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GENEVA - The top United Nations rights body called on Iran on Tuesday to investigate killings of political activists and halt torture, including amputations and stonings.
The U.N. Commission on Human Rights, holding its annual session in Geneva, adopted a resolution submitted by the European Union and backed by the United States.
The EU expressed concern about alleged violations including executions, torture, absence of due process of law, and persecution of religious minorities including the Baha'i. It also remained concerned about deprivation of women's rights.
The 15-member bloc said it was closely following the trial of 13 Iranian Jews in Shiraz, accused of spying for Israel.
In this regard, the EU stressed that "all trials must be conducted in conformity with international standards and follow due process of law." Defendants must have the right to choose the counsel of their choice, Portugal said on behalf of the EU.
The EU remained disappointed about the country's lack of cooperation with the U.N. special investigator on Iran, Canadian jurist Maurice Copithorne. The resolution extended the mandate of the independent investigator, who is seeking a visit to Iran.
In a statement, the Paris-based National
Council of Resistance of Iran said that the EU resolution did not go far
enough in condemning the regime in Tehran. "The unjustified and unwarranted
commendation in the resolution and its optimism toward bogus changes in
Iran do not in any way bring about improvement in the situation of human
rights in Iran."
Angry Protests Against Election Cancellation, Agence France Presse, April 18
TEHRAN - Protestors unhappy at the overturning of election results blocked traffic on a major highway in southern Iran's Fars province Tuesday, the official IRNA news agency reported.
"Traffic has been completely blocked on the Shiraz-Bandar Abbas highway making travel to the southern regions of Fars province impossible," said Hadi Pajuhesh, deputy provincial governor in charge of security affairs, cited by IRNA.
Protestors also caused unspecified damage to public buildings in the city of Sarvestan, 100 kilometers (65 miles) south of Shiraz, IRNA said.
They gathered in front of the governor's
office to denounce the decision of the Council of Guardians.
Factional Power Struggle Intensifies, Agence France Presse, April 18
TEHRAN - Iran's conservatives stepped up the pressure Tuesday against their rivals in Iran, adopting harsh new measures against the press and staging a demonstration against the policies of Khatami.
The outgoing conservative-dominated parliament approved a tough new law amid a renewed crackdown on pro-Khatami newspapers and journalists in an intensifying power struggle.
The new measures barred suspended newspapers being published under another name, required offences by the press to be dealt with by the courts, and forbade opponents of the regime to hold employment in the industry.
All newspaper licenses must be approved by the intelligence ministry, the courts and the police -- all strongholds of the regime's conservatives.
The new law also forbids "any direct or indirect foreign aid to the Iranian press", and reiterates that the publication of rumor, false information and "unconstitutional" articles is banned.
Tuesday's parliament session also saw conservative deputy Ali Movahedi-Savoji accuse Khatami of helping the enemies of the regime by his "vague rhetoric." He warned, "the forces of the revolution and its devotees are willing to sacrifice their lives for the sacred values of the revolution and the Islamic republic."
Later Tuesday an estimated 1,500 gathered at the University of Tehran to protest Khatami.
They demanded that "the advocates of American-style reforms be brought to justice and denounced the government's cultural agenda, saying that "it had led to an atmosphere of violence."
In other developments the Council of Guardians ordered a third recount of votes cast for the 30 seats in Tehran in the February polls, concentrating on the performances of the last three successful candidates.
Among them is Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, disputes over whose election have reflected the wider power struggle.
[In a statement by the NCRI, it said: "Khamenei's faction is doing its utmost to use… Khomeini-like tactics, and take such actions as the attempt on Saeed Hajjarian's life and reaffirming the need to murder Salman Rushdie to rid itself of a crisis that has undermined and fragmented the velayat-e faqih system in its entirety.
[These actions, however, will not resolve any of the incurable problems plaguing the mullahs' crisis-riddled and faltering regime and will only expedite its inevitable overthrow by the Iranian people and Resistance.]