Iran Withdrawing Bid for Seat on UN Human Rights Council?

United Nations diplomats and human rights observers are telling journalists, including Reuters and Laura Rozen of Politico, that Iran will withdraw its candidacy for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council before the 13 May vote.

Iran's attempt, coming amidst the continuing post-election crisis and allegations of abuses of justice and rights by the regime, faced a rising tide of opposition. This week, 12 prominent Iranian human rights activists had written an open letter declaring:

The Latest from Iran (23 April): Rounding Up the News

The election of Iran to the Human Rights Council would seriously jeopardize the legitimacy of the Human Rights Council, and undermine the efforts of Iranian human rights defenders.  It would belittle the sacrifices of those who have given their lives for the cause of human rights.

Comments

[Bill]

"seriously jeopardize the legitimacy of the Human Rights Council" yes it would but one needs to ask if the council is not in fact already jeopardized. Maybe we can have an actual functioning UNHRC board once this addressed for those OIC states who time and time chide others for human rights while they are in fact make up the worst of the worst human/religious rights abusers. As long as the OIC controls the UNHRC by defacto majority rest assured Isreal will occupt over 90% of the air time while issues such as Darfu are ignored. One only needs to examine the rulings over the years to see this "selective outrage" as it concerns Israel vs. rights issues in Islamic states. The grandest irony in all of this is that the OIC states have effectively blocked Islam or Sharia being discussed in the meetings despite the fact Sharia is the primary source for their legislation. Sort of hard to make progress when the Sharia laws that cannot be discussed are the actual laws used to persecute and oppress religious minorities in most Islamic states.