|
Trending Topics
|
Source: http://online.wsj.com/articles/the-dictators-mutual-praise-club-1415133039
The Dictators' Mutual Praise Club
(Wall Street Journal Europe) Sohrab Ahmari - At the UN Human Rights Council on Friday, it was Iran's turn to undergo its Universal Periodic Review of its rights record. The North Koreans praised the ayatollahs for making "commendable achievements in the field of political, economic, social and cultural rights." The Syrians commended Tehran for "the adoption of new laws and regulations" that allegedly promote human rights. Sudan "warmly welcomed" Iran's human-rights progress in the face of international sanctions. All this during a week when Iran executed Reyhaneh Jabbari, a 26-year-old woman convicted in 2007 for killing an Iranian intelligence officer who she said had attempted to rape her. Welcome to the crown jewel of the UN human-rights system. Of the 47 current members of the council, 23 are classified as unfree or partly free by Freedom House. Meanwhile, Israel remains the only country to be subject to a permanent agenda item, and more than half of the council's country-specific resolutions and condemnations are directed at the Jewish state.