HCHR_According to the website of the High Council for Human Rights (HCHR), "Kazem Gharibabadi", Vice-President of the Judiciary for International Affairs and the Secretary-General of the High Council for Human Rights, in the conference on "Reviewing the Legal Aspects of the Zionist Regime crimes in Gaza and the Palestinian Issue" which was held at Shahid Beheshti University Faculty of Law, noting that the issue of human rights in the recent events in Gaza is very thought-provoking, stated that according to international law, civilians should not be targeted in conflicts. Ha added: “During the past days, some officials of international organizations, instead of fulfilling their duties, took a superficial position and asked both sides of the conflict to show restrain, while the situation of the two sides is not the same”.
Pointing out that one side is occupying and the other is trying to enjoy its absolute right, Gharibabadi added: “Asking the same thing from both sides is a deviation. The duty of international institutions and human rights is to put pressure on the occupying party to end the occupation, not to demand for restrain. They should ask the Zionists to stop their crimes. On the other hand, Palestinians have the right to defend their lands against an occupying regime”.
Stating that after about a month and the martyrdom of about 9,000 people, an emergency human rights session of the Human Rights Council has not been held yet, Gharibabadi continued: “If the human rights mechanisms are not able to stop, right now, these current assault and crimes, then what can they do? This is while they issue numerous statements for the smallest incidents in independent countries, but now that the killing of thousands of helpless Palestinians are witnessed these days, they do not take any effective action.
Pointing out that the criticism of these mechanisms takes place on the eve of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Secretary-General of the High Council for Human Rights, emphasized: “the Palestinian people are not even able to meet their basic needs in order to continue living. Regardless of the fact that these mechanisms haven’t taken any steps to stop these crimes, the question is that couldn't they hold a session and take a stand and at least condemn the crimes of the Zionist regime?
He also reiterated: “What the Palestinian people need now is a serious measure to prevent aggression and crimes. The international community or at least a group of countries should step in and take practical measures. This is not the work of one country, different countries should be involved. Legal and judicial work in this sector should be carried out with the help of lawyers and jurists, during which, first, cases should be opened against the Zionist regime in the courts of foreign countries, and secondly, its crimes should be documented.
Gharibabadi continued: “Since 2015, a case has been opened for Palestine in the International Criminal Court, and the investigation of the Court's prosecutor has also started two years ago, but no effective action has been taken in this area”. “The court should activate this case and follow the case seriously. The Palestinian government should also pursue the crimes of the Zionist regime in the Court”, added the Secretary-General.
Dr. Gharibabadi concluded his speech, by declaring that a case has been opened in the Tehran prosecutor's office, by the order of the country's attorney general, to deal with the crimes of the Zionist regime. Noting that the government of Iran have not seen any practical and effective measures so far, he added: “the member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation should also take more and more effective measures”.