Letter to M. Javid Rahman: Special Rapporteur of the United Nations on the Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran
On the Consequences of Air Pollution and Failure to Accept Responsibility for the Lives of Humans by the Islamic Republic of Iran
Your Excellency, M. Javid Rahman,
Special Rapporteur of the United Nations on the Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran
We are grateful for your efforts in preparing reports on the innumerable and gross violations of human rights of the Iranian people by the Islamic Republic and submitting these reports to the United Nations. Unfortunately, repression, institutionalized harassment and the killing of opponents and the ordinary people by the Islamic Republic has reached its peak and it is being carried out at an alarming rate. Iran has the highest number of executions in relation to its population in the world. We approach you to request that in addition to handling the issue of violation of human rights and disregard of citizens' rights by the Islamic Republic, you also examine the right to have clean air and a healthy environment by the people of Iran and express your view on this topic.
In April 2021, the United Nations Human Rights Council, in its Resolution 48/13, recognized the right of human beings to have a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. On 28 July 2022, the United Nations General Assembly, representing all its 193 member states, adopted Resolution A/RES/76/300 with an overwhelming vote without a single opposition. The Resolution recognizes the right to a healthy environment as a universal and fundamental right of human beings living in the world.
For years, the polluted air from improper fuel, such as mazut by industries and power stations, and the use of worn-out cars with high CO2 emissions, have endangered the health of our compatriots in big cities in Iran. The air quality index (AQI) sometimes reaches 150 to 200. As a result, people suffer from headaches, irritated and itchy eyes, itchy throat, burning nose, coughing, breathlessness, restlessness, dizziness and chronic respiratory and heart diseases. Thousands of people are hospitalized daily. Besides an increase in mortality rate, respiratory diseases and cancer, a considerable number of yearly abortions also take place. As reported by the ‘Tabnak News Website’ which has a close relationship with the government, 26 thousand citizens die every year as a result of air pollution.
Apart from the polluted air originating from improper fuel, thick dust and dust particles during the summer months make breathing and active life for Iranian citizens even more difficult. Incompetent management of water resources has led to problems such as drought, floods, dust, and drying of 90% of the lakes of the country. Before the Iran-Iraq war, the lands were mulched to prevent dust. After the war, however, this practice was abandoned. The result was an increase in dust storms in the province of Khuzestan, then in the West of Iran, and finally in almost the entire country. This summer, the dust and smog in Khuzestan alone forced 2500 citizens to go to hospital.
All of the above happens because the Islamic Republic takes no responsibility for the protection of the health and life of its citizens. Today, due to the political repression, execution and murder of the opponents coupled with disregard for the health and life of citizens, the Islamic Republic has become the biggest factor for the purposeful death of the Iranian people.
Considering the systematic violation of the “right to live” of the Iranian people by the Islamic Republic and the highly worrying prospect emerging from this policy, the ‘Hamgami Coalition for Secular and Democratic Republic in Iran’ requests Your Excellency to place this issue in your human rights agenda. We declare our readiness to provide you with a detailed report on this matter, should it be needed.
Assuring you or our highest esteem,
With best regards,
‘Hamgami Coalition for the Secular Democratic Republic in Iran’ (consisting of the following organizations):
United Republicans of Iran
The Left Party of Iran
Iran National Front-Organizations Abroad e. V.
Union for Secular Republic and Human Rights in Iran (USRHR)
25 December 2023
