Tehran, 28 February 1999 (RFE/RL) -- Iran today rejected as "tendentious and unfounded" a US report on the human rights situation in the country. A foreign ministry spokesman said the U.S. human rights report on Iran proved again U.S. hostility towards Iran.
In its annual report on human rights published worldwide Friday, the US State Department gave Iran bad marks in spite of "some improvements made in a small number of areas," including freedom of expression. It says that even there was a slowdown towards the end of the year.
The foreign ministry spokesman also attacked another report on the country written by UN human rights rapporteur Maurice Copithorne, saying it "went against the facts."
In a report published in Geneva Friday, Copithorne recommended the abolition of the country's powerful cleric's court, or at least its transformation into a purely theological body.
In its annual report on human rights published worldwide Friday, the US State Department gave Iran bad marks in spite of "some improvements made in a small number of areas," including freedom of expression. It says that even there was a slowdown towards the end of the year.
The foreign ministry spokesman also attacked another report on the country written by UN human rights rapporteur Maurice Copithorne, saying it "went against the facts."
In a report published in Geneva Friday, Copithorne recommended the abolition of the country's powerful cleric's court, or at least its transformation into a purely theological body.