Iran calls for immediate investigation into Bahrain’s crackdown

TEHRAN, May 22 (MNA) – Iran’s permanent representative to the United Nations Human Rights Council Mohammad Reza Sajjadi said that Tehran strongly condemns crackdown on the Bahraini people and calls for immediate investigation into the crimes committed by the government of the country. Sajjadi made the remarks during the first day of the 13th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), which opened on Monday, May 21, and will close June 4 in Geneva. During the morning meeting, in which participants discussed the current situation of human rights in Bahrain, Sajjadi also called for an immediate release of political prisoners in the country. Commenting on the UN reports of deteriorating human rights situation in Bahrain, he censured the government’ crackdown on popular uprising and called for an immediate investigation into the issue. He also called on the Manama government to act on the advices offered by the UN and conduct a national dialogue with the participation of all groups in line with efforts to satisfy the legitimate demands of the Bahraini people. Human Rights Watch has accused Bahrain’s police of continuing to beat and torture detainees, including minors, BBC reported. According to the Human Rights Watch (HRW) report, policemen regularly take young men to secluded places and beat them for up to two hours before transferring them to a police station.