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10 Int'l J. Soc. Sci. Stud. 97 (2022)
Iran's Human Rights Record Follows Downward Spiral

handle is hein.journals/ijsoctu10 and id is 444 raw text is: International Journal of Social Science Studies Vol. 10, No. 4; July 2022 ISSN 2324-8033 E-ISSN 2324-8041 Published by Redfame Publishing URL: http://ijsss.redfame.com Iran's Human Rights Record Follows Downward Spiral Shaul M. Gabbay1 1 Global Research Institute, Denver, CO, United States Correspondence: Shaul M. Gabbay, Global Research Institute, Denver, CO, United States. Received: June 10, 2022 Accepted: July 11, 2022 Available online: July 11, 2022 doi:10.11114/ijsss.v10i4.5634 URL: https://doi.org/10.11114/ijsss.vlOi4.5634 Abstract Officially, Iran is an Islamic Republic; in practice, the government is totalitarian in nature. Since the time a revolution swept the country in 1979 and removed the ruling monarchy, a heavy blanket of oppression and religiosity has constrained the population. Although the majority of Iranians chose to overthrow the preceding government, a monarchy, its replacement by an Islamic clergy quickly morphed into an overlord, responsible for the death of some 8,000 political opponents during their first five years in power. Freedoms long enjoyed in the Persian Empire dried up overnight, leaving an eighty-three million strong population living in a straitjacket that defies the very morality it claims to live by. Repression quickly became widespread, resulting in a loss of freedom or the ability to change governments, leave home without a head covering (hjab) for women, oppose government actions or decisions, enable change and the like. Minorities suffer most and have the least ability to change their reality. Gay men and women live in utter fear, and often denial. The application of torture is well documented and increasingly brutal. The downward trajectory of human rights is increasing at a fast pace, and protests are on the rise. Some studies suggest signs that a deep and widening swath of Iranian public has had enough, and another revolution is on the horizon. Until then, however, repression continues to be the order of the day. Foreign governments and other entities of influence must hold Iran accountable for its increasingly horrific record on human rights. Keywords: Iran, human rights, torture, minority, LGBTQ, repression, protestors 1. Introduction 1.1 Iran's Blatant Disregard for Human Rights International human rights law as codified by the United Nations and agreed to by its 193 members is a broad and comprehensive body of law covering civil, cultural, economic, political, and social rights. (United Nations, 2022). While global adherence to this code is flawed and perilously uneven in countries worldwide, few governments disregard its tenets more blatantly than the Islamic Republic of Iran. As recently as 2019, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution condemning the Iranian government it for its massive human rights violations, specifically mentioning discrimination against women, arbitrary arrests, and violations of rights of religious and ethnic minorities. (Iran International, 2020) 1.2 Torture and Killing ofInnocent by Government Actors That language is weak tea and woefully incomplete compared to the reality of the situation as documented by scores of government state departments, respected watchdog agencies, and international journalists. Their reporting documents the Iranian government's application of extreme violence, including the use of torture and deadly force against the groups named above as well as against activists, political opponents, members of the LGBTQ community, members of the media, and many others. The US State Department is forthcoming in its annual reports, citing a host of egregious actions perpetrated, condoned, or allowed by government authorities. Highlights include arbitrary killings by the government; torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment by government actors; life-threatening prison conditions; unlawful recruitment of children; inability of citizens to change their government peacefully through free and fair elections; lack of accountability for violence against women; trafficking in persons; crimes involving violence targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex persons; and the worst forms of child labor. (US State Department, 2021) 1.3 Human Rights Record Worsening Most concerning is the continued downward trajectory of Iran's human rights record over several years. Worsening the 97

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