Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran
A/69/356 para 105
Full recommendation:
[The Special Rapporteur] further repeats his call for substantive engagement and cooperation
between the Government and the United Nations human rights mechanisms, including
compliance with the findings of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which has identified
a number of cases of arbitrary detention. He appeals for the unconditional release of all those
detained for the peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of expression, assembly and
association, conscience and political opinion, in particular journalists, human rights defenders,
adherents of recognized and unrecognized religions and the leaders of the Baha’i faith.
Assessment using Impact Iran human rights indicators1
A. The Special Rapporteur repeats his call for substantive engagement and cooperation
between the Government and the United Nations human rights mechanisms,
including compliance with the findings of the Working Group on Arbitrary
Detention, which has identified a number of cases of arbitrary detention.
Since 2016, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) has found at least 38 cases of
detention arbitrary in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Despite these opinions, many remain in
detention as of December 2020.2 Individuals found to be arbitrarily detained in the Islamic
Republic of Iran by the WGAD include but are not limited to: Mr. Arash Sadeghi (Opinion no.
19/2018),3 Ms. Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee (Opinion no. 33/2019),4 Ms. Atena Daemi (Opinion no.
83/2018).5
Additionally, the WGAD “has repeatedly found a practice in the Islamic Republic of Iran of
targeting foreign nationals for detention.”6 Despite the Working Group opinions concluding that
their detention is arbitrary, foreign and dual nationals Mr. Siamak Namazi7 and Mr. Mohammad
Baguer Namazi8 (Opinion no. 49/2017) remain in detention as of February 2021. Ms. Nazanin
1
CCPR.19.1.S.1; CCPR.19.2.S.1; CCPR.21.1.S.1; CCPR.22.1.S.1;
CCPR.21.1.P.2;
CCPR.21.1.O.2; CCPR.21.1.O.3; CCPR.22.1.O.2;
2
See more: United for Iran, https://ipa.united4iran.org/en/prisoner/
3
Working Group Arbitrary Detention,
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Detention/Opinions/Session81/A_HRC_WGAD_2018_19.pdf
4
Working Group Arbitrary Detention,
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Detention/Opinions/Session85/A_HRC_WGAD_2019_33.pdf
5
Working Group Arbitrary Detention,
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Detention/Opinions/Session83/A_HRC_WGAD_2018_83.pdf
6
Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Opinion No. 52/2018, para 82.
7
United For Iran, https://ipa.united4iran.org/en/prisoner/2157/
8
United For Iran, https://ipa.united4iran.org/en/prisoner/2400/
1