Protest against Iran’s appointment as chair of the UN Human Rights Council’s Social Forum

Dear President of the UN Human Rights Council, Mr. Václav Bálek, It is with deepest regret that we have learned that you have elected Mr. Ali Bahreini from Iran to chair the “Social Forum”. Our disappointment is even greater when we read the recent OHCHR reports (https://www.ohchr.org/en/countries/iran), in which Iran was twice condemned for a large number of executions as recently as May 9. Last year, Iran was removed of its chairmanship of the UN Women’s Group for striking violations of women’s rights.

Our question is: What other human rights violations would need to happen for you to reconsider your current decision and take back the chairmanship of the Social Forum from Iran? We must also recall that two of the young men recently executed in Iran were sentenced to death for making critical statements about the Islamic government on social media.

Dear Mr. President, as representatives of parts of the Iranian community abroad, Medical Professionals for HR in Iran-Vienna and Committee to defend HR in Iran, we kindly ask you to reconsider your decision. Only representatives of a democratic Iran deserve to chair various UN human rights working groups, and that time will come.

Prof. Dr. Siroos Mirzaei
Medical Professionals for Human Rights in Iran –Austria

Dr. Behrouz Bayat
Committee for the Defence of Human Rights in Iran-Austria