Statement by
Ms. Fatemeh Arab Bafrani
Second Secretary
Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations
Before the Third Committee of the 77th Session of the General Assembly
On Agenda Item 68: (a-d) Promotion and Protection of Human Rights
“Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions”
New York, 24 October 2022
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
Madam. Chair,
I thank the SR for the briefing.
The report mentions the case of Major General Qasem Soleimani.
As Iran has on numerous occasions underlined, the horrific assassination of Major General Qasem Soleimani was an internationally wrongful criminal act and a grave breach of the obligations of the United States under international law, and thus entails its international responsibility. This criminal act also involves the criminal responsibility of all those who had aided, abetted, or otherwise assisted and supported, by any means, directly or indirectly, the planning or perpetration of this terrorist act, the clear example of which is the supportive role and the involvement of the Israeli regime in it. Martyr Soleimani played a significant role in combating international terrorism and accordingly was rightfully given the title of the Hero of the Fight against Terrorism and the General of Peace.
Madam. Chair,
Regarding the death penalty mentioned in the report, I would like to highlight article 6 of the ICCPR. In this vein, Iran disagrees with such a view that the death penalty is tantamount to torture. Nevertheless, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran proactively continues to take necessary measures to minimize the recourse to the death penalty and to reserve it only for the most serious crimes, in full compliance with the standards of a fair trial from the investigation stage to the issuance of the initial verdict and then the final verdict with full transparency. With such an approach, the law on narcotic drugs came into effect which decreased the number of death sentences delivered for drug-related crimes.
Lastly, Iran rejects any false and unfounded accusations based on undocumented, inaccurate, and unreliable sources in the report pertaining to the death penalty in the country.
I thank you