Iran: UN Special Rapporteur Reaches out to Regime; Youth Makes Creative Statements

The U.N. Special Rapporteur on the increasing human rights violations in Iran, Ahmed Shaheed appealed to the Iranian government to cooperate with his mandate on investigating the human rights situation.  Shaheed reported that he issued a “written communication to Iranian authorities” in an attempt to introduce himself and “express interest” in traveling to Iran.  Shaheed said that the establishment of the new mandate ““provides an opportunity for Iran to engage on a range of human rights issues that have been raised by the international community.”

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran reported that last week three literary and cultural figures were arrested and transferred to the Kermanshah Intelligence office.  The detainees were a poet, teacher and student- who had been actively working in Kurdish literature and culture.  Authorities also went to the homes of three other Kurdish activists that same week, but were unable to make any arrests.

Additionally, last week Iranian state media reported an unspecified number of arrests of Baha’i citizens across Iran. Fars News Agency reported that the arrested Baha’is “belonged to an international corruption network engaged in promoting and propagandizing the Baha’i cult through sex appeal and homosexuality.”

Last week, nearly 800 men and women gathered in a Tehran park for a water gun fight that resulted in numerous arrests by security forces.  Although, they were not chanting opposition slogans or protesting against the regime, their “good time in public” was interpreted as a challenge to the state-enforced codes of conduct by security forces.  Conservatives accused the young people of “immorality and corruption” and Tehran’s police chief did not provide details on the number of arrests made.

The water fight is only one example of such events taking place in Iran as a group of young men and women gathered in a different Tehran park last week to dress up in “unfashionable clothing.”  Authorities have shown concern over such gatherings in fear that it’s disguised as an anti-establishment gathering.  Additionally, photos and organizing of the gatherings have been taking place over various social media outlets, including Facebook and blogs.