Human Rights

U.N. condemns Iranian crackdown, sets up probe of human rights abuses against women and children

The U.N. human rights body's special session was called because of Tehran's violence response to the widespread protests over 22-year-old Mahsa Amini's death while in the custody of the morality police for violating an Islamic dress code.

, and John Heilprin

November 24, 2022 . 9:55 PM

3 min read

Protests triggered by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in Iran (AN/Taymaz Valley)

An independent fact-finding mission will be established by the U.N. Human Rights Council after a vote to condemn Iran's crackdown on peaceful protesters in the wake of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini's death two months ago while in police custody.

The 47-nation council voted 25-6 to approve a resolution by Germany and Iceland on Thursday to condemn the violence in Iran and set up a probe of abuses against women and children. Armenia, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Pakistan and Venezuala opposed the measure, and 16 other nations abstained.

The United Nations human rights body's special session is a response to Tehran's violence response to the protests that began in mid-September over Amini's death while in the custody of the morality police for violating an Islamic dress code. The protests have since expanded to all of Iran's 31 provinces, including 150 cities.

The crackdown on those protests has led to the killing of at least 426 people and arrests of more than 17,400 people, according to the advocacy group Human Rights Activists in Iran.