It goes without saying that the Iranian government’s crackdown on protesters who fight for basic political and human rights has no justification
India’s vote against a resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) condemning Iran’s crackdown on recent anti-government protests while calling for an “urgent investigation” into alleged abuses goes with India’s long-standing position against selective condemnation of incidents in member countries.
India was joined by six other nations, including China and Pakistan, in opposing the resolution that also called for an extension of the mandate for the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran by two years and that of the Special Rapporteur for one year.
It goes without saying that the Iranian government’s crackdown on protesters who fight for basic political and human rights has no justification. More so when it has a long history and that it has not sprung up as part of an international movement. The Iranian regime and its religious militias impose restrictions on its citizens which no democratically-minded people can be blind to. The government in Tehran must be mindful of the aspirations of its people, instead of using violent force on people who demand rights that are basic. The government there should not cover itself with the unrealistic comfort that they can put down the quest for democratic freedoms forever. The issues must be sorted out by the government and the citizens of the Islamic Republic.
The complaint often raised against UN agencies is that they are very active in certain parts of the world while being oblivious about the developments in others. The hooligans who appear in uniform on behalf of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement in certain cities in the United States appear to act as if they have a license to kill and torture people; they have already shot two innocent people dead. It appears the UN body has not yet analysed the pattern that is evolving in a country which champions human rights all over the globe.
India must uphold its position that country-specific resolutions and investigative mechanisms are of no consequence and that naming-and-shaming does not improve human rights outcomes. At the same time, it must encourage the Iranian regime to open channels of discussion with the protesters and against the use of force against people, especially its young people. The reported death of over 5,000 people is too much for a nation to afford in this era.
