NEWS RELEASES
November 5, 2004 (10:30 EST) No. 126
HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN IRAN: CANADA PRESENTS
RESOLUTION AT UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew today announced that Canada tabled a
resolution at the 59th session of the UN General Assembly, on the deteriorating human
rights situation in Iran.
“Canada’s assessment is that the human rights situation in Iran has worsened during
the last year, a position shared by many members of the international community,”
stated Minister Pettigrew. “We believe that Iran needs to hear from the global
community that change is necessary. Our objective remains to promote and accelerate
positive change for the human rights of the Iranian people.”
The resolution, presented with 33 co-sponsors, expresses concerns at violations of
human rights in the country and calls upon the Government of Iran to abide by its
international obligations. The resolution provides a strong international call for Iran to
make improvements in several areas, including independence of the judiciary, arbitrary
detentions, freedom of expression and freedom of the media, treatment of women and
treatment of persons belonging to religious minorities.
Monitoring mechanisms of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, including
the Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression and the Working Group
on Arbitrary Detention, visited Iran in 2003 and provided specific recommendations for
improvements. These recommendations have yet to be implemented by the
Government of Iran, and Canada’s resolution addresses this shortcoming.
In December 2003, at the 58th Session of the UN General Assembly, Canada was the
main sponsor of a successful resolution on the situation of human rights in Iran. The
Resolution called for the human rights situation in Iran to be re-examined at the 59th
session of the General Assembly this fall.
For more information on Canada’s international human rights policy, visit
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/foreign_policy/human-rights/hr1-rights-en.asp.
For more information about the UN, or to learn more about Canadian policies and
participation in the UN, visit http://www.international.gc.ca/canada_un.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Sébastien Théberge
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs Canada and International Trade Canada
(613) 995-1874
http://www.international.gc.ca
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