Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran
A/HRC/43/61 para 68(c)
Full recommendation:
The Special Rapporteur recommends that the Government, the judiciary and the parliament:
Take all measures necessary to mitigate the effects of economic sanctions, meet the obligations
of the Islamic Republic of Iran under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights, including on the protection of vulnerable groups, and establish transparent
financial mechanisms to ensure that trade in medicines and other essential humanitarian items
continues;
Assessment using Impact Iran human rights indicators1
A. The Special Rapporteur recommends that the Government and Parliament: Take
all measures necessary to mitigate some of the effects of economic sanctions,
Broad economic sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic of Iran have been found to have had
a negative impact on the wellbeing of Iranians. Although exempting humanitarian imports,
unilateral sanctions have drastically constrained the state’s ability to finance humanitarian
imports, endangering access to medical care.2 The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the
health crisis and the impact of economic sanctions on the human rights situation in Iran.3 4
The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has taken measures to mitigate the health and
economic impacts of the pandemic, notably by withdrawing $1.1 billion from the National
Development Fund5 and announcing, in March 2020, it would invest some 10 per cent of GDP
into COVID-19 relief and recovery measures, among other initiatives.6 7
However, as the UN Secretary General also noted, the difficulties faced by the Government to
contain the COVID-19 pandemic nationally is not only owed to the “wider economy being
1
ESCR.2.2.S.1
ESCR.2.2.P.1
ESCR.2.2.O.1
2
Human Rights Watch, https://www.hrw.org/report/2019/10/29/maximum-pressure/us-economic-sanctions-harm-iranians-righthealth
3
Report of the UN Secretary General on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, August 2020,
https://undocs.org/Home/Mobile?FinalSymbol=A%2F75%2F287&Language=E&DeviceType=Desktop
4
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, July 2020, https://documentsdds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N20/190/27/PDF/N2019027.pdf?OpenElement
5
See http://khabaronline.ir/news/1373601.
6
See www.imf.org/en/Topics/imf-and-covid19/Policy-Responses-to-COVID-19#I.
7
See more: Report of the UN Secretary General on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, August 2020,
https://undocs.org/Home/Mobile?FinalSymbol=A%2F75%2F287&Language=E&DeviceType=Desktop
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