Mr. President,
We are delivering this statement at a devastating time for the people in Iran, when Iran's security forces have carried out unprecedented mass killings of thousands of protesters and bystanders. Witnesses have described streets being drenched in blood.
They have told us that whoever they speak to these days knows someone who has been killed or injured. The scale of atrocities is staggering. We urge the Council to recognize that impunity for perpetrators only enables further bloodshed.
Mr. President,
These massacres, harrowing images of families searching for their loved ones among piles of body bags, should shock the conscience of the world. The Human Rights Council has a vital role to play in putting human rights and accountability at the heart of the response.
Independent investigations are crucial to establish the truth and pave the way for accountability and criminal justice, in line with international law.
Member states should renew the mandates of the Special Rapporteur and the Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, ensuring the Mission has adequate resources to investigate this latest wave of atrocities, and to collect and preserve evidence to facilitate future judicial proceedings.
This is no time to sit on the fence - political divides should not stand in the way of recognizing mass atrocities.
UN member states should set aside double standards and stand with victims and survivors of these egregious crimes, and those that continue to demand respect for their rights. Not officials seeking to cover up the massacre of thousands of people while cutting off the entire population from the rest of the world.
Thank you.
