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Iran Attacks U.N. Human Rights Rapporteur, Says It Is 'Largest Democracy In The World'

Javaid Rehman is a British-Pakistani legal scholar and Professor of Islamic Law and International Law at Brunel University and the special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran. File photo

Two days after the renewal of U.N, Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran, the Islamic Republic has harshly criticized the decision and announced Iran as the “largest and the most developed democracy in West Asia and the world”.

In a statement issued by Human Rights Staff of The Islamic Republic on March 24 said the renewal of the Special Rapporteur’s mandate was “unjustified and illegal action and a result of political trickery”.

The statement goes on to characterize the work of the special rapporteurs as “against the law” and “a clear evidence of the evil and hegemonic intentions of those who sponsor this scandalous theater”.

SEE ALSO: UN Iran Human Rights Rapporteur Mandate Extended

The Islamic Republic has one of the worse human rights records in the world, which has been systematically documented by a host of international rights organizations, such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. The U.S. Human Rights Council has also appointed special rapporteurs, to closely follow the situation in the country and regularly report back to the Council.

On March 22, fifteen members of the U.N. council voted for and seven opposed the renewal of the mandate. The current rapporteur is Pakistani born lawyer and scholar Javaid Rehman.

Iran does not allow the U.N. rapporteurs to visit the country for research and observation. But U.N. General Assembly last year adopted a resolution condemning Iran’s violations of human rights, including unjustified arrests, torture of prisoners and restrictions on freedom of speech.