H.E. Mr. Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi
President of the United Nations Human Rights Council

cc: Members of the Human Rights Council

Sub: Appeal for a Special Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Human Rights Situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Your Excellency,

Omid Advocates for Human Rights and the undersigned groups and individuals call upon the UN Human Rights Council to hold a Special Session on the current human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

We welcome the statement by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urging Iran’s leaders to reflect and respect in a “most transparent and fair and objective manner” the will of the Iranian people in the recent election. We also appreciate the Secretary-General’s expression of concern for the current situation in Iran.

Following Secretary-General’s statement, we appeal to Council members to address the ongoing human rights violations against Iranians concerning their right to life and freedom of expression and assembly. We urge Council members to examine closely the violent crackdown on peaceful demonstrations throughout Iran. We also urge Council members to protect the rights of individuals and groups in Iran to peacefully exercise their rights to freedom of expression, association, and assembly, including participation in activities, which dissent from state policies and practices. Finally, we urge you to call for the immediate release of all those currently detained for the peaceful exercise of their rights and for the protection of any detainee from torture or other ill-treatment.

Widespread and reliable information regarding ongoing human rights violations, including at least 8 deaths and numerous arrests against those demanding freedom of expression and the right to a fair election, makes it imperative that the Human Rights Council as the principal human rights organ of the United Nations take urgent measures by convening a special session to address the current situation in Iran.

We urge the Council to immediately call upon the Iranian authorities to receive a joint mission of Special Procedures mandate-holders on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary execution and other relevant mandates such as the Special Rapporteur on Torture, the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression and the Special Representative of Secretary-General on Human Rights Defenders.

We remain at your disposal for any further information or consultation on this urgent matter.

Thank you very much for attention to this appeal.

Yours sincerely,


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Added by: omidadvocates on June 22, 2009, 12:49:31 am
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*Please note that as of June 21, 2009, the number of deaths have increased significantly and are now believed to be in the few hundreds.