Initial talks between the USA and Iran about the latter’s nuclear programme have been criticised for failing to raise the issue of human rights, particularly religious freedom.
Iran has signed up to international treaties that require it to respect religious freedom, and its own constitution also makes provision for religious minorities.
In practice however, Christians, Sunni Muslims and other religious minorities live under the constant threat of violations ranging from harassment and property seizure all the way up to imprisonment, torture and extra-judicial execution.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) noted the recent case of Pastor Joseph Shahbazian, who was denied permission to attend his mother’s funeral, despite the official investigation into him being concluded. There are unconfirmed reports that Pastor Shahbazian’s wife has also being arrested, as she was also absent from the funeral.
Representatives of Iran are meeting with US diplomats in Oman to discuss Iran’s nuclear programme.
Khataza Gondwe, CSW’s director of advocacy said, “The seeming omission of urgent human rights concerns in these initial discussions with the Iranian government follows a concerning pattern of the international community neglecting to utilise suitable opportunities to press the regime to uphold international human rights obligations which it agreed to uphold voluntarily.
“We urge the US government to ensure that pressing human rights issues are no longer overlooked in subsequent dialogues, and to call on the government of Iran to respect, protect and fulfil the rights and freedoms articulated within the ICCPR for all citizens, including the right to freedom of religion or belief.”
Aside from failing to respect freedom of religion, Iran has also been criticised for a range of other human rights violations. The UN has extended the mandate of its Special Rapporteur for human rights in Iran, due to the country’s continued human rights violations.
Last year one political dissident was executed after being abducted from a neighbouring country and, according to CSW, nine Kurdish political prisoners were also executed.
