Submission to the Human Rights Committee On the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Compliance with ICCPR The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH); The Iranian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LDDHI) Third periodic reports of States parties: Iran Human Rights Committee 103rd session (17 Oct - 4 Nov. 2011), Geneva September 2011 2 Table of Contents Preamble ....................................................................................................................................................... 4 1. Constitutional and legal framework within which the Covenant is implemented - Article 2 & Question 1 .. 4 2. Denial of equal rights for women – Articles 2, 3 & 26 - Questions 2, 3, 4, 28.................................................5 One Million Signatures Campaign (Campaign for Equality)........................................................................... 6 Mourning Mothers ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Other women ................................................................................................................................................ 7 Questions 2 and 3.......................................................................................................................................... 7 3.1. Denial of the right to life - Article 6 - Questions 6, 9, 25..............................................................................9 Other ‘offences‘punishable by death .......................................................................................................... 10 Web designers sentenced to death ................................................................................................... 10 Denial of the right of appeal against the death sentence ........................................................................... 11 Question 9 ................................................................................................................................................... 12 3.2. Denial of the right to life: Children - Article 6.5 & Questions 7 & 8 ...........................................................13 Questions 7 & 8 ........................................................................................................................................... 14 4. Unfair trials, denial of judicial and legal rights - Articles 9 and 14; Questions 13, 15 ...................................15 Disregard for judicial process ...................................................................................................................... 16 5. Prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Articles 7, 9, 10 & Questions 9, 11, 16........................................................................................................................................... 16 Torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.................................................................................. 17 Impunity ...................................................................................................................................................... 18 Abuses at Kahrizak Detention Centre ..................................................................................................... 19 6. Denial of rights based on religious discrimination - Articles 2, 18, 26, 27 & Questions 22, 34.....................20 Baha’i faith................................................................................................................................................... 20 Christians ..................................................................................................................................................... 20 Sunni Muslims ............................................................................................................................................. 21 Sufis ............................................................................................................................................................. 21 Others........................................................................................................................................................... 22 7. Denial of freedom of expression, Article 19 & Question 23..........................................................................22 Human rights NGOs..................................................................................................................................... 22 NGOs Bill in parliament........................................................................................................................... 22 Defenders of Human Rights Centre (DHRC)....................................................................................... 23 Committee of Human Rights Reporters (CHRR)................................................................................. 24 Human Rights Activists (HRA) ............................................................................................................ 24 Other HRDs ........................................................................................................................................ 25 Defence lawyers .......................................................................................................................................... 25 Writers......................................................................................................................................................... 26 3 Press, journalists and bloggers – Question 23............................................................................................. 27 Banned newspapers................................................................................................................................ 27 Artists........................................................................................................................................................... 27 Book publishing ........................................................................................................................................... 28 8. Denial of freedom of assembly and association - Articles 21 and 22; Question 27 ......................................29 Assembly and association............................................................................................................................ 29 Iranian Writers Association..................................................................................................................... 29 Labour activists and trade unionists ....................................................................................................... 29 Tehran Bus Workers Syndicate .......................................................................................................... 29 Syndicate of Workers of Haft Tappeh Cane Sugar Company ............................................................. 30 Teachers Unions................................................................................................................................. 31 Journalists Association ....................................................................................................................... 31 Other trade unionists......................................................................................................................... 31 Students - Question 29 ........................................................................................................................... 32 Political parties and groups ......................................................................................................................... 32 Presidential candidates ........................................................................................................................... 33 Freedom Movement of Iran ................................................................................................................... 33 Alliance of Religious Nationalists ............................................................................................................ 33 Participation Front of Islamic Iran (PFII) &.............................................................................................. 34 Organisation of Mujahedin of Islamic Revolution (OMIR) ...................................................................... 34 Assembly of Lecturers and Scholars of Qom Seminary .......................................................................... 34 Graduates Association ............................................................................................................................ 34 9. Denial of rights based on ethnic origin - Article 27 & Question 33 ...............................................................35 Defenders of rights of ethnic communities................................................................................................. 36 Appendix I: Partial List of Women Prisoners of Conscience, end September 2011 (Question 28) ...................38 Appendix II: Partial list of imprisoned journalists & bloggers, end September 2011........................................43 4 Preamble: The third periodic report of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the ICCPR to the Human Rights Committee1 as well as the State party’s replies2 to ‘the List of Issues to be taken up in connection with the consideration of the third periodic report of the Islamic Republic