The Chairperson of the Special Procedures Committee of the United Nations Human Rights Council on Monday called on Iran to respect human rights and not to retaliate against its citizens who cooperate with international human rights mechanisms and to allow the Special Rapporteur on the situation in Iran to enter the country to carry out his mandate. During the Council's discussion of the situation in Iran, several countries condemned Iran's continuing violation of minority rights and prevention of the Special Rapporteur from entering the country to collect information. The European Union condemned Iran's continuing human rights violations, including discrimination against and persecution of religious and ethnic minorities, as well as crackdowns on dissidents and civil society. Switzerland called on the authorities in Iran to stop violations against the opposition and bring those responsible to justice. While Germany demanded the Iranian government to implement the unfulfilled promises of Iranian President Hassan Rowhani when he said that people can express their demands and the state to respond to such grievances. Belgium, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the Republic of Macedonia, France and Iceland also criticized Iran's human rights record. The United States condemned the Iranian government's crackdown on demonstrators last December and called on Iran to cooperate fully with the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms. The Council discussed the latest report submitted by Asma Jahangir to the Council before her death last month on the situation in Iran. The report confirmed the Iranian authorities' reprisals against collaborators with the United Nations as well as their families, the practice of discrimination against minorities and the arrest of dissidents, civil society organizations and journalists.
