A/RES/54/177
Page 2
1. Welcomes the interim report of the Special Representative of the Commission on Human Rights
on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran;4
2. Also welcomes the stated commitment of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to
promote the rule of law, including the elimination of arbitrary arrest and detention, and to reform the legal
and penitentiary system and bring it into line with international human rights standards in this field;
3. Further welcomes the continued public debate in the Islamic Republic of Iran on issues of
governance and human rights, encourages further efforts to ensure freedom of opinion, of the press and of
cultural activities, and also welcomes the support given by the Government to the development of nongovernmental organizations;
4. Welcomes the progress in democracy achieved by the holding of local elections in the Islamic
Republic of Iran in February 1999, trusts that the forthcoming elections to the Majlis will be held with full
respect for due democratic process, and calls upon the Government to continue its efforts towards
strengthening democracy and the holding of free and fair elections;
5. Also welcomes the needs assessment mission undertaken by the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights to the Islamic Republic of Iran at the invitation of the Government, as well
as the invitation by the Government to the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances to
visit the country, and expresses the hope that the visit will take place soon;
6. Further welcomes the efforts undertaken by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to
investigate the cases of disappearances and killings of intellectuals and political activists, and calls upon the
Government to continue its efforts to investigate the cases fully in due process of law and to bring the
perpetrators to justice;
7. Takes note with interest of the gradual increase in the presence of women in public life in the
Islamic Republic of Iran and the efforts made by the Government in this regard, expresses its concern at the
continued discrimination in law and in practice against women, and calls upon the Government to take
further measures to ensure the full and equal enjoyment by women of their human rights;
8. Also takes note with interest of the focus of the Islamic Human Rights Commission on the human
rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran, and expresses the hope that the Commission will align itself
with the 1993 principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of
human rights;5
9. Expresses its concern at continuing threats by the 15 Khordad Foundation to the life of Salman
Rushdie, including the increase in the bounty announced by the Foundation after the assurance given by the
Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran in New York in September 1998, and welcomes the assurance
given by the Government that it has no intention of taking any action whatsoever to threaten the life of
Mr. Rushdie and those associated with his work or of encouraging or assisting anyone to do so, and that it
dissociates itself from any reward offered in this regard and does not support it;
4
See A/54/365.
5
Resolution 48/134, annex.
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