Canada welcomes international community’s clear support for Iranian people and for human rights reforms in Iran

From: Global Affairs Canada

News Release

November 14, 2017 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today welcomed the adoption, by the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly (72nd session), of the resolution on the situation of human rights in Iran:

“Human rights have no borders. Through the adoption of this resolution, Canada and the international community voice our strong support for the people of Iran and call on the Iranian government to live up to its own international human rights obligations. Iran must ensure its people are able to enjoy the rights and freedoms to which they are entitled.

“Canada urges the government of Iran to engage constructively with the international community to address the grave human rights concerns raised in this resolution.”

Quick Facts

  • Canada has led an annual UN General Assembly resolution on the human rights situation in Iran since 2003.

  • Presented by Canada and 43 co-sponsors, this year’s resolution was adopted by the UN General Assembly Third Committee on November 14, 2017, with 83 member states voting in favour.

  • The resolution will be presented for adoption by the UN General Assembly in plenary in mid-December.

  • The resolution allows the international community to speak with a united voice, expressing its serious concerns about Iran’s poor human rights record and calling on Iran to comply with its international human rights obligations. Canada collaborated with a cross-regional group of countries to ensure strong support of the resolution.

  • Despite some promising developments, reports from the UN Secretary-General and the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran reveal that the scope and gravity of human rights violations in Iran remains staggeringly high.

  • Of deep concern are the high number of executions, including of persons who were under the age of 18 at the time of the offence; numerous cases of arbitrary arrests and detention; the lack of due process; the severe restrictions on freedom of expression and the intimidation of human rights defenders; and the persistent discrimination against women and members of ethnic and recognized and unrecognized religious minorities.

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Adam Austen
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Adam.Austen@international.gc.ca

Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
343-203-7700
media@international.gc.ca
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