On November 3, 2023, the UN Human Rights Committee issued its findings on the Islamic Republic of Iran, Kuwait, the Republic of Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States of America, and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, after examining the six countries in its latest session. Regarding its findings on Iran, the committee wrote:
The Committee was disturbed by legal provisions that continue to discriminate against women and girls, particularly the “Support the Family by Promoting the Culture of Chastity and Hijab Bill,” which imposes severe punishments on women and girls for violations of the mandatory dress code, including up to ten years in prison and flogging. It was also concerned about the redeployment of morality police to monitor the dress code in public. It urged the State Party to reform or repeal laws and policies that criminalise non-compliance with compulsory veiling, specifically the “Bill to Support the Family by Promoting the Culture of Chastity and Hijab”. It also asked the State party to disband the morality police.
The Committee raised the alarm about the very high number of executions in the State party, including for offences eligible for death sentences but do not qualify as “most serious”, such as drug-related offences and offences against the State and religion. It also questioned the disproportionate use of the death penalty against members of minorities and the execution of minors. The Committee called upon the Islamic Republic of Iran to ensure that the death penalty is imposed only for the most serious crimes, involving intentional killing, and give due consideration to establishing a moratorium on the death penalty. It underscored that no one under the age of 18 at the time of the commission of an offence should be subjected to the death penalty under any circumstance.
