Iran accuses Canada of torture and racism

Undiplomatic exchange part of sparring over rights abuses since death of Zahra Kazemi
September 15, 2007 Olivia WardFOREIGN AFFAIRS REPORTER

Canada and Iran sparred yesterday at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, as Tehran slapped back Ottawa's accusations of boosted executions and ill treatment of women with its own allegations of rights violations.

Canada's envoy John Von Kaufmann said that Iran's "deteriorating human rights situation" contravened its international and domestic obligations, citing "treatment of women as second-class citizens" and suppression of peaceful demonstrations for women's rights. The complaints were echoed by those of the European Union. But Iran's envoy, A. Eshragh Jahromi, said that Canada should have its own record scrutinized.

"Human rights violations include social exclusion policies, blatant racism and racial discrimination, police brutality, unlawful detention, torture and deaths in custody, violence against women and children and indigenous people, who are being treated as second class ... by the Canadian government," Jahromi said.

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