6Rang welcomes the UN Fact-Finding Mission report on Iran, establishing crimes against humanity, and violence against LGBT+ protesters

6Rang, 8 March 2024 – The UN Fact-Finding Mission on Iran has established that the Islamic Republic of Iran has committed a multitude of crimes against humanity during the Women, Life, Freedom protests.

In its landmark report, which was published today, the UN Mission states that the security forces used violence against the protesters based on their gender, sexual orientation, and real or perceived gender identity.

“In implementing State policy, the security forces have used persecutory conduct, including rape and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence, with the intention of discriminating against women and girls and men and boys supporting demands for gender equality and LGBTQI+ persons,” the report establishes.

In another part of the report, it is highlighted that “the authorities appear to have condoned, if not actively participated in, doxing, smear campaigns and other demeaning forms of online harassment, especially of women and others, including the LGBTQI+ community.”

6Rang welcomes the findings of the UN Mission which includes an investigation of violence against the Iranian LGBT+ community.

“The inclusion of oppression and violence directed at LGBT+ community in recent protests in such an important report, recognizes our presence in the political environment of Iran,” 6Rang Director Shadi Amin says. 

“It sends the message to all the members of the LGBT+ community who were imprisoned, subjected to sexual violence, lost their lives or were injured, that although it is not yet possible for you to have a public presence, the world hears your voice, and these documents will be used in future in our pursuit of justice,” she adds. 

In the midst of the popular uprising that took place in Iran after the death of Jina Mahsa Amini in September 2022, the UN Human Rights Council established an independent international fact-finding mission to investigate human rights violations related to the protests especially with respect to women and children. Despite Iranian authorities’ refusal to allow the Mission’s three experts entry into the country, they successfully submitted their 20-page report to the Council.

6rang had shared its research report, ‘War on Bodies and Minds: Gender Persecution of LGBTIQ+ Protestors in the Context of the 2022-23 Iran Uprising’, launched in September 2023 in Geneva, with the Fact Finding Mission. 

This report, which is based on testimonies and evidence by 70 members of the LGBT+ community in Iran, who participated in the protests, were arrested or imprisoned, establishes that these protesters faced aggravated levels of violence due to their actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression, compared to individuals who conform to societal norms. Moreover, it contends that inflammatory rhetoric endorsed by high-ranking officials of the Islamic Republic fostered an environment conducive to cold-blooded and flagrantly unaccountable crimes. 

According to the testimonies of the participants in the report, as soon as the security agents, detention centres’ authorities or the judicial authorities would notice their different gender orientation or sexual identity – from their appearance or through the inspection of the contents of their mobile phones or the interrogations of others – they made them the targets of gender-related sexual, verbal and physical violence. In some cases, participants reported sexual assault and rape during protests or while in detention.