India abstains on UN resolution to probe Iran's 'human rights violations'

New Delhi: India abstained from voting on a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution on Thursday.

 

United Nations Human Right Council, took to Twitter to inform about the same and tweeted, "At its 35th special session, the @UN Human Rights Council decided to create a new fact-finding mission to investigate "alleged #HumanRightsViolations in the Islamic Republic of #Iran related to the protests that began on 16 September 2022."

This resolution came amidst the protests after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was detained by Iran`s morality police for wearing an `inappropriate` headscarf who later died which made people speculating that she died because of custodial violence.

Malaysia, Indonesia, UAE and Khakhastan had also abstained from the resolution while, Pakistan and China chose to reject the resolution.

The resolution in the UNHRC was passed as there were 25 votes in favour. Reportedly, there were six rejections and 16 abstentions. Human Rights Council has, thus, created a fact-finding mission to investigate the matter.

The UN High Commissioner, in the meeting, highlighted how "the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Basij forces have used live ammunition, birdshot and other metal pellets, teargas and batons" to silence the protesters.

Before announcing an independent probe, the High Commissioner noted that “his Office had received "multiple communications" from Iran about the episode, "including domestic investigations". Turk was quoted as saying, “These efforts have failed to meet international standards of impartiality, independence and transparency.”

In response to the High Commissioner`s comments, Iran`s representative, Khadijeh Karimi, Deputy of the Vice President for Women and Family Affairs, claimed that "necessary measures" had been taken after Amini`s death. An independent, parliamentary investigation commission as well as a forensic medical team was also formed. "However, before the formal announcement of the probe analysis, the biased and hasty reaction of a number of Western authorities and their interventions in internal affairs of Iran turned the peaceful assemblies into riots and violence," she continued.