The Washington Times
By Cheryl K. Chumley
Iran won seats on five subcommittees of the U.N. Economic and Social Council earlier this week, including one to the Commission on the Status of Women — a body tasked with pressing for women’s rights around the world.
At the same time, the United Nations announced that this year’s priorities at UNESCO would be to further “the future of humanitarian affairs” by working toward “greater inclusiveness,” Breitbart reported.
The United States sent out a statement of condemnation about Iran’s appointment to the committees, calling it a farce that a nation with an egregious human rights record could actually contribute anything of value, Breitbart reported.
In a statement, U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power said: “The unopposed candidacy of Iran, where authorities regularly detain human rights defenders, subjecting many to torture, abuse and violations of due process, is a particularly troubling outcome of today’s election.”
Even the United Nations is on record as doubting Iran’s ability to uphold basic human rights, as well as women’s freedoms, inside its own border. Earlier this month, a U.N. human rights official petitioned for Iran to halt the planned execution of Reyhaneh Jabbari, sentenced for murder but who claims she was raped by a former Iranian intelligence official, Breitbart reported.
