Iran blasts appointment of UN rights investigator

[bemildred]

For the "UNHRC never does anything about Iran" people.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Tehran lashed out on Friday at the decision by U.N.'s top human rights body to appoint a special investigator to look into allegations of human rights abuses in Iran, saying the newly created post is "politically motivated" and meant to divert attention from abuses in the United States.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast claimed the vote at the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Council on Thursday came "under U.S. pressure."

The council narrowly approved a U.S. and Swedish-backed proposal for a special rapporteur for the Islamic Republic.

The decision marks the first time since the Geneva-based council's creation in 2006 that a new position for a country-specific investigator was created for a U.N. member, rather than merely extending the mandate of a previously existing one. The proposal was narrowly approved with a 22-7 vote, with 14 nations abstaining. Four of the council's 47 nations did not participate.

An outside expert is to be appointed to the new position when the council next meets in June.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5htqzxrgivMYXyOh682e7ps5NXhOw?docId=1f63bb3b63b0437e94bde40cf6f16d56

[azurnoir]

1. Good Iran needs to be investigated n/t

[LeftishBrit]

2. Typical response from a government that despises human rights

Glad that they're being investigated!

[bemildred]

3. Me too. They earned it. nt

[King_David]

4. Remains to be seen what they find

[Violet_Crumble]

8. +1 from me n/t

[King_David]

5. What has this to do with I/P (why this forum?)

[bemildred]

6. The failure of UNHRC to look into rights abuses in Iran is a frequent subject here.

In fact Iran comes up all the time down here, and so too does UNHRC. This story is probably of much more interest down here than it would be elsewhere.

[oberliner]

7. UNHRC draws Jewish praise for Iran position

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- The U.N. Human Rights Council drew rare praise from Jewish groups for creating a position for a special rapporteur on Iran.

"Following the recent suspension of Libya’s membership in the Human Rights Council, this vote on Iran conveys another strong message that the Geneva-based body is beginning to wake up from its lethargy and look seriously at some significant violators of human rights, such as Libya and Iran," the American Jewish Committee said Thursday after the council voted 22-7, with 14 abstentions, to create the position. "American leadership has been critical to this change."

B'nai B'rith International also praised the move away from the Council's reputation as obsessively focused on Israel.

"It is encouraging to see the council can in fact see beyond Israel," it said in a statement. "It is significant that the Human Rights Council members, some voting outside their traditional lines of support, are taking Iran’s escalating human rights abuses seriously."

http://www.jta.org/news/article/2011/03/25/3086567/unhrc-draws-jewish-praise-for-iran-position

[bemildred]

9. Gives me the warm puppy feeling.

On to the rest of the World, why we could have the rule of laws and not of men everywhere.