Germany urges UN: Vote against Iran for Human Rights seat
German FM: Iran on council would be an affront to human rights; Scientists, filmmakers slam abuses.
By News Agencies Tags: Iran Israel newsGermany's foreign minister on Wednesday urged countries to vote against Iran when it seeks a seat later this year on the United Nations' Human Rights Council.
Guido Westerwelle said having Iran in the 47-nation body would be an affront to human rights.
Westerwelle told the council Wednesday that Iran was undeserving because it has violated many of its citizens' human rights, including during a post-election crackdown on protesters last year.
Iran is expected to run for a seat when countries vote for new members in May.
Iran was heavily criticized last month at the council's first review of how it upholds human rights.
Meanwhile, a group of German nuclear scientists protested growing human rights abuses in Iran on Wednesday.
A total of 177 scientists - mostly nuclear physicists - signed a petition to be presented to the German government later this week.
They demanded Germany condemn torture, show trials and rape in Iran, and called for pressure to be increased on the country to end such practices.
The petition also called for the immediate release of prisoners of conscience, and insisted on press freedom and free elections.
Iran has witnessed a crackdown on opposition voices since protests erupted over the controversial re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in June last year. Reformists claim the vote was rigged.
The scientists said the political row over Iran's nuclear program should not be allowed to overshadow human rights violations.
Also on Wednesday, the Berlin film festival criticized the arrest of acclaimed Iranian director Jafar Panahi.
Panahi has backed his country's opposition. He was taken into custody in Tehran on Monday accused of committing unspecified offenses.
Berlin festival director Dieter Kosslick said Wednesday: We are concerned and dismayed that a director who has won many international prizes has been arrested due to his work as an artist.
Panahi's Offside, a film following girls who disguise themselves as boys to sneak into a football match in Tehran, won a runner-up Silver Bear award at the Berlin festival in 2006.
He was denied permission to leave Iran last month to attend a panel discussion at this year's festival.
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Heyvan (animal) rights are the modus operandi freely given to hired Arab thugs and simpleton countryside Iranian tough guys hired by the "religious" regime in Tehran to protect their backsides and to beat, torture, and rape the beautiful, freedom-loving citizens into submission. We all know what Neda's vote would have been for her government vying for an official human rights seat and also all the other Iranian virgins that were hauled in for the Basiji's beastly pleasure in the dark of night before they were ceremoniously murdered in the morning Regime style so Allah would be pleased with the halal protocol and sacrificial offering. May G-d see to it that the coals of hell on Khamenei & Co. heads burn extra hot and long for their sacrilegious sins.
Time we get out of the back seat. Time to bring this issue into focus.
I remember seeing that film, "Offside"... It was an excellent film. And Germany is correct when it says that the controversy over Iran's nuclear program should not overshadow the total disregard for human rights in Iran, and correctly mentions the sexual abuse of prisoners, the stalinist show trials,the whole slew and litany of abuse Iran is perpetrating toward its people. A seat at the U.N. Human Rights Council would be an affront of the most absurd and highest order. Positively Kafkaesque, actually. These 177 scientists are correct in pointing out that Iran's dismal human rights record, should not be overshadowed by the controversy over its nuclear program. I hope that on this point, Germany will continue to voice its protest. Thank you.
What about Iran's president calling for Israel's destruction on the daily? What about his trotting out old anti-Semitic motifs like "Zionists" are the cause of all the world's wars, genocides, and human rights abuses? Where is the world's (particularly the left's) condemnation?!??!! I guess the world is too busy condemning Israel for letting Jews build houses in East Jerusalem...
These people are a disgrace and their vocal support for the pet projects of the islamists and their politically-correct enablers, like the idiotic Israel Apartheid Week is sharp contrast to their absence on the Iran human rights issues.
like the NPT the zio state is not a member of the human rights counsil :) so there you go
A state were women do not have the same rights as men should automatically disqualify for the United Nations' Human Rights Council!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!