UN chief meets Raisi amid anti-hijab protests in Iran, seeks fair probe into Amini’s death

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres held a meeting with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Thursday, 22 September. During the meeting, Guterres raised human rights issues with Ebrahim Raisi, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said, VOA News. The UN Chief has raised the concerns amid the ongoing protests in Iran over the death of a woman named Mahsa Amini in police custody. 

"The secretary-general raised a number of issues with him [Raisi], including the issues of human rights," Stephane Dujarric said in the news briefing.

Dujarric said that the UN Secretary-General is very concerned over the "reports of peaceful protests being met with excessive use of force" which has caused dozens of deaths and injuries. He called on the security personnel to avoid using "unnecessary or disproportionate force" and called on everyone to exercise restraint in order to prevent further escalation. Stephane Dujarric stressed that the UN is urging Iranian authorities to respect the rights and freedom of expression, rights of women, peaceful assembly and association. 

UN calls for 'impartial & effective' investigation into death of Mahsa Amini

The UN further called on Iranian authorities to take measures to "eliminate forms of discrimination against women and girls as well as taking steps to protect them from human rights violations as per the international standards, according to Stephane Dujarric. He called on Iranian authorities to conduct an "impartial and effective investigation" into the death of Mahsa Amini, as per the news report. During the meeting, Antonio Guterres and Ebrahim Raisi discussed issues of mutual interest, including Yemen and Afghanistan. Guterres emphasised the importance of reviving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Guterres called on Iran to engage in dialogue with neighbours to de-escalate tensions and promote regional security. 

"The Secretary-General and the President discussed issues of mutual interest, including Yemen and Afghanistan. The Secretary-General encouraged Iran to continue to engage its neighbours in dialogue to de-escalate tensions and promote regional security and expressed his concern about the human rights situation," according to the readout of the meeting released by UN. 

Iran protests 

The protests erupted in  Iran after the death of the 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in the custody of 'morality police.' She was allegedly detained for wearing the Islamic headscarf too loosely. Police has claimed that the woman died due to heart attack and was not mistreated. However, Mahsa Amini's family has expressed doubts over the claims. The death toll from the protests has reportedly reached as high as 34, AP reported citing State TV. Amid the unrest, Iran has also disrupted internet access and imposed restrictions on popular platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram. According to Internet observatory Netblocks, Instagram, WhatsApp, and LinkedIn have been restricted nationally. Some of the Iranian women have also chopped their hair to protest against the death of a 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

Meanwhile, Raisi condemned the protests as he arrived back in the country after attending the United Nations General Assembly. According to AP, he said “We have announced many times that if anyone has a fair comment, we will listen to it. But anarchy? Disturbing national security? The security of people? No one will succumb to this."

Inputs from AP

Image: AP