Geneva, 31 May 2016 – The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned the brutal and abhorrent fogging of 35 young male and female students in Qazvin last week
after they were caught having a graduation party.
In a statement issued by the office of the UNHCR, the commissioner said: “We condemn the outrageous flogging of up to 35 young men and women in Iran last week, after they were caught holding a graduation party together in Qazvin, north of Tehran. According to the state media, the students were arrested on Thursday, interrogated and sentenced by the Prosecutor’s Office to 99 lashes each and then were flogged – all within the space of 24 hours.
Flogging is prohibited under international human rights law, in particular the Convention against Torture.
Bärbel Kofler, in charge of human rights’ affairs in the German Government, also condemned the May 30 flogging of students in Qazvin and called it a cruel and inhuman action by the mullahs’ judiciary.