Statement of the campaign to stop honor killings on occasion December 10, International Day of Human Rights
On the 10 December 1948, the United Nations ratified the “International Declaration of Human
Rights” in which for the first time it reiterated the equal rights of all human beings. This Declaration
named as the “International Day of Human Rights” was a huge achievement for humanity as it
affirmed the rights and freedoms of mankind.
The Declaration consists of 30 articles, in which it states that all humans must equally enjoy the civil,
cultural, economic, political and social rights. Today, one of the most challenging issues among
nations is the implementation of equal rights of citizens. Totalitarian regimes all over the world
abuse the rights of minorities, women, children and the LGBT groups despite declaring otherwise.
On the eve of the 74 th anniversary of of the International Day of Human Rights, the world witnesses
increasing state violence in Iran against women, the youth and ethnic groups, who have come on the
streets to demonstrate their objection to the abuse of their basic rights.
After the murder of Mahsa Amini, the young Kurdish girl by the morality police for not having proper
Hejab , the on-going demonstrations against this brutal murder has been faced with bullets,
detention and police brutality. So far, the names of 69 children and over 469 adults killed on the
streets have been registered. The children have mainly been killed by direct military bullets.
Thousands of demonstrators have been detained without trace, among whom are civil rights
activists, journalists and university students.
Honor-based murders are also committed in Iran without impunity. The latest victim was a young
woman, whose father murdered her and offered her body to the tribal chief as a token of preserving
the “honor” of the tribe. Although Iran was one of the first signatories of the Human Rights
Declaration, Iran is among the 4 remaining countries which has not ratified the Convention Against
Violence On Women. Also, Iran has not approved of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The rights of the LGBT groups are ignored and they suffer multiple discrimination and abuse by the
society as well as within the family.
On the 10 December, the International Day of Human Rights, the Campaign to Stop Honor Killings in
Iran reaffirms that “the Rights of Women is Human Rights”. The laws which support and enforce
traditions, beliefs and customs and deny the basic of equality of all humans , men and women must
be abolished and replaced by equal-based laws.
On the International Day of Human Rights, we call on all human rights advocates to call on their
governments to make the human rights issue a priority and incorporate its elements in laws and
practices.
Campaign to Stop Honor Killings in Iran 2022
