United Nations Faces Backlash Over Appointments from Iran and China
The United Nations Human Rights Council is under fire after recently electing two experts from Iran and China to its advisory committee. Critics have expressed outrage, claiming these appointments undermine the council’s credibility in promoting human rights.
Hillel Neuer, the Executive Director of UN Watch, stated, “The U.N. has put forward representatives from Beijing and Tehran as ‘human rights experts’—without any accountability. These governments are known for persecuting minorities and silencing dissent.” He emphasized that the committee, which once worked on anti-racism initiatives, now reflects the very issues it was created to combat.
Representatives from the U.N. Secretary General and the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights did not respond to inquiries immediately.
The Trump administration withdrew the United States from the council in February, with President Trump voicing concerns that the body was losing its credibility.
Orde Kittrie, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, criticized the inclusion of China’s Ren Yisheng and Iran’s Afsaneh Nadipour. He noted this represents a shift away from its original mission of promoting human rights, instead diverting attention from the worst violators.
Kittrie pointed out that Ren Yisheng has been known for defending China’s record, which includes severe human rights violations in regions like Xinjiang and Tibet. “Placing a Chinese official on a human rights committee is like asking a wolf to guard a hen house,” he remarked.
Additionally, Lawdan Bazargan, an Iranian-American human rights activist who was imprisoned in Tehran, called Nadipour a long-time supporter of Iran’s oppressive regime. Nadipour had previously dismissed international support for Iranian women’s rights as politically driven.
Bazargan further noted that during her time as Iran’s ambassador in Denmark, Nadipour’s embassy pressured women into accepting harsh divorce terms imposed by clerics.
Both U.S. political parties have recognized Iran as a major state sponsor of terrorism, highlighting extensive human rights abuses in the country. The U.S. government continues to address these deeply rooted issues.
Fox News Digital made attempts to contact Iran’s U.N. mission and the Chinese embassy in Washington D.C. for comments but did not receive a response.
