New UN report claims 'rights abuses' surged in Iran during past decade

Tehran, Mar 8(ANI): A new United Nations report has said that Iran has radically augmented executions over the past decade and abused the rights of students, women, journalists and religious minorities.

The UN reports throws light on Teheran's onslaught on its internal dissent, as the country faces international scrutiny over its nuclear aspirations.

The report, which was released on Wednesday, is based on more than 80 interviews with eyewitnesses and alleged victims, as well as activists, politicians and diplomats.

A U.N. special representative concluded in a 36-page report on Iran that the Islamic Republic illustrates 'a striking pattern of violations of fundamental human rights'.

The report alleged that Iran's ruling government validates its laws lopsidedly, endorsing impunity by not holding rights violators accountable and excusing dominant individuals from 'rules meant to restrain the abuse of power.'

It refers to the alarming increase in executions from less than 100 people in 2003 to more than 650 in 2011, The Wall Street Journal reports.

More than 80 per cent of the executions were linked to drug trafficking, which the report argues isn't a serious crime under international law.

The report said at least 15 men and women face sentences of death by stoning on charges of adultery.

According to Amnesty International, when compared with the US, only 46 prisoners were executed in the U.S. in 2010.

The report also said 42 journalists are currently behind bars, which are more than any other country, and are often banned from appearing at their own trials.

Hadi Ghaemi, the director of the New York-based International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said: "This is just the beginning of a process at the U.N. level to reveal and address the many aspects of gross and systematic human-rights violations in Iran. It is not going to help Iran gain any friends or support at a time when it's facing so much international pressure." (ANI)