At the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, a prominent human rights conference, “Human Rights Violations and the Wave of Executions in Iran,” brought together legal experts and human rights advocates to discuss the concerning human rights situation in Iran.

Here are the key speakers and their statements from the conference:

Key Speakers and Their Statements

Jean Franco Fattorini, UN Representative of the Movement for Friendship Against Racism (MRAP): Fattorini discussed the systematic human rights abuses under Iran’s regime, particularly focusing on atrocities committed during the late 1980s. He highlighted a significant milestone with the recent report by Professor Javaid Rehman, which details atrocity crimes and emphasizes the need for accountability.

Taher Boumedra, Chair of the Justice Committee for 1988 Massacre Victims (JVMI): Boumedra underscored the importance of Rehman’s report as a critical document on the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran. He quoted findings from the report that indicate considerable evidence of mass killings and torture with genocidal intent against members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI).

Laurence Fehlmann Rielle, Member of the Swiss Federal Parliament: Rielle highlighted the surge in executions in Iran, reporting that at least 834 people were executed in 2023—a 43% increase compared to 2022. She pointed out that many executions were related to political dissent and were often carried out following unfair trials, violating international legal standards.

Antonio Stango, President of the Italian Federation for Human Rights: Stango called for urgent international mechanisms to hold Iran accountable for its systemic violations. He emphasized that global attention is crucial to address these abuses effectively.

Elisabeth Rabesandratana, ICC Lawyer: Rabesandratana noted that while there has been some interaction with Iranian authorities regarding human rights reports, it often lacks transparency and does not respect fundamental human rights.

Dr. Hanifeh Khayyeri, Women’s Human Rights Association: Khayyeri focused on the specific impact of these violations on women and called for increased international support for women’s rights in Iran.

The conference concluded with a collective call for urgent international action to address Iran’s human rights violations and ensure accountability for those responsible for executions and other abuses.