As the 55th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council approaches, Human Rights Activists (HRA) in Iran is publishing the redacted version of a submission filed in December to the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFMI).

Drafted with the legal support of UpRights, the 60-page submission argues that the facts provided to the FFMI by HRA and two trusted partner organizations should lead the FFMI to conclude that crimes against humanity, and in particular persecution on political and gender grounds, have taken place in the Islamic Republic of Iran since at least 16 September 2022.

The redacted version of the submission is presented in five comprehensive parts, first outlining a methodological approach to collecting and verifying information. Then, it contextualises the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests in the wider discriminatory legal framework against women, girls and LGBTQI+ individuals, detailing the facts surrounding the protests, before providing a legal analysis focusing on the crime against humanity of persecution on gender and political grounds. Finally, it presents the FFMI and UN Member States with recommendations in this respect.

To read more on HRA’s work on shedding light on the situation of human rights in Iran ahead of the FFMI’s report – set to be delivered on March 18th  – see here

UN FFMI submission

On 11 December 2023, Human Rights Activists (HRA) in Iran and UpRights filed a submission before the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFMI). The submission contends that crimes against humanity, and in particular persecution on political and gender grounds, have taken place in the Islamic Republic of Iran since at least 16 September 2022.

Analysing information collected and verified by HRA and two partner organizations, the submission demonstrates that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the crackdown by the Iranian authorities on the peaceful protests that followed the death of Mahsa Zhina Amini, and other violations related to the protests since September 2022, constitute a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population. Against the background of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests, the submission highlights specific examples of the violence employed by the Iranian government including instances of arbitrary arrest and detention, sexual violence, and murder. It demonstrates that those examples qualify as underlying acts of crimes against humanity and severe deprivations of fundamental rights.

The submission outlines how agents of the Iranian government intended to discriminate against women and girls especially on the basis of gender, with these groups singled out for persecutory treatment including physical and psychological abuse, the use of derogatory language and acts of sexual violence including rape. The submission recognises in this respect that individuals have also been targeted on political grounds. It stresses, however, the intersectional nature of the violations to which women, girls and LGBTQI+ individuals have been specifically subjected by the Iranian authorities for their perceived non-compliance with established gender norms and discriminatory laws and policies.

The submission concludes with recommendations by HRA to the FFMI and the international community to establish accountability for the violations outlined in the submission.

UpRights thanks HRA for the opportunity to contribute to this important issue and in particular analysis of the crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds. While the entirety of the submission has not been made public at this time, an executive summary of the facts is available here.