35th Special Session of UN Human Rights Council on Islamic Republic of Iran

In light of the violent crackdown on protests following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in Iran, Germany and Iceland on 11 November officially requested to hold a special session of the UN Human Rights Council to address the increasingly deteriorating human rights situation, “especially with respect to women and children”. The 35th special session, which was the first one held on Iran, took place on 24 November. Prior to the debate, the initiative has received the support of a total of 51 states: 17 Council members and 34 observer states. According to UN figures, well over 300 people have been killed so far and tens of thousands have been arrested, many possibly facing the death penalty. Numerous UN special rapporteurs and working groups had called for the session to be held and for an international investigation mechanism to be established. With 25 votes in favor, 6 against and 16 abstentions, the Council indeed established an independent international fact finding mission to investigate alleged violations related to the protests that began on 16 September 2022. In the last minute, China had put forward an oral amendment which aimed at abolishing the mechanism. It was rejected with 6 to 25 and 15 abstentions.