By: Kayhan Int’l Staff Writer

Ahmed Shaheed, the UN special rapporteur, has once again levelled unfounded human rights allegations against Iran.
That the report is "politically-motivated” is the main focus here; what is important is that Shaheed has once again based his biased report on a political approach and in line with the goals of certain countries’ foreign policies. Hence, it fails to help improve the human rights in the world.
On the contrary, it does undermine human rights promotion at an international level, as maintained by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi. This is specially important, because Iran has had constructive cooperation with international human rights institutions and some countries in Europe within the framework of bilateral talks on human rights.
Still, Ahmed Shaheed, a former foreign minister of Maldives, has gone on and accused Iran of executing minors and tough anti-drugs laws. A few points could be said in this respect and others:
1-Despite the unsubstantiated claims, Iran doesn’t allow minors as young as nine to be executed for crimes or forced into sexual relations with older husbands. Repeat, it’s a lie to say Iran executes girls as young as nine! This has never been the case – unless Ahmed Shahid has a well-documented case to substantiate his silly claims. Under the law, young girls could marry only with the consent of their parents. There is no exception to the law. 
2-Iran doesn’t execute criminal children. Under the law, it is up to the families of those murdered to decide whether the criminal minors should remain behind bars, executed, or be forgiven and released – after paying "blood money.” The government has no say in all this, although authorities encourage forgiveness.
3-True, some journalists have been imprisoned, but not for "journalism.” It is usually for serious offences, such as libel, spying, corruption, and crossing the red lines on national security. The law is the same even in Europe and the United States. Even so, many are still pardoned, like those American "journalists” who were released recently.
4-Ahmed Shaheed is right to voice concern about the execution of prisoners for serious drug offences. However, he is wrong to claim "there is a number of draconian laws.” Some sexual offenders who are sentenced to death are serial offenders who have kidnapped, raped, and killed their victims, mostly women and young girls, with some under the age of five. Again, this matter is totally for the victims – if still alive - and their families to decide, and not for the state.
5-Ahmed Shahid claims Iran tortures its prisoners. The American prisoner spies who were released just recently made it absolutely clear that they were not ill-treated. The same goes to other prisoners – unless the UN rapporteur has some solid evidence to prove otherwise. Simply put, show your evidence and prove it in the court of law. 
6-Lest we forget, in the absence of Iran’s "draconian laws” Europe will be flooded with drugs smuggled via Iran from Afghanistan. If that’s what Ahmed Shahid wants, Europe stands to lose while Iran stands to win. If Iran decided to change policy, it would lose fewer police forces in its internationally-recognized war on drugs.
Regardless, Iran is doing everything it can to reform some of its penal laws. However, that’s not for Ahmed Shahid to decide. Into the argument, if he is truly concerned about the human rights situation and he knows "reforms are not coming,” why on earth does he still insist on keeping his job? That’s a question he should ask himself.