Canada tries to focus UN spotlight on Iran's human rights record

UNITED NATIONS — A Canadian-led bid to focus attention on Iran's human rights record says United Nations special investigators should turn their gaze on the Islamic republic, according to a draft resolution that's expected to be unveiled Thursday.

The move by Canada and the measure's co-sponsoring governments comes amid criticism that many of UN human rights investigators spend a disproportionate amount of time probing alleged abuses in advanced democracies, while ignoring countries where the worst abuse takes place.

The draft resolution calls on investigators of torture, extra-judicial executions, free speech suppression, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and persecution of human rights activists to "pay particular attention" to Iran.

It notes Iran has offered a "standing invitation" for investigation by any of the UN experts, but has "not fulfilled any requests from these special mechanisms to visit the country in four years."

It also says Iran has ignored the experts' "numerous communications."

The UN investigator on the plight of minorities recently visited Canada. The arrival of Gay McDougall this month meant that half of her eight in-country investigations have been in advanced democracies, where critics say there is already an abundance of institutions to deal with human rights shortfalls.

Canada has led the drafting of resolutions on alleged human rights abuses in Iran every year since the 2003 torture and murder while in Iranian custody of Zahra Kazemi, an Iranian-born Canadian photojournalist.

Each has been approved by majorities in the UN General Assembly, but only following intense campaigns by Iran to have the measures short-circuited on procedural grounds.

Norway and Sweden worked closely with Canada in writing this year's measure, which also reflects input from human rights activists.

Earlier resolutions have stopped short of saying the special investigators should focus on Iran, saying only the Islamic republic should co-operate with UN human rights mechanisms.

This year's text also heavily criticizes Iran's "harassment, intimidation and persecution" of protesters and others who were caught up in Iran's crackdown in the wake of the disputed re-election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in June.

It mirrors past texts in identifying torture, flogging, amputations and stoning as "serious ongoing and recurring human-rights violations" in Iran.

It also recalls "increasing discrimination" against minorities, highlighting the 2008 arrest and continued detention of seven leaders of the Baha'i faith "without adequate or timely access to legal representation."

Drafts are tabled in a UN committee that deals with human rights matters, before passing to the General Assembly "plenary" for action later in the year.

Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon signalled in the House of Commons on Tuesday that the draft would be tougher than those of previous years.

"Canada will table a strong resolution . . . that will continue to take Iran to task for its appalling behaviour in international affairs and the blatant disregard the regime carries out on its own (citizens)," he said.

Cannon led Canada's UN delegation in a boycott last month of Ahmadinejad's General Assembly address, walking off the chamber floor in a protest that the U.S., British and other delegations followed.