At least 378 people, including 47 children, have been killed in the crackdown since Amini\u2019s death
\n GENEVA
\nThe United Nations\u2019 top rights body will hold an urgent meeting this week to consider launching an international investigation into the deadly crackdown on mass protests rocking Iran.
\nThe UN Human Rights Council is due to host a special session on Thursday on \u201cthe deteriorating human rights situation\u201d, following a request by Germany and Iceland.
\nThe meeting follows two months of protests in Iran sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, after she was arrested for an alleged breach of the country\u2019s strict dress rules for women based on Islamic sharia law.
\nAt least 378 people, including 47 children, have been killed in the crackdown since Amini\u2019s death, according to the Norway-based group Iran Human Rights (IHR).
\nThe demonstrations have spread across the country and grown into a broad movement against the theocracy that has ruled Iran since the fall of the shah in 1979.
\nThousands of peaceful protesters have also been arrested, according to UN rights experts, including many women, children and journalists, and six people have so far been handed death sentences over the demonstrations.
\n\u2018Gender dimensions\u2019
\nDuring Thursday\u2019s session, diplomats will consider a draft resolution presented by Germany and Iceland calling on the council to create a high-level international investigation to probe all alleged violations connected with the ongoing protests in Iran.
\nThe so-called independent international fact-finding mission should include \u201cthe gender dimensions of such violations\u201d in its investigations, according to the text.
\nThe draft resolution, which could still change, calls for the investigators to \u201ccollect, consolidate and analyse evidence of such violations, and to preserve evidence,\u201d with a view to future prosecution.
\nGerman Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who will be present for the session, stressed recently on Twitter that such an investigation is vital because we \u201cknow how important it is for the victims that those responsible are held accountable.\u201d
\nThe draft text called on Tehran to \u201ccooperate fully\u201d with the investigators, who it said should present a full report in March 2024.
\nRights groups hailed the special session.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re seeing such serious abuses in response to the protests,\u201d Lucy McKernan of Human Rights Watch told AFP.
\n\u201cIt is incumbent on the council to react,\u201d she said, voicing hope that countries would back the investigation, \u201cso that at least in the future there is a chance of accountability\u201d.
\nThe support of 16 of the Human Rights Council\u2019s 47 members — more than a third — is required to convene a special session.
\nGermany and Iceland have so far received the backing of 50 countries for their request for Thursday\u2019s session, including 17 council members.
\nEnough votes?
\nBut just days before the event, it remained unclear if they will muster the votes needed to pass their resolution.
\nThe Human Rights Council has seen growing push-back from countries including China, Russia and Iran against often Western-led efforts to hold individual countries to account for alleged violations.
\nLast month Western countries and their allies suffered a crushing defeat in the council when their attempt to simply get the issue of China\u2019s alleged widespread abuses in its Xinjiang region on the agenda was thwarted.
\nBut Iran may have a harder time blocking Thursday\u2019s resolution.
\nIt does not hold the same sway over many of the council members as Beijing does.
\nAnd while China has never even featured on the council\u2019s agenda, the body appointed a so-called special rapporteur on Iran as far back as 2011, and has voted each year since then to renew that mandate.
\nThursday\u2019s meeting will also provide a first opportunity for the new UN rights chief Volker Turk to speak before the council.
\nHe is due to open the session at 0900 GMT, followed by statements by the special rapporteur and likely representatives of Iranian civil society.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
At least 378 people, including 47 children, have been killed in the crackdown since Amini\u2019s death GENEVA The United Nations\u2019 top rights body will hold an urgent meeting this week to consider launching an international investigation into the deadly crackdown on mass protests rocking Iran. The UN Human Rights Council is due to host a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":296837,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-296818","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n