UN vote extends mandate of Iran human rights investigator

The United Nations extended the mandate of its Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran for another year.

The 47-member UN Human Rights Council voted on Friday a resolution to extend the mandate of Dr. Ahmed Shaheed.

The vote, 20 to 11 with 16 abstentions, renewed the mandate followed Dr. Shaheed’s presentation of his report to the UN Human Rights Council on March 16, 2015.

On March 16, Dr. Ahmed Shaheed said in Geneva that the human rights situation and repression of Iranian women and activists has worsened since Hassan Rouhani became president in 2013.

Dr. Ahmed Shaheed said: "in my view the overall situation has worsened, as indicated by the surge in executions."

He lamented that Iran executes more people per capita than any other country in the world.

His report also noted deteriorations in women’s rights, minority rights, and online freedoms.

Mr. Shaheed, a Muslim and former foreign minister of the Maldives, has not been allowed to visit Iran since taking up the independent post.