UN Women issues statement in support of Iranian women
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New York: Amid the rising public unrest in Iran following the custodial death of Mahsa Amini, the UN Women said that it stands with the women of Iran in their rightful demands to protest injustice without reprisal.
The official statement said Iranian women have the right to be free to exercise their bodily autonomy and that includes their choice of clothes. The international body also said that it supports women in seeking accountability and upholding basic human rights.
22-year-old Mahsa Amini was detained in Tehran on September 13 for not covering her properly with a headscarf. She died three days later. While authorities said she suffered a heart condition, many suspect head injuries inflicted in custody killed her. Iranian women have taken to the streets in protest to cut their hair and burn their scarves.
The UN Women's statement said: "We call on relevant authorities to support and enable the expression of their full human rights in a safe environment without fear of violence, prosecution, or persecution."
About the detained protestors, the UN body said: "We align with the remarks by the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the need to ensure the rights to due process and release for all women who have been arbitrarily detained".
It added that the organisation stands with the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council in the call for the Iranian authorities to hold an independent, impartial, and prompt investigation into Amini's death to make the findings of the investigation public and to hold all perpetrators accountable."
A Norway-based organisation the Iran Human Rights (IHR) said at least 76 protestors have been killed by security forces in the 11 days of unrest. Hundreds of people including 20 journalists have been arrested. As of now, over 80 cities are seeing anti-government demonstrations.
UN Women also expressed condolences to Mahsa Amini's family and said: "We remain steadfast in upholding the rights of women and girls in every part of the world."