Sudwind welcomes the report by the UN Secretary General on the Fund for Victims of Torture. The number of NGO’s requesting to take the floor on the Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on torture and the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders were so high that we didn’t have the opportunity to speak. Mr President On the 3rd of March, the same day as we were listening to the discussions of Panelists and the Human Right Council on preparing a space for further dialogue to clarify and discuss the legal definition of international cooperation in the field of human rights and to share experiences and good practices, the Islamic Republic of Iran officials blinded the left eye of a man based on the court order. He was sentenced to blinding both eyes, paying blood money and 10 years of jail as retribution in kind (Qesas) for throwing acid on the eyes of another man. Mr President This was the first instance of enforcing court- ordered blinding since years, since the ophthalmology doctors refused to do so. We are deeply concerned regarding the recurrence of such brutal punishments and ask all relevant Special Procedures and this distinguished Council to pursue all possible means to stop the enforcement of blinding eyes and amputation of hands and legs as a form of legal punishment. We must stop the blinding of the second eye of this convict, which is scheduled in 3 Months. Madam Pansieri, In the Islamic Republic of Iran military tribunals, as mentioned in your report, have been conducted by the Islamic Revolutionary Courts. These courts according to the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of the human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, consistently fail to meet fair trial standards. Nearly all prisoners of conscience have been convicted in Revolutionary Courts. Close to 80% of the executions in the past few years are for drug-related offenses. It is Revolutionary Courts that have tried these drug offenders, who had no right of appeal. Iranian human rights lawyers believe that the Revolutionary Courts are unconstitutional in Iran, as they were meant only to be temporary measures yet continue to operate over 36 years after the 1979 revolution.
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