Experts accuse Iran of rights violations in shooting down Ukraine airlines flight
Agnes Callamard, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, and Javaid Rehman, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the country, have consistently expressed concern over the 8 January 2020 incident.
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🇮🇷 #Iran committed multiple human rights violations in shooting down #Ukraine International Airlines flight #PS752 and in the aftermath of the deadly attack – UN experts. Read more:
UN Special Procedures
UN_SPExperts
February 23, 2021
Flight PS752 was heading from Tehran to Kiev when it was struck down by two missiles fired by the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), killing all 176 people on board.
Iran said the military personnel mistook the civilian aircraft for a US key10596 missile.
The key10598 strike took place in the context of heightened tensions following the targeted killing of General Qasem Soleimani, a top Iranian official, by the United States, and Iran's subsequent retaliations on US bases in Iraq, where he was killed.
Following a six-month inquiry, Ms. Callamard wrote to the Iranian Government last December. key10602 outlining observations and circumstances surrounding the strike. She said she has yet to receive a response.
The letter remained confidential for 60 days, in line with the Human Rights Council’s policy on communications to States, and was published on Tuesday.
Her letter concluded that the Iranian authorities violated the right to life of the passengers and key10599 crew onboard the plane.
Avoidable deaths
“In situations of high military tension, the most effective means to prevent attacks on civil aviation is to close the airspace", she said. “Had Iran, knowing full well that hostilities with the US could readily escalate, closed its airspace for civilian traffic that evening, 176 human beings key10601 would not have been killed.”
She key10591 key10605 key10594 said Iran’s explanations for key10603 downing the flight present many inconsistencies and contradictions.
“The inconsistencies in the official explanations seem designed to create a maximum of confusion and a minimum of clarity. They seem contrived to mislead and bewilder," she wrote.
‘Reckless disregard’
“As for the mistakes that have key10592 been admitted, they suggest at minimum a reckless disregard for standard procedures and for the principles of precaution, which should have been implemented to the fullest given key10595 the circumstances and the location of the missile unit in the proximity of a civilian airfield.”
Ms. Callamard and Mr.Rehman were among
kw rolex datejust 116203ssj mens 36mm silver tone silver dial a group of independent experts who also key10593 wrote to the Iranian authorities last February, expressing key10604 concern over the use of force in protests that followed the attack.
In his latest report to the Human Rights Council, Mr. Rehman has also raised concerns over harassment of families of the victims of Flight PS752, including death threats.
Special key10597 Rapporteurs are not UN staff, nor are they paid by the Organization. They are appointed by the UN key10600 Human Rights Council to monitor and advise on specific country situations or thematic issues.