Javaid Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, talked about the escalating violence in the country, during a press conference held in New York on Thursday.
Rehman referred to the protests that have been shaking the Islamic country following the death of Mahsa Amini.
“The subject and the issue of the enforced law on hijab, as I have said previously, is a violation of women’s rights, it’s a violation of women’s fundamental human dignity”, said Rehman on the subject.
The expert also addressed the investigations on the death of Mahsa Amani, which “have failed the minimum requirements of impartiality and independence”, he said.
The UN Special Rapporteur went on to say that Amini was not the first woman, nor ‘last one’, adding that ” a number of reports about several other girls and women, and in fact, children, who have been killed by the state authorities.”
Rehman called for “an independent investigative mechanism in all human rights violations leading up to and since the death of Jina Mahsa Amini”.
Amini fell into a coma and died on September 16, following her arrest by Tehran’s ‘morality police’ for allegedly breaking strict hijab rules.
The authorities claimed she’d had a heart attack, while protesters claimed Amini was beaten and her family has denied she had any health problems.
Her death has sparked widespread protests across Iran with dozens reportedly killed and hundreds arrested amid harsh crackdowns.
