Canada on Wednesday welcomed the cancellation by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc) of Iran’s membership in a committee on women’s rights in retaliation for months of social protests in the country over worsening women’s rights.
Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly has stated that Ottawa will not allow the Iranian authorities to undermine women’s rights.
«To the Iranian people: the regime is not listening, but we are. With our partners, we voted to remove Iran from the UN Commission on the Status of Women,» Joly said via her Twitter social network profile.
«Canada will hold the regime accountable. We will not allow it to undermine women’s rights,» Canada’s chief diplomat added.
The Ecosoc approved Wednesday to cancel Iran’s membership in retaliation for the crackdown on protests, according to a decision presented by the U.S. delegation.
«My delegation categorically rejects the resolution adopted today. It is based on fictitious allegations against the Islamic Republic of Iran,» the Iranian representative explained, adding that the decision undermines the principles of the UN Charter.
To date, the Iranian authorities have executed two people convicted for their role in the demonstrations, sparking criticism from the international community, which has called on Tehran to commute these sentences and put an end to the repression of the demonstrations.
