Shabtabnews In this dark night, I have lost my way – Arise from a corner, oh you the star of guidance.
Radiofarda – The United Nations has approved the accreditation of a U.S. based NGO focusing on human rights issues in Iran.
The Economic and Social Council of the U.N granted accreditation to the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center with a vote of 22-7. Belarus, China, Russia, South Africa, Venezuela, Vietnam and Iran voted against.
The Iran Human Rights Documentation Center was founded in 2004 by human rights scholars and lawyers. According to the IHRDC’s mission statement the center’s aim is to “Establish a comprehensive and objective historical record of the human rights situation in Iran.” The center is often quoted in media about information on human rights abuses in Iran.
The accreditation gives IHRDC a consultative status within the U.N. and its human rights forums.
The United States Ambassador to the U.N Nikki Haley commented on the vote saying “these votes are wins for human rights.” The application of the NGO was previously rejected in February.
Nikki Haley also noted that “Countries with abysmal human rights records should never be allowed to police NGO access, and credible NGOs should never be blocked from participating at the U.N., especially when their work sheds light on some of the world’s worst human rights abuses.”
With Reporting by AP
