On 6 July 1999, a
          number of students and other persons reportedlyprotesting
          the detention of the above-m entioned individuals at the
          UnitedNations office in Tehran were themselves arrested.
          It was said that all of these individuals have been denied
          access to a lawyer. In view of the incommunicado nature
          of their detention, fears have been expressed that the
          above-mentioned individuals may be at risk of torture and
          other forms of ill-treatment.
          4. In the above-mentioned letter, reference was also
          made to the suspension by the Government of the Salam
          newspaper on the same day that the Majlis passed a new
          law which in principle restricts freedom of the press. The
          Salam night editor, Morad Raisi (Veissi), was reportedly
          detained on 7 July 1999. In the letter, a joint appeal was
          made to the Government to ensure everyone's right to
          freedom of opinion and expression, and that the right to
          physical and mental integrity of the above-named persons
          is protected in accordance with international human rights
          law. No response has been received from the Government.
          5. On 13 July 1999, the Special Representative, in
          conjunction with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion
          and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and
          expression, addressed a letter to the Minister for Foreign
          Affairs concerning the alleged attacks by armed forces and
          members of the vigilante group, Ansarie Hezbollah, against
          student demonstrators denouncing the closure of the daily
          newspaper, Salam. In this regard, concern was expressed
          about the reported deaths of four students, Na'imi,
          Sohrabian, Yavari andZakeri, and the detention of student
          activists Mohamad Masud Salamati, Sayed Javad Emami
          and Parviz Safaria. The Government was requested to
          guarantee the safety and security of the students and to
          ensure that their right to the freedom of opinion and
          expression is protected as set forth in articles 19 of the
          Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the
          International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
          6. In a letter addressed on 30 July 1999 to the Minister
          for Foreign Affairs, the Special Representative referred to
          reportedly official figures, according to which a total of
          1,200 persons have been arrested since the beginning of the
          student dem onstrations, 750 ofwhom are said to have been
          16
        
          
          A/54/365
          released. On the same occasion, the Special Representative
          forwarded the names of a significant number of missing
          personsthathadbeenbroughttohis attention. The Special
          Representative was particularly concerned that so many
          persons, some of whom reportedly had nothing to do with
          the latter days of demonstrations, mayremain in detention
          without recourse to family or lawyers.
          7. The above-mentioned letter also referred to
          communications by the Special Representative dated 18
          September 1998 and 22 January 1999 regarding the
          insuLicient medical attention provided to Mr.
          Amir-Entezam (see para. 1 above). Expressing deep
          concern about the continued detention of Mr.
          Amir-Entezam and his wife, Mrs. Elahe Mizani
          Amir-Entezam, both without apparent cause, the Special
          Representative observed thatnoresponse hadbeen received
          from the Government to his above-mentioned
          communications on this case. Since then, the Special
          Representative has been told that Ms. Elahe Mizani Am ir-
          Entezam has been released.
          8. A letter dated 1 March 1999 from the Permanent
          Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Geneva
          contained the following information in response to the
          Special Representative's letter dated 14 December 1998
          concerning the continued detention of four members ofthe
          Baha'i Community (see E/CN.4/1999/32, annex para.
          7):
          I would like to provide you with the following
          information received from relevant authorities.
          Mr. Ziaollah Mirzapanah was arrested in
          Isfahan on charges of illegally establishing
          organizations and holding illegal gatherings.
          While in detention he complained about his
          illness. He was examined by a physician who
          recognized that the defendant is suffering from
          prostate enlargement and kidney complications.
          The court considering the report of the
          physician and the age of the defendant ordered his
          release on bail till commencement of his trial.
          As for other individuals mentioned in your
          letter, it would be highly appreciated if further
          detailed information, including complete first name,
          surname, ID number, place of arrest, etc. were
          provided in order to enable the authorities to make
          inquiries into the case.”
          9. In response to ajoint communication of4 November
          1998 from the Special Representative and the Chairman
          of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary
          Disappearances concerning the fate and whereabouts of
          Pirooz Faghaei Davani, a political activist (see
          E/CN.4/1999/32, annex para. 6), the Permanent
          Representative forwarded the following information:
          I should inform you that the relevant
          organizations and authorities have not yet found any
          trace ofMr. Pirooz Faghaei Davani. The case is still
          under consideration and any result would be
          communicated to you as soon as possible.”
          10. Further to his response dated 7 October 1998 with
          regard to the death sentences against Sirus
          Zabihi-Muqaddam and Hedayat Kashefi Najafabadi, both
          members of the Baha'i faith (see E/CN.4/1999/32, annex
          /‘ paras. 4 and 5), the Permanent Representative, by a
          letter dated 28 May 1999, informed the Special
          Representative of the following:
          I would like to provide you with the following
          information received from relevant authorities in
          Tehran.
          The Supreme Court, in compliance with due
          process of law reviewed the death sentence for
          Messrs. Zabihi Moghadam and Hedayat Kashifi.
          After the review, the Supreme Court decidedtoreject
          the verdict of capital punishment for the defendants
          and sent their cases to another competent court for
          retrial.”
          11. By letters dated 6, 27 and 29 January, 3, 17 and 24
          February, 11 March, 3 May, 2 and 21 June, and 5, 12, 14,
          19 and 22 July 1999, the Permanent Representative
          providedthe Special Representative with the text of several
          articles on various subjects published in Iranian press and
          international wire services.
          12. By a letter dated 2 February 1999 the Permanent
          Representative forwarded to the Special Representative the
          text of press releases issued by the Permanent Mission of
          Iran in Geneva with regard to Election of local councils
          throughout Iran” and President Khatami's views on the
          upcoming elections of local councils”.
          17
        

Download Attachments:

Exit mobile version