Justice for the Victims of the 1988 Massacre in Iran (JVMI) led a successful advocacy project at the 46th regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council throughout February-March 2021.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, which has limited JVMI’s ability to conduct face-to-face meetings as in previous years, we were able to promote the call for a UN Commission of Inquiry into the 1988 massacre.
In February, JVMI and dozens of other international NGOs submitted a joint written statement to the Human Right Council appealing to High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet to support the launch of a UN inquiry into the 1988 massacre. The text of the written statement is available on the UN’s website. The NGOs welcomed a letter by seven UN Special Rapporteurs to the Iranian authorities, dated 3 September 2020, reiterating that the 1988 massacre could amount to “crimes against humanity” which warrant an “international investigation”.
At the Human Rights Council, JVMI joins an appeal by 20 NGOs to @mbachelet to launch a UN Commission of Inquiry into the #1988Massacre of political prisoners in Iran#HRC46 @franceonu @UKMissionGeneva @GermanyOnMENA @MZZRS @usmissiongeneva @CanadaGeneva https://t.co/HNAFxRyTGu pic.twitter.com/rPDfKLxGEz
— JVMI (@jvmifoundation) February 25, 2021
In the leadup to the Human Right Council’s latest session, the JVMI held an online press conference with the Association of Accredited Correspondents at the United Nations (ACANU) appealing to High Commissioner Bachelet to end the “chronic impunity” that exists among Iranian officials.
Tahar Boumedra, a former UN human rights chief in Iraq and current JVMI representative, joined an online side event on human rights in Iran organised by NGOs at the Human Rights Council. UN Member States should come together in support of a UN investigation into the 1988 massacre, Mr. Boumedra told the panel.
JVMI also conducted a media blitz in advance of the Human Rights Council session, publishing op-eds in publications such as Newsweek and Townhall.
Various national delegations and NGO representatives used the interactive dialogue and general debate forums at the Human Rights Council to support a UN investigation into the 1988 massacre.
We call on the Human Rights Council to launch a Commission of Inquiry into Iran's #1988massacre of political prisoners, which has been described by 7 UN Special Rapporteurs as a crime against humanity.@GermanyUNGeneva @usmissiongeneva @CanadaGeneva @SLOtoUNGeneva @FinlandGeneva https://t.co/BRuQY4a4g5
— JVMI (@jvmifoundation) March 9, 2021
Slovenia 🇸🇮 took the floor earlier today in the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Iran. While calling on 🇮🇷 to improve situation for women and girls, SI also noted the recent letter by the 7 Special Rapporteurs. pic.twitter.com/4FHecChwOE
— Slovenia to UN Geneva (@SLOtoUNGeneva) March 9, 2021
Slovenia just called on the @UN_HRC to follow up the recent letter by 7 UN Special Rapporteurs to Iran over the #1988massacre of political prisoners and said it would welcome "further consideration" of an "international investigation" in this regard
— M. Hanif Jazayeri (@HanifJazayeri) March 9, 2021
CC: @mbachelet @JavaidRehman pic.twitter.com/mIqDiPWcYV
🔹UN Human Rights Council, 46th Session (22 February to 23 March 2021)
— CWSDI (@CWSDI) March 22, 2021
Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of #HumanRights in the Islamic Republic of #Iran
https://t.co/AaDUt6X6bt
Update from the Human Rights Council:
— M. Hanif Jazayeri (@HanifJazayeri) March 16, 2021
NGO urges @UNHumanRights and @JavaidRehman to conduct an independent investigation into Iran's #1988massacre and human rights violations in the 2018-2019 protests.@CanadaGeneva @usmissiongeneva @SLOtoUNGeneva @GermanyUNGeneva @EU_UNGeneva pic.twitter.com/UX23NbWNq8
NGO tells UN Human Rights Council:
— M. Hanif Jazayeri (@HanifJazayeri) March 16, 2021
"In order to end the culture of impunity that exists in Iran, High Commissioner @mbachelet should support the establishment of such a Commission of Inquiry into the #1988massacre"@CanadaGeneva @usmissiongeneva @SLOtoUNGeneva @GermanyUNGeneva pic.twitter.com/5XFDbVtV4K
“A statement made by the 7 UN Special Rapporteurs on September 3, 2020 in connection with those executed in Iran in the summer of 1988 relates precisely to Article 60 of the Vienna Declaration. … @UN_HRC & @mbachelet must establish a Commission of Inquiry into the #1988massacre” pic.twitter.com/QbfK5GSTlZ
— JVMI (@jvmifoundation) March 25, 2021
The JVMI also helped mobilise the council’s Member States to extend the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr Javaid Rehman, for an additional year. The council voted in favour of the extension on 23 March 2021.