get communicated the request for the holding of a special session to all member states and made the information available to the specialized agencies as well as other intergovernmental organizations and National human rights institutions and to non-governmental organizations with consultative status with ecosock pursuant to the council's rules of procedure the online inscription for the list of speakers was opened on Friday the 18th of November at 4 pm it closed yesterday at 6 pm the speaking time will be 2 minutes and 30 seconds for council members and one minute and 30 seconds for Observer States and other Observers as announced yesterday during the open-ended informative consultation the bureau had agreed on the 15th of November to propose to the council for its approval a set of extraordinary modalities for the 35th special session similar to the modalities that were applied to the council's 51st regular session the modalities were included in the annexed to the minutes of the bureau meeting circulated on 17th of November I would like to reiterate that these modalities if approved by this Council would apply exclusively to this 35th special session and they should not serve as a precedent are there any dedications wishing to take the floor at this time on the proposed extraordinary modalities I see none can I take it that the council agrees that the proposed modalities will be applied during the 35th special session under the current circumstances if I see no objections it is so decided please be reminded that in order to allow for full and accurate interpretation of your statements you should speak at a reasonable pace I would also like to take this opportunity to ask for everyone's support to ensure that this special session is carried out in an efficient and dignified manner I appealed to all delegates to strictly respect the speaking time limits and to adhere to language that is commiserate with the dignity that should be inherent to our discussions I now have the honor to give the floor to Mr Volker Turk High Commissioner for human rights to make a statement welcome sir you have the floor thank you very much president this distinguished delegates at the outset let me Begin by saying that I have a deep admiration for the people of Iran on my numerous official visits to the country in my previous incarnation I have been inspired by the people I met at by the countries Rich cultural and linguist literary heritage Iran's hosting of Afghan refugees was and remains a true expression of international solidarity it pains me to see what is happening in the country the images of children killed of women beaten in the streets of people sentenced to death we have seen waves of protests over the past years calling for justice equality dignity and respect for human rights they have been met with violence and repression the unnecessary and disproportionate use of force must come to an end the old methods and the Fortress mentality of those who wield power simply don't work in fact they only aggravate the situation we are now in a full-fledged human rights crisis the current protests sparked on 16 September following the death in custody of genome maksa amini have expanded throughout the country protests have reportedly taken place in over 150 cities and 140 universities in all 31 provinces of Iran minority regions continue to be disproportionately affected especially in terms of casualties some of their representatives in Parliament have voiced criticism towards the response by the authorities to these protests women young people men from across Society students workers from various sectors athletes and artists are clamoring for change with Incredible courage to bring an end to discriminatory laws and practice against women and girls for the full respect of the rights and freedoms of all the people of Iran for inclusion and equality for a better more just future I urge the government and those in power to listen to acknowledge the deep-seated social economic and political grievances that have been building up to heed people's demands for their rights to be protected and for their voices to be heard to accept the legitimacy of those calling for different visions of society women and girls must be able to feel free and secure in public without fear of violence or harassment to live in safety and be able to participate in public life on equal footing with men young people need to know that they can peacefully Express their opinions without fear of arrest and imprisonment send your president the current situation is untenable since the protests began security forces have reportedly responded by using lethal Force against unarmed demonstrators and bystanders who posed no threat to life in blatant disregard of international rules on the use of force the security forces notably the Islamic revolutionary guard Corps and passage forces have used live ammunition birdshot and other mental pallets dear guests and patents according to reliable sources a conservative estimate of the death toll so far stands at over 300 including at least 40 children this is unacceptable we received reports that injured protesters fear going to hospital for risk of being arrested by the security forces medical professionals have publicly denounced interference by security forces in the treatment of injured persons from what we could gather around 14 000 people including children have so far been arrested in the context of these protests this is a staggering number I'm alarmed by reports that even children suspected of having participated in protests are being arrested at school hundreds of University students have been summoned for questioning threatened or suspended and bought from entering University campuses Civil Society actors have been targeted and arrested from their homes and workplaces among them human rights Defenders journalists and lawyers arrested protesters continue to be denied access to a lawyer many face National Security charges with lengthy prison sentences there are troubling reports of physical and psychological torture and ill treatment of protesters in detention to extract forced confessions with some of them broadcast on state media families of victims are harassed and targeted according to official sources at least 21 people arrested in the context of these protests currently face the death penalty of which at least six have been sentenced to death on charges of mukharabe foreign inconsistent with International standards we have seen statements that seek to delegitimize and label protesters Civil Society actors and journalists as agents of enemies and foreign States that's a convenient narrative as we have seen throughout history it's the typical Narrative of tyranny to distract from the root causes of grievances the people of Iran from all walks of life across ethnicities across ages are demanding change these protests are rooted in long-standing denials of freedoms in legal and structural inequalities in lack of access to information in Internet shutdowns for decades women and girls have been held back by perverse pervasive discrimination in law and practice and in the absence of any effective channels to raise their concerns fears and frustrations have multiplied people have become disillusioned in the absence of prospects for any real reforms so they have taken to the streets Mr President my office has received multiple Communications from the government on the events including domestic investigations into Mrs amini's death we remain concerned that the investigations have failed to meet International standards of impartiality Independence and transparency persistent impunity for human rights violations remains one of the major challenges in Iran further fueling discontent and distrust political and security considerations have weakened the independence and impartiality of Institutions that are vital to ensuring accountability yet accountability is a key ingredient of the pursuit of justice for human rights violations I therefore call for independent impartial and transparent investigative processes into alleged violations of human rights that are consistent with International standards I'm also deeply concerned by the alarming increase in the number of executions since 2021 particularly for drug-related charges as of this as of September 22 the overall number of executions had reportedly passed 400 for the year for the first time in five years this is a substantial increase from at least 330 and 276 executions in 21 and 22 respectively and at least eight five eighty five individuals who were children at the time of committing the alleged offense are currently on death row the two were executed this year Mr President the Islamic Republic of Iran has accepted recommendations made through this council's Universal periodic review on guaranteeing the right to a fair trial access to Justice ensuring freedom from torture and detention and ensuring the rights of detainees including to medical treatment I urge the government to implement these key recommendations as a matter of urgency I call on the authorities immediately to stop using violence and harassment against peaceful protesters and to release all those arrested for peacefully protesting as well as crucially to impose a moratorium on the death penalty societies are constantly evolving and changing no Society can be calcified or fossilized as it may stand at a signal at a single point in time to attempt to do so against the will of its people is futile I urge those holding power in Iran fully to respect the fundamental freedoms of expression Association and assembly which are integral to sustainable development and to engage with the people of Iran about their vision for the future of their country change is inevitable The Way Forward is Meaningful reforms thank you thank you very much hi commissioner I thank you for your S I know the floor special reporter on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran also on behalf of the Coordination Committee of the special procedures so you have the floor hello Mr President distinguished delegates representatives of Civil Society it is my honor to be with you today and to deliver a statement on behalf of the Coordination Committee of the special procedures and my own mandate on 26 October given the gravity of Human Rights situation in Iran 10 special procedures mandates call for a special session to be convened I would like first and foremost to thank States members of the Human Rights Council who enabled this historical moment for the people of Iran Mr President on 16 September 2022 for a few locks of her hair reportedly appearing under her hijab Gina Masa amini occurred his 22 year old woman died in the custody of the so-called morality police this tragic event was not an isolated one but the latest in a long series of extreme violence committed by Iranian authorities against women it happened only a month after president raisy signed a decree ordering further repressive Mayers for improper hijab Gina massa's death spark Nationwide outrage and moved the world's conscience following the path of Brave women human rights Defenders such as nasrin sitode and nagis muhammadi women and girls took to the streets demanding accountability for the death of jeena Masa and seeking an end to Decades of systemic and systematic gender discriminatory laws policies and practices which have sought to erase them from the Public's Affair and control every aspect of their private lives in an unprecedented movement fathers sons and brothers joined women and girls under the banner under one Banner of one slogan Zan Zindagi Azadi women life freedom overcoming Fair Iranian people United across class Geographic and ethnic lines to demand a life in peace and dignity in a country respectful of rule of law human rights and fundamental freedoms a country where their lives matter where chanting dancing showing hair do not lead to flogging jail or death Mr President since the first days of the protests and in line with long-standing violent practices top state officials have instructed Security Forces to violently repress people at any cost to human life at no point did the Iranian authorities show any genuine willingness to engage in any discussion with demonstrators anyone taking part in the protests was quickly labeled as enemy to confront as terrorists or as foreign agent attempting to destabilize Iran both the head of the Judiciary and the president emphasize the need to act without leniency against protesters Mr President the figures just provided by the High Commissioner for human rights at least 300 reported deaths including at least 40 children and 20 women and girls speak for themselves and provide evidence of how these deadly instructions were literally followed especially in sistan and Balochistan and in Kurdish areas as always oppressed religious and ethnic minorities have been paying the heaviest price in the past seven days alone Crackdown on protests has intensified with at least 60 to 70 percent skilled including five children most of them from Kurdish areas the situation in the Kurdish cities of piran Sahar Jawan Ruth and mahabad is alarming even Children and Youth have not been spared last week three boys three young boys were shot dead during a demonstration in the city of Isaac a 10 year old boy who had imagined a god of rainbows a colorful future for the children of Iran was one of them at least four girls aged 16 and 17 were beaten to death security and plain clothes forces raided universities and student Gatherings and unlawfully fired tear gas metal pallets and live ammunition at students with over 15 000 persons arrested since the protest started prisons are now busting with all those who had dreamed off and worked for a better future for Iran since 13th November at least six persons have been sentenced to death and at least 21 including one woman have been indicted on vague and broadly formulated criminal offenses carrying the death penalty through grossly unfair summary trials conducted Behind Closed Doors by the Islamic revolutionary courts these courts which are issuing most of the death sentences have been used for decades to sentence political activists journalists lawyers and human rights Defenders on the basis of forced confessions extracted Through Torture and other forms of ill treatment on 11th November 20 on 11th November 2022 227 parliamentarians in in blatant violation of the separation of powers called on the Judiciary to act decisively and pronounce severe punishment including sentences carrying the death penalty as special procedures we urge their Indian authorities to stop using the death penalty as a tool to squash protests reiterating a call to immediately release all peaceful protesters Mr President those who defend human rights and fundamental freedoms endanger their lives and safety inside but also outside Iran reporting human rights violations lead to smear campaigns threats violence surveillance arbitrary arrests detentions torture and ill treatment in detention including sexual abuse over the past two months we have received numerous testimonies of victims relatives providing detailed harrowing accounts of how officials refuse to return the bodies of their loved ones until they committed in writing not to hold a funeral and how they were cruelly forced to bury them in remote burial sites often during the night and in the presence of intelligence agents on 17th of October the committee on the rights of the child publicly expressed concern over family is being pressured to absolve Security Forces by declaring that their children had died as a result of suicide and making false confessions parents were threatened that their other children would be killed or harmed if they did not make such false public statements on state TV intimidation expands Beyond Iranian borders staff of major media Outlets have been receiving death threats while their family members in Iran remain subjected to interrogation's arbitrary arrests detentions and travel bans Mr President let me now turn to the structural impunity that prevails in Iran for serious human rights violations which marriage a forceful response from the International Community on 22nd September together with seven special procedures mandate holders I denounced the deadly Crackdown on on protests and urge there are any authorities to undertake an impartial and prompt investigation into Miss amini's death to make the findings of the investigation public and to hold all perpetrators accountable however the Iranian government has consistently presented unsubstantiated reports and reiterated assertions claiming that Gina Masa did not die as a result of any violence or beatings in other reports the government refutes the killings of children by Security Forces claiming that they committed suicide fell from a height were poisoned or killed by Anonymous enemy agents not only do these so-called investigations fail to meet the basic standards of impartiality Independence and transparency enshrined in international law but they constitute further evidence of the fabrication of untruthful scenarios aimed at covering up crimes and ensuring the impunity of perpetrators they are also an afferent to families right to truth and Justice Mr President in my March 2022 report to this Council I concluded that there is a there is a complete absence of accountability for crimes under international law and other serious human rights violations in Iran with no prospect that it could be achieved at the domestic level with the legislature and the executive blocking and negating all avenues of accountability the Judiciary acts as a repressive organ instead of an independent body from which victims can seek recourse person Seeking Justice are systematically subjected to intimidation imprisonment and other forms of reprisals emblematic examples include the secret summary and arbitrary executions of thousands of political dissidents in 1988 the unlawful lethal use of force in Nationwide protests in 2009-2017 and 2019 and Downing of the Ukrainian Airlines flight ps752 in 2020. none of these events have ever been the subject of any independent investigation let alone prosecution and punishments structural impunity has fueled widespread patterns of unlawful killings and forced disappearances torture and other serious human rights violations in Iran it is in this context that I would like to reiterate the call issued by special procedures mandate holders on the Human Rights Council to to fulfill its Duty hear the prolonged cries of victims for accountability and to establish an international independent investigative mechanism in the events leading up to and since the death of Gina Masa amini I thank you Mr President yes concerned and I give the floor to the deputy of the vice president for women and family Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ms kedi J Karimi you have five minutes madam Mr President the Islamic Republic of Iran deeply regrets that the Human Rights Council is abused once again by some arrogant States the antagonize is Sovereign U.N member State that's fully committed to its obligation to promote and protect the human rights reducing the common cause of human rights to a tool for political purposes of a specific groups of Western countries is appalling and disgraceful the politically motivated move of Germany to distort the situation of human rights in Iran is an orchestrated Ploy for ulterior motives which would lead Nova but to drive the Human Rights Council from its genuine mandate while the rights of Iranian people writer writes of Iranian people have widely been violated by the so-called champions of Human Rights due to the imposition of unilateral sanctions by the U.S regime and the implementation of these cruel sanctions by the European countries specifically Germany the UK and France as well as by the provision of support too and hosting of terrorist groups who assassinated more than 17 000 innocent Iranians expressing concern about the situation of human rights in Iran and holding a special session as deceptive and fraudulent against such a background the above mentioned countries like the moral credibility to preach others on human rights and to request a special session on Iran Mr President this year is the 35th anniversary of the tragic chemical attacks by saddam's regime and Kurdish city of Sir Dash in Iran I should remind that the German government which pretends to be supporting human rights these days is a very country that equips the Dom's regime with chemical weapons they were killing over 13 000 Iranian citizens and enduring more than one hundred thousand including women and children this constitutes crime against humanity doesn't it Mr President after the unfortunate disease of Miss Masa amini necessary measures were undertaken including prompt formation of an independent parliamentary investigation commission as well as the forensic medical team however before the formal announcement of the probe analysis the biased and Hasty reaction are the number of Western authorities and their interventions in Eternal Affairs everyone turned the peaceful assemblies into riots and violence setting the ground for terrorist attacks and several cities such as srivas is a zahidan Isfahan and mashhad a number of government-affiliated anti-urban TV stations based in the UK and the US and the relevant accounts in social media acted as provocators of hatred and citing violence and terrorism during the riots the role of Twitter Instagram and WhatsApp including through creating bogus accounts is undeniable specifically in spreading this information and provoking hate speech and violence even through their tutorials on making molative cocktails and other explosive during the recent weeks foreign interventions violence terrorist activities as well as media provocations resulted in the deaths of more than tens of Law Enforcement Officers injury of thousands of them and destruction of thousands of public and private properties despite all the foreign interventions and attempts to destabilize the country the great nation of Iran once again disappointed their enemies this was marked by the march of millions of people in support of the government on the 4th of November 2022 Mr President I shall remind this body that those who claim the championship of Human Rights Target their lives of Iranian women and children through imposing or implementing inhumane unilateral sanctions and supporting terroristic activities against them as reflected in the report of special reporters of sanctions the systematic violence against women and girls in their own countries refusing to accept the women refugees in their countries as well as keeping silent in women's situation in Yemen an occupied Palestine assassination of Palestinian journalists and unmarked Graves of indigenous children in Canada are just a few examples which discredit their alleged claims for human rights and the situation of women in my country it should be noted that according to Credible statistics and reports the Islamic Republic of Iran has achieved greatly in empowering women and girls as well as in protecting and promoting their roles and rights in Social and public life in the past for decades particularly in the field of Education Health industry economy Sports and politics where equal opportunities for women have been provided in all areas of personal and public life a glimpse at fear of statistical reports reveal that the Iranian women make up 56 percent of the students of public Iranian universities around 34 percent The Faculty members of public universities are women and 40 percent of specialist Physicians are women today 1121 female judges and 2 300 female media managers 96 9998 Sports refreeze 934 589 professional athletes and 150 000 384 women as coaches are actively serving their country it is evident that such highly achieved women are qualified enough to decide on their own without the need for the inference of external forces I thank you Mr President thank you for your presentation um turn to the list of speakers [Music] and of one minute and 30 seconds for Observer States and other Observers the list of speakers will close in 15 minutes starting with the list of speakers for member states of the council I give the floor to Her Excellency and Elena bear book Minister for foreign affairs of Germany Mr President colleagues Gina was 22 years old when she was killed for not wearing her headscarf properly I looked her cell was 17 when he skipped school to take part in protests in Iran and was killed minui was 62. at her gravesite her daughter stood with her head shaved and bare these are three of an estimated more than 300 who have been killed because they stood up for their right to determine their own life including at least 40 children way more than fifteen thousand have been arrested and the Iranian regime is now threatening protesters with the death penalty and why only because these women men and children want to enjoy the rights we all want to enjoy to live in dignity and without discrimination that is why prior to today we have spoken to everyone in this room of you representing your states to hear your views and your voices some have told us that we should not single out one country I hear you the United Nations were founded to protect the sovereignty of every state but the regime that uses this power to violate the rights of its own people is violating the values of our United Nations the High Commissioner and the special repertoire has just made this very clear what these rights are is not upon anyone's interpretation these rights are stated here in black and white in the international Covent on civil and political rights to which Iran is a state party I quote Article 19 the right to hold opinions without interference I quote article 21 the right of peaceful assembly I quote Article 2 the respect of all people's rights without distinction of any kind such as gender or political opinion on many occasions we have called upon Iran to respect these rights to stop the violent Crackdown on protesters the Bloodshed the arbitrary killing the mass arrests the death penalties the only answer we received was more violence more death along with Ryan's continuing refusal to give the United Nations special repertoire access to the country as we have just heard that is wise we are now proposing that an independent and impartial U.N mechanism to be established to investigate these human rights violations so that those responsible can behold accountable because impunity prevents Justice Justice for sisters Justice for sons Justice from others they have names Gina Adu fazel menu today is about them today is also test of our courage here in the United Nations about our courage to speak out we each represent our state but we also represent millions of men women and children so I call on you be the voice of these of our people of the United Nations essay Singh in Iran for Dancing in the Street for women life freedom for our human rights gracias thank you very much I will now give the floor to his Excellency Jean asilborn Minister for foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg this will be a video statement president Luxembourg is profoundly concerned by the brutal crackdowns on Peaceful demonstrations which had followed the murder of Masa amini by the morality police in Iran we firmly condemned the disproportionate use of force which so often has been lethal user Force by the Iranian authorities against peaceful demonstrators in particular against women and girls children for more than two months now women's and girls who are human rights Defenders have been particularly targeted thus nilufa hamidi and Allah muhammadi are today potentially facing life imprisonment for having publicly spoken of the fate of Masa amini we call for the release unconditionally we also called on Iranian authorities to stop all of Butchery arrests and attentions and indictments of peaceful demonstrators are journalists and human rights Defenders credible reports accuse the Iranian security forces of using sexual violence as a weapon against demonstrators the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran are faced with a historic choice the claims of the demonstrators and international law are clear the authorities must respect and protect fully the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all in line with their obligations under the international Covenant on civil and political rights women life Freedom that is a call to the demonstrators they are calling purely simply for the the quality for equality and human rights of women and girls but the authorities are choosing once again repression faced with this intransigence the council must show that it has heard the calls for dignity and freedom of young people in Iran Luxembourg fully supports the establishment of a fact-finding mission this is indispensable to make sure that those responsible for human rights violations be identified and held accountable we call for all members of the council to vote in favor of the resolution table to thank you thank you and I give the floor to six sincere Minister for foreign affairs of the Netherlands excellencies over the last two months Brave Iranians have stood up for their rights for the rights of women and girls for the right to express themselves and for the right to live their lives in Freedom these brave people should be heard not beaten and like anyone who stands up for basic freedoms I am like all of you deeply concerned about the situation in Iran after the killing of mashamini we called for a transparent and impartial investigation into this case and the violence that followed we deeply regret that more than two months later no significant steps in this direction have been taken and while we have not seen an impartial report on the death of Marsha amini we have seen incredible reports of the arbitrary Detention of thousands of innocent protesters as well as lawyers journalists and human rights Defenders the Netherlands condemns in the strongest possible terms the deaths of hundreds of innocent civilians including miners at the hands of the security forces during these protests just as we condemned the arbitrary arrest of many more furthermore we're greatly concerned about the imposition of the death penalty on protesters my country opposes the death penalty on principle we oppose it at all times and under all circumstances in my country's message today is threefold we call on Iran to launch an impartial and transparent investigation into the death of Masha amini and the violence that followed we call on Iran to ensure Fair trials and release all arbitrary prisoners immediately and we call on Iran to end and stop imposing the death penalty on protesters we make this call with great conviction because the brave people of Iran are standing up for their rights their freedom and their dignity we add our voice to theirs thank you thank you thank you I Excellency man Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Mr President Lithuania fully aligns itself with the EU statement in my national capacity allow me to emphasize that the International Community cannot stand aside and must react properly to the grave and systematic human rights violations in the Islamic Republic of Iran especially against women and children therefore Lithuania welcomes the convening of this session and joins the call for collection of evidence and accountability which is critical to preventing further violations use of the death penalty and disproportionate use of forced by the authorities of Iran against peaceful protesters is unacceptable and we strongly condemn such actions furthermore we deploy the involvement of Iran in Russia's brutal and provoked an unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine by supplying weapons to the aggressive state we call on the Iranian authorities to respect International obligations of Iran and refrain from violence and aggression both at home and abroad we strongly encourage Iran to strictly abide by the principles enshrined the international Covenant on civil and political rights to which Iran is a party the Iranian people are entitled to exercise the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and Association freedom of opinion and expression and other fundamental freedoms without fear of reprisals by their own government journalists and other media workers should be able to report freely without threats harassments and assaults against them Lithuania together with the International Community will continue to stand in solidarity with the Iranian people in their demand to be able to exercise the rights and fundamental freedoms both online and offline in order to assist Iran in meetings International obligations and to end impunity for the reported human rights violations Latina supports the establishment of an independent International fact-finding Mission by the Human Rights Council thank you thank you thank you I give the floor to check here on behalf of the EU Mr President I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union the welcomes the convening of the special session to address the determining human rights situation in Iran the death in custody of mashamine must be duly investigated and those responsible must be held accountable we have seen Brave Iranians take to the streets to exercise the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly women and girls have emerged as a major driver of a nationwide movement to abroad human rights of all Iranians the widespread and disproportionate use of force by the security forces against non-violent protesters incarceration of children and preventative detentions of soil Society activists is unjustifiable and accept unacceptable people in Iran have the right to a peaceful protest the decision to severely restrict internet access is a clear violation of freedom of expression and Association we are receiving alarming reports concerning the number of people killed or seriously injured during the protests including women and children perpetrators of violence including sexual and gender-based violence must be held accountable we are appalled by the imposition of the death penalty against protesters the European Union strongly opposes the death penalty at all times and in all circumstances do you also recalls that the prohibition of torture is absolute the urges Iran to strictly abide by the principles enshrined in the iccpr to which Iran is a party Iran must stop the violent Crackdown on protests and ensure access to information including unrestricted internet access Iran must also clarify the number of deaths and arrests release non-violent protesters provide due process to all detainees cases seize all executions including those of juvenile offenders and start pursuing a consistent policy towards the abolition of capital punishment we also call on Iran to engage with the Iranian people in a meaningful and inclusive Dialogue on improving human rights including gender equality and to engage relevant U.N mechanisms they will continue to react firmly against violation of human rights in Iran as stands ready to engage with Iranian authorities to promote and protect human rights I thank you thank you thank you Finland please on behalf of a group of countries didn't I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Nordic and Baltic countries we welcome the convening of this special session during the past two months we have witnessed so many Brave Iranians including women and girls demanding their rights these peaceful protests have faced increasing repression and Crackdown by the authorities we are alarmed by the death of over 300 persons among them more than 40s children we strongly condemn the use of force against peaceful protesters we share the concern of the oh CHR and the U.N special reporters and urge Iran to immediately release the thousands of persons arrested for exercising their right to peaceful protest and to stop in indicting individuals for doing so the threat of applying capital punishment in relation to these demonstrations is alarming we strongly oppose the use of death penalty at all times and all circumstances Mr President many Iranians have chosen to to defend their the rights of women and girls in the country after the death of Martha amini in police custody Iran must end the persistent discrimination against women and girls this Council has a duty to hold Iran accountable for violations of human rights we need a mechanism to investigate these ongoing violations therefore we strongly support the establishment of the fact-funding mission to complement the Mandate of the Special Report we support the resolution presented today and encourage all other member states to do so we expect Iran to fully cooperate with the council's mechanisms including by granting the special repertoire full and unhindered access to the country finally we firmly support Iranians courageously demanding the respect for human rights people of Iran deserve Hope For Justice I thank you thank you France this simple and Powerful motto is the motto that Iranian men and women have for more than two months now been recalling the values that they defend equality between men and women dignity for all human beings fundamental freedoms for this is about values about Universal values our values those of the United Nations in the face of these legitimate aspirations we see repression repression is not new but the atrocities committed over the last few months shed a very harsh light on the unacceptable practices of the Iranian regime France firmly condemns these unjustifiable practices the EU has taken sanctions and we did so swiftly and with unanimity against the main perpetrators it is now up to this Council to take action so that Iran who sovereignly committed to respecting the iccpr for Iran to be held to account in establishing a fact-finding mission the council will enable the International Community to have independent impartial public and transparent information about the violations committed by the regime this would be a step forwards in the fight against impunity a significant step for the defense of our Universal values I call on all states to support without any reservations the establishment of this fact-finding mission president France once again commends the courage and determination of the demonstrators in Iran and we pay tribute to the memory of all those including children who were victims of this repression thank you I'll see thank you closed to Japan believes that Universal values such as human rights Freedom democracy and the little laws should be respected in every country based on this belief we supported the holding of this special session Japan is seriously concerned about the deterioration of the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran in particular the Crackdown on the protests triggered by the death of Miss Martha amini we call upon the Islamic Republic of billion to listen sincerely to the views of the Iranian people take concrete steps towards improving the human rights situation and bring the situation and the control in a peaceful manner Japan emails open to the dialogue with the Iran to Father exchange abuse on the efforts to improve its human rights situation including through a bio bilateral human right dialogues gracias thank you Ambassador I give the floor to Venezuela thank you Venezuela once again would like to express its deep concern uh in the face of the growing selectivity and double standards that have become the Hallmark of the convening of these special sessions of the council against countries of the global South this opens the way for instrumentalization of the noble cause of Human Rights for the sake of other types of interests in particular political ones as we have said on multiple occasions already we of course condemn the constant meddling which these activities involve activities that are like a court for judging the political and social systems of countries that do not enjoy Western sympathy this special session against Iran makes no sense especially in light of the comprehensive information provided by the country through more than 20 reports on the events that have taken place since the the deplorable death of Ms Masha amini events which have been marked by a full-blown campaign of fake news in international media which fuel this information and which has been driven by hegemonic states to destabilize the Iranian government Iran along with its people has for decades Been Under Siege from these countries who impose cruel unilateral coercive measures that undermine the most fundamental rights of Iranian people and which amount to crimes against humanity and yet there is a sort of omerta on that in this Council despite that the country has continued to cooperate with this Council its mechanisms and the office of the High Commissioner it maintains fruitful interaction with these bodies based on mutual respect and constructive efforts colleagues we redirect as we always do on the basis of principles the attempts to impose a new monitoring mechanism against Iran without Iran's consent and which once again is an example of our council's failure to find spaces for dialogue and cooperation instead of imposing measures my country is firmly committed to human rights in particular of women and girls and to the Supreme values of Peace friendship and solidarity between the nations of the world therefore we will continue to reject the unilateralism that these initiatives represent to unilateralism which challenges international law and multinationalism and the investor principles of respect for sovereignty non-interference in intern Affairs of states and the right to self-determination of peoples which enshrined in the U.N Charter thank you I give the flow to Mexico Ambassador gracias thank you president Mexico would like to express its concern in the face of the serious iteration of human rights in Iran the deplorable death of amini who died in police custody after having been arrested because of violating Jihad rules hijab rules undermines the it was a reflection of the structural discrimination faced by women and girls in the country our country condemns any form of violence including violence that is based on gender and there can be no thing that justifies such acts of repression it is essential to ensure the full exercise of the right to bodily Integrity as well as the freedom of belief and expression we also would like to express our deep concern in light of the use of force against peaceful demonstrators which led to the death of at least 304 individuals including at least 41 children and we reject the recent death sentences that have been handed down we urge the government of Iran to take urgent steps to ensure the safety and security of the civilian population with a particular emphasis on the protection of girls boys and young persons as well as ensuring access to Justice and reparation for all victims including guarantees of non-repetition it is essential that the Iranian government put an end to violations and should ensure the due process and to not use death sentences as a form of intimidation it is important to protect Civic space and to protect the work of Human Rights Defenders and journalists and to not criminalize peaceful demonstrators it is also essential to lift restrictions on media and internet communications we call on the government of Iran to respect international human rights law and to strengthen measures to protect freedom of expression freedom of assembly and peaceful protest the equal participation of all people in political and public life including women and girls is essential to ensure peace and sustainable development of Iran we trust that the Iranian government will establish a constructive dialogue with the International Community and the office of the high Commission in order to overcome all these challenges thank you very much president thank you to the United Kingdom yes senior Presidente and thank you High Commissioner and special rapporteur for your powerful statements uh this morning Mr President Serena Ismael 16 years old in garage 62 year old mother of two in Western command shot 16 year old Nika shakarami last heard from by a friend while being chased down the street during a protest in Tehran identified by her parents in a morgue nine days later Kia a 23 year old hairdresser recently engaged walking home from a dentist appointment in our shark Hadith najafi a 22 year old video blogger Martha moguyi 18 years old in central Philadelphia 33 years old shot in the head while filming protests in her hometown her last words caught on film were do not be afraid Mr President High Commissioner colleagues we are all too familiar with the tragic story of Masa Gina amini however these names are just some of the other women and girls who have lost their lives at the hands of the Iranian Security Forces since Masha died we don't have the time today to pay tribute to them all by name but let me send a clear message to their families their friends that their deaths will not be forgotten let us remember the more than 350 people killed the countless children that have lost their lives the thousands of people currently detained the people sentenced to death all for simply exercising their rights to freedom of expression and assembly sadly this is not a one-off let's also remember the hundreds who died in the violent crackdowns on protests in 2019 and the thousands were killed and detained over so many years in contravention of their human rights today let's send a clear message that Iran must stop suppressing the voices of women and girls the appalling state-led violence must end that moments to be Justice for victims and that this Council stands firmly behind the girls women mothers and daughters of Iran supporting their calls for women life Freedom Zan zandigi Azadi thank you thank you thank you thank you to the delegation Brazil Mr President Brazil shares the concerns of the International Community about the recent deterioration of the human rights situation in Iran following the death of Maza amini the violent repression of peaceful protesters is not compatible with international human rights standards Brazil considers the Human Rights Council as the appropriate Forum to follow upon this situation we would have preferred to rely on the one of the current special procedures at the disposal of the council rather than to create a new mechanism it should be recalled that the Mandate of the U.N special repertoire on Iran Mr javaid Raymond was recently renewed we encourage Iran to move forward in advancing the rights of women and growth including by enacting legislation to protect women against violence in alignment with international human rights law Brazil believes that it's crucial to the escalate the violence and to undertake efforts in favor of the investigation and accountability of all those involved in the violations we urge the council to support initiatives to maintain and expand spaces for institutional dialogue with the concerned country where elements that underlie the present crisis could be dealt with thus contributing to containing the situation and laying the basis for a durable solution Brazil has decided to abstain on the current draft resolution we urge the Iranian authorities to fully investigate the case of Maz amini and to bring those responsible to justice as well as to act with utmost restraint in the context of the protests we further encourage Iran to continue to enhance its engagement with the international human rights mechanisms in a spirit of cooperation openness and constructive dialogue thank you gracias thank you I give the floor to the Republic of Korea thank you Mr President since the death of Moksha amini in September the Republic of Korea has been closely monitoring the unfolding situation in Iran with a concern my delegation is especially concerned about the reports of ongoing violence and excessive use of force against the peaceful protesters in the past two months an alarming number of protesters have been reportedly killed with thousands arrests arrested we are also alarmed by reports on the issuance of death sentences connected to the recent protests in light of this we hope that the Iranian authorities will reprint from using Force against the peaceful protesters and release all those who are arbitrarily detained furthermore it is our belief that all alleged human rights violations in connection with the recent protests must be thoroughly investigated Mr President women and girls as equal members of society are entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of fundamental human rights without any discrimination in this regard it is important that Iranian authorities take heed of the Grievances of its people and address the underlying causes through an inclusive dialogue in this process women's participation must be prioritized and human rights and fundamental freedoms must be protected and respected I thank you thank you Mr President in response to the deaths of mashamine and the violent suppression of protests in Iran over the past two months which has resulted in more than 300 victims we have joined than 40 other countries we note the information provided by Iran and the ongoing National efforts aimed at ensuring investigation and accountability at the same time we continue to receive deeply worrying reports from Civil Society special procedures as well from the Ohr of gross violations of human rights especially of women and girls this session is an urgent plea for Iran to end the violence and engage in a meaningful Dialogue on human rights in cooperation with DN mechanisms in order to achieve accountability for victims in the country we continue to witness violent Security Forces rates not only in the streets but also in universities and hospitals protesters in ethnic minority areas are treated particularly brutally even children are among the victims in recent days we have also seen dozens of tests sentenced sentences imposed on protesters which is alarming Iran must immediately stop the widespread and disproportionate use of force against non-violent protesters as well as the arbitrary Earths and ensure due process for all detainees all the acts must be properly investigated and the perpetristers held accountable therefore we support the establishment of a of an independent International investigative Mission as proposed in the presented draft resolution finally let me recall a well-known position we are against the death penalty in all circumstances and without exceptions we therefore call on Iranian government to abolish the death penalty and impose an immediate moratorium on its use I thank you Mr President thank you thank you president Paraguay is following with great concern Theory the deterioration of the human rights situation and especially of women and children in Iran the civilian population is once again the worst affected and that is true particularly of the most vulnerable people women and children Paraguay deeply regrets the admits on fundamental freedoms as well as the repression and the disproportionate use of force during protests in these special reporters latest report there are reports of such violations as well as reports of an alarming number of wounded and dead as well as arrests in forced disappearances arbitrary detentions and executions similarly reports about the decision of the Iranian Parliament to seek the application of the death penalty for demonstrators is to our mind a serious setback in terms of fundamental rights the death penalty should be abolished in all legal systems this serious context has driven paragwise delegation to support the convening of this special session on the understanding that the Human Rights Council is the appropriate forum for tackling the alleged reports Paraguay supports the holding of these debates regardless of its vote with a view to hearing all states all stakeholders we call on the Iranian authorities to postpone the application the death penalty this is an extreme measure that does not chime with the progress achieved by Humanity moreover we call for all persons who have been arbitrarily detained simply for exercising their right to the freedom of expression and opinion to be released we urge the Iranian authorities to honor their International commitments and to guarantee Swift transparent objective and impartial investigations in accordance with International standards finally Paraguay believes that the mechanisms established by the universal human rights system have all necessary tools to achieve the goals which underpin the creation of this Council thank you thank you I give the floor to Argentina thank you very much president Argentina supported the convening of this special session for discussing the deterioration of the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran and especially with regard to women girls and boys we are aware of the importance of helping to ensure that this Council has the necessary elements to cooperate with and assist the country concerned in fulfilling its international human rights obligations through International mechanisms in this field like the High Commissioner and several special procedures and the UN agencies we are concerned by the current human rights situation in Iran in the context of the protests that have taken place since the death of Gina Masa amini in September we are particularly alarmed by the situation of women girls and boys human rights Defenders Civil Society activists lawyers journalists students teachers and relatives of demonstrators we urge the Iran government to promote protect and respect human rights and to take all necessary measures to prevent extrajudicial killings enforce disappearances sexual and gender-based violence arbitrary arrests and attentions torture and other cruel inhumane or degrading treatments including against peaceful demonstrators we also urge the country to put an end both in law and in practice and both in public and private life to all forms of discrimination against women and girls and to respect their fundamental human rights including the right to opinion and expression and to Peaceful assembly and Association we would like to appeal for there to be prompt impartial independent objective investigations in accordance with International standards into aggregations of human rights violations so as to hold perpetrators to account and to ensure appropriate reparation for victims also as the office of the High Commissioner recently called for we would like to call on the Iranian authorities to impose a moratorium on the death penalty immediately and to abstain from imposing the death penalty on people for participating in peaceful processes and to repeal the death sentences that have already been handed down finally we would like to urge the Iranian government to cooperate with the special reporter on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran by allowing him amongst other things to visit the country in accordance with his mandate and to fully cooperate with the Thematic special procedures of the human rights councils and with the UN treaty bodies thank you very much thank you I give the floor to Montenegro thank you Mr President Montenegro Val comes convening of this session the killing of 22 year old Martha mini has become a symbol of courage and resistance to the systemic repression of the Iranian authorities it's Brave Iranian woman and man continue to demonstrate these days taken to the streets to exercise their right to assemble and protest and calling on the authorities to uphold the rights of all Iranian citizens we profoundly deplore the widespread and disproportionate use of force by Security Forces against non-violent protesters resulting in an increased number of people killed or injured many of them young than women the notable increase in the number of execution in Iran as well as the recent use of the death penalty against protesters are also of great concern the echo the course on reunion authorities to cease all executions including those of juvenile offenders release all non-violent protesters provide you process to all the Chinese and abolish the death penalty those responsible for the death of Maxim and others must be held accountable as well as the perpetrators of violence and great violations of human rights the standard solidarity with Iranians in their calls on the authorities to respect and protect the rights of women and children and human rights in general including the right to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression these rights including access to Internet and social media platforms must be insured we also continue to join our voice to those across the U.N system and beyond calling on the Iranian authorities to strictly abide by the state's obligation under the international human rights law to serve Justice and prevent the recurrence of great human rights violations the key is to ensure accountability Montenegro therefore supports the establishment of an independent International effect finding mission to investigate document and preserve evidence of the large human rights violation stemming from the protest starting on 16 September 2022 including the gender dimension of such violations thus we will vote in favor of the table's resolution and call upon all members of the council to do the same I thank you thank you Mr President China has listened carefully to these statements if all countries including that of Iran we always Advocate that we should impartially and objectively look at all countries efforts to promote and protect the human rights and respect each country's own choice of Human Rights development path in recent years the Human Rights Council has seen an increasing level of politicization and confrontation and numerous country-specific resolutions which has triggered more and more concerns how the council fulfills its Duty in line with its mandate is a question that marries a serious consideration as many other countries China believes that dialogue and cooperation is the right approach to promote and protect human rights the council's work should observe the principles of universality impartiality objectivity non-politicization and non-selectivity we should carry out constructive dialogue and cooperation to appropriately settle disputes should avoid turning human rights into a tool to intervene to other countries Internal Affairs and should avoid double standards we've noticed the efforts taken by Iran to address its issue as well as the information it has provided and we have the confidence that the government will be able to well address the issue we don't support convening the special session today I also would like to point out that the ucms the ucms have caused severe harm to the human rights of people in Iran and the other developing countries which also was the attention of the International Community thank you Mr President thank you thank you Mr President we thank the High Commissioner and special rapporteur for their evidence-based accounts of the deteriorating human rights situation in in Iran which is a matter of deep concern we are alarmed by the high level of violence against civilians particularly women Children and Youth demanding the end of systemic discriminatory laws policies and practices across the country reports on the deaths of over 300 protesters including children caused by the state-sponsored violence are shocking Ukraine strongly condemns acts of violence deployed against the demonstrators by the security forces and calls for establishing accountability for perpetrators Mass indictment indictments on charges of death sentences for participation or alleged participation in peaceful demonstrations are egregious Ukraine is particularly concerned about the fate of women right Defenders jailed for their actions to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms through peaceful means we urge the Iranian authorities to immediately release from detention all protesters who have been arbitrarily deprived of their Liberty as a symptom of its authoritative nature the Iranian regime not only increases oppression internally it also undermines International rule-based order by providing weapons to feed Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine the weapons that are mercilessly killing Ukrainian civilians and destroying our civilian infrastructure in violation of international humanitarian and human rights law any state that employs such practices at home and abroad has to be scrutinized by this Council therefore Ukraine supported the convening of the special session and was among early co-sponsors of the resolution establishing a fact-finding mission to investigate ongoing violations we stand with the people of Iran as they continue fighting for their rights to live in dignity and freedom I thank you gracias thank you thank you I call them Pakistan please Mr President the council is meeting today for the 35th time in a special session setting to consider a situation of Human Rights where questions of foundational principles criteria the notion of accountability and value addition remain open this council is mandated to advance Universal respect for and realization of Human Rights the normative underpinnings of how to promote and realize these rights are stipulated in the U.N General Assembly resolution that established this body impartiality objectivity engagement cooperation and consent of the country concern are the foundations on which this Council must act this normative framework places a burden of responsibility on the council members to act wisely and proportionately and in line with the principles of the U.N Charter the track record outcomes and the aftermath of previous special sessions represent a sobering picture except in one situation of foreign occupation this Council has almost exclusively considered the human rights situations of developing countries even in these situations the singular Focus has been the civil and political rights it is clear that the situation of Human Rights improved only where the time-tested instruments of dialogue cooperation and consent of the country were pursued in cases where political considerations trumped these instruments the situations have in fact further deteriorated as to the subject of this session we are saddened by the loss of lives in Iran as well as the damage to public properties and disruption of daily life we are also saddened by loss of lives as a result of the condemnable terrorist attack in Shiraz we also note Iran's willingness to engage its Outreach to members of the council and others we also wish to note the investigations carried out by Iran and its resolve to adhere to the rule of law and to fulfill its human rights obligations in accordance with international law as well as its its constitutional and judicial mechanisms we invite the council members to reflect on the lessons from previous sessions and craft commensurate responses that help improve human rights situations instead of aggravating them thank you okay thank you when I get to the United States as your senior president day I thank the High Commissioner special repertoire Raymond and Civil Society for their valuable documentation advocacy and recommendations in Germany and Iceland for requesting this urgent session we are all watching with horror as events unfold in Iran and yet what we see is so very limited due to the communications blackout imposed by the authorities the people of Iran are demanding something so simple something that most of us here take for granted the opportunity to speak and to be heard we applaud their courage especially the women girls and young people who are bravely demanding respect for their human rights and accountability for abuses they stand for the very principles on which the United Nations was founded this historic movement was sparked by the inexcusable unjustifiable death in custody of Maza amini and has been met with brutal killings by security forces of hundreds of Iranians countless others have been subjected to sexual violence the reported torture or other mistreatment of political prisoners including peaceful protesters must end we hear daily reports of increasing Violence by the authorities again this past weekend in mahabad Security Forces reportedly used lethal Force against protesters we are deeply disturbed by the detention and killing of children including nine-year-old Kian pirfalak and we condemn the Sham trials and death sentences for those peacefully protesting we must not forget Mazza and Kion and the countless other individual lives at risk or lost the names on display next to me and the photos behind me represent just a few of the lives Lives full of potential that were taken simply for standing up for basic human rights they are the reason we are here today their deaths demand independent impartial and transparent investigations investigations that Iran has shown it is unwilling to undertake Iran has also detained numerous activists and media workers including two women reporters integral to Breaking the story of maza's death it is unconscionable that those women now face charges that carry the death penalty in Iran for exercising their freedom of expression the United States condemns a violent Crackdown in the strongest terms we support all Iranians who continue to demonstrate in the face of this suppression and join their urgent call for accountability they are an inspiration to me personally into the world as members of this Council we must hold Iranian officials and government institutions to account we must take this stand for women life freedom I thank you thank you and let me remind the rules of these Council to avoid presenting images or any other manifestation while we speak thank you um we reject the convening of special sessions and any other kind of initiatives that single out specific countries debates resolutions and punitive mandates imposed against the will of the country's concerned are selective and they're doomed to fail the convening of this special session is yet another example of the discriminatory and politicized practices and double standards that have been imposed in this Council by Western States and their allies Cuba once again reiterates its rejection of this kind of politically motivated maneuvers as we have emphasized on previous occasions it is only through constructive diagram cooperation that the council will be effective in protecting and promoting all human rights president the universal periodic review is the fitting mechanism for analyzing the human rights situations of all countries on an equal footing a few days after having begun the fourth cycle of the review it's Effectiveness has been more than proven for protecting and promoting human rights the UPR is a universal mechanism and States attend it mostly in a spirit of dialogue respect and cooperation this special session as well as the draft resolution that has been presented uh run completely counter to the spirit of cooperation and dialogue promoted by the UPR president Cuba is opposed to the imposition of unilateral sanctions against Iran and we are opposed to attempts to subvert the internal order of sovereign and independent states we reject the interference in Internal Affairs of other states and the manipulation of Human Rights for blatant political ends thank you thank you very much Kazakhstan mahadur Mr President Kazakhstan attached great importance to the promotion and protection of the rights of women and children we believe that women have an important role in shaping the future of states and peoples hence the importance of providing them with a necessary protection from all forms of discrimination violence abuse and harmful traditional practices as they are one of the most affected groups by International and internal circumstances and events we take note of national reports submitted by Iran on the measures taken to investigate the death of Martha mini under the following developments we call on the Iranian government to strengthen cooperation with the office of the High Commissioner and the special procedures in this regard Kazakhstan firmly stands for constructive dialogue and the cooperation between countries in the field of Human Rights avoiding politicization of Human Rights issues and exerting pressure the enjoyment of Human Rights cannot be separated from the historical and cultural traditions of different countries Mr President my delegation hopes that the International Community and this Council will objectively consider the human rights situation in Iran and respect the path of Human Rights development chosen by the Iranian people I thank you thank you on to the list of observers and I will Begin by giving the floor to frequency the Minnesota Foreign Affairs of Belgium president more than 20 years ago Kofi Annan at that point U.N Secretary General declared violence against women me violence against women is perhaps the most shameful human rights violation and is perhaps the most pervasive as long as it continues we cannot claim to be making real progress towards a quality development and peace and that is what this session is focusing on today Gemini's violence against Iranian women and against the many men who stood beside them for having peacefully demonstrated against discrimination for having defended their human rights Belgium firmly condemns the generalized use of excessive force and lethal Force by the Iranian Security Forces against peaceful demonstrators following the death of Martha amini we are particularly concerned about the detentions and murder of children by security forces and alarmed by this Belgium urges Iran to respect its human rights obligations in particular those stemming from the convention on the rise of the child as firm opponents of the death penalty Belgium urges the Iranian authorities to also stop indicting its citizens for crimes it's may be subject to death penalties purely for their alleged participation in peaceful demonstrations violent for oppression should stop an impunity of perpetrators of violence must also stop thank you and now I give the float To Her Excellency means tordis called brunotir Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iceland you have the floor man thank you Mr President Tina mashamini didn't comply with legal requirements in Iran on how to wear a whale in public