UN hits out at Syria, Iran, N. Korea over rights

AFP :
The UN General Assembly on Thursday voted overwhelmingly to rebuke Syria, Iran and North Korea for human rights abuses.
With Syria's conflict worsening by the day, a resolution condemning the Syrian government and its allied militias came as a diplomatic blow for President Bashar al-Assad.
The 193-state assembly passed the resolution slamming "grave" and "systematic" abuses with 135 votes in favor, 12 against, including Russia and China, and 36 abstentions.
A similar resolution last year gained 122 votes against Syria.
The Assad government has been accused of detaining thousands of opponents, often in secret, torturing many. The government has refused to allow a UN human rights council investigation into the country.
The UN called for an end to all "violations" of human rights and for all sides to end the 21-month old conflict in which activists say more than 44,000 people have died.
A Syrian diplomat at the vote hit out at Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Morocco, accusing them of causing "an escalation" in the conflict. "Their backing for terrorists has caused the death of thousands of Syrians," the diplomat said.
A vote against Iran was passed with 86 votes in favor, the same as last year, 32 against and 65 abstentions. India, Lebanon, Sudan and North Korea were among countries voting against. Many oppose the resolutions because they are against UN attacks on individual countries.
The resolution condemned the use of torture in Iran and the use of the death penalty without recognized "international guarantees" on the justice system. It also condemned Iran's practice of executing minors.
The UN motion attacked the growing targeting of journalists and human rights defenders in Iran and called for the release of people held for taking part in "peaceful" protests.
Iran's UN ambassador, Mohammed Khazaee, called the vote an "abusive exploitation" of the General Assembly's powers and said it did not reflect conditions in Iran. Khazaee particularly criticized Canada and the United States, which have been major backers of the annual vote.
A resolution against North Korea was adopted by consensus for the first time.
A North Korean diplomat called the vote "political propaganda," which "escalates the confrontation" between his country and the international community.
HRANA News Agency :

Javid Houtan Kian Iranian lawyer, political prisoner in Tabriz Central Prison is in health deterioration due to lack of medical consideration.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), this imprisoned lawyer is suffering from Kidney and intestinal infections and is being rejected for medical examination.

Mr. Javid Houtan Kian is a lawyer who represented Mrs. Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, when she was accused of adultery and sentenced to death by stoning in 2010. He supported her son, Sajjad Ghaderzadeh’s campaign to raise international awareness about his mother’s case.

He was arrested by members of the Ministry of Intelligence in October 2010 following her conviction, together with two German journalists and Sajjad Ghaderzadeh, Sakineh’s son. He was accused of acting against national security and sentenced to 11 years in prison following a televised confession and was barred from practising law for 5 years. The journalists and Sajjad Ghaderzadeh, who had been subjected to severe torture, were later released.

In September 2011 HRANA News Agency conducted an interview with Javid’s defence lawyer, Mr. Naghi Mahmoudi, who had been given permission to visit him. He reported that he barely recognised Javid, who had lost about half his body weight in the 6 months he had been held. He had been severely tortured and kept in solitary confinement. His nose had been broken, as had a number of his teeth and he had been burned with cigarettes many times. He had been tortured for hours at a time and passed round like a football between 20 and 25 guards. He was moved from Evin Prison to Tabriz where he has been kept on a ward designated for the insane and HIV-positive intravenous drug-users. Following the interview, Mr. Naghi Mahmoudi was denied further visits to Javid.

In March last year he managed to send an open letter from prison to important individuals and organisations round the world, setting out his case.
HRANA News Agency :
Reza Shahabi, an Iranian labor leader imprisoned since June 2010, went on hunger strike on 17 Dec 2012 to protest against mistreatment by jail guards as well as prevention of his medical treatment by the judicial authorities.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Reza Shahabi's physical conditions have deteriorated. He has announced that he will refuse taking his medication and eating food until he is allowed to be transferred to a hospital outside prison for complete treatment.

Mr. Reza Shahabi who had gone under major surgery of his neck, and according to doctors’ recommendations was in need of at least “two months rest at home”, and “incapable of withstanding any further punishment,” was sent back to Ward 350 of Evin prison on August 14, 2012. Since then, his health deteriorated significantly. In addition, his jail guards have be very insulting and he has been threatened recently by one of his guards. Reza was taken to hospital on December 15, 2012 but the jail guard accompanying him refused to allow him for proper examination and forced Reza, with threats of beating and assaulting him, to go back to prison.

Reza Shahabi is the Treasurer and Executive Board member of the Syndicate of workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, which belongs to the Municipality of Tehran and has more than seventeen thousand employees. All Executive board members of this union have been persecuted, dismissed and many were jailed since the formation of the Syndicate in 2005. He has recently been sentenced to 6 year imprisonment and five year ban on all union activities as well as 7 million Toman fine; the appeal court seems to have confirmed his sentence for four years imprisonment, five year ban on all union activities and 7 million toman penalty. Reza Shahabi's health deteriorated significantly after severe beatings and mistreatment following his arrest. The authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran are directly responsible for any consequence resulting from continued imprisonment and mistreatment of Reza Shahabi.
HRANA News Agency :
Political prisoner Majid Assadi in Ward 350 of Evin Prison began hunger strike for one week protesting the measures of the branch 15th of Iran’s Revolutionary Court by Judge Salavati.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Political prisoner Majid Assadi in Ward 350 of Evin Prison began hunger strike for one week protesting the measures of the branch 15th of Iran’s Revolutionary Court by Judge Salavati toward two political prisoners in Ward 350 in Tehran’s Evin Prison. These two prisoners are Ali Moezi and Vahid Asghari, who were transferred to solitary confinement and banned from any visits.

By this action, he wants to attract the attention of world community to consider the situation of Political Prisoners who are banned of visiting their families.

Majid Assadi is a graduated Economic student at Allameh University in Tehran. He was arrested on Thursday, July 3, 2008 and passed 78 days in Solitary Confinement.

He was sentenced to four year in prison in May 2010. He was summoned to Evin prison to serve his sentence on Wednesday, October 5, 2011.

Furthermore, for the second consecutive week Gholamreza Khosravi refused to meet with his family in protest to Ali Moezi and Vahid Asghar being banned from any visits.
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