Watchdog

A United Nations human rights envoy has urged Tehran to address human rights issues highlighted in a UN report.

Ahmed Shaheed, the UN's special rapporteur on Iran, said the report and its recommendations were aimed at helping to improve the human rights situation in the country.

Shaheed told RFE/RL that the sooner Tehran "begins to see these reports are designed to help the government and the people, the sooner they begin to address the challenges the country faces."

Iran has dismissed the report, saying it's based on Western norms and fails to take Iran's Islamic culture into consideration.

Tehran in June urged the UN to review the report.

The March 13 report highlighted a rise in executions, pressure on minorities, and the lack of independence of Iran's judiciary.

For his report, Shaheed interviewed more than 100 rights defenders, lawyers, and members of ethnic and religious minorities inside and outside of Iran.

Rights group Amnesty International has called for the immediate release of Azerbaijani human rights activist Leyla Yunus amid reports her health has been rapidly deteriorating.

Amnesty said in an August 12 statement that authorities have refused to provide Yunus with medical assistance or medication for diabetes and kidney disease.

The group said Yunus has been complaining of pains and weakness but that prison authorities have refused to hospitalize her.

Yunus, a 57-year-old fierce critic of Azerbaijan's poor rights record, was arrested on July 30. She was charged with high treason, spying for Armenia, illegal business activities, documents forgery, and fraud.

Her husband, Arif Yunus, 59, was also reportedly arrested on August 5, charged with treason and fraud, and put under police surveilance.

Amnesty called for the couple to be "immediately and unconditionally" released and for Leyla Yunus to be given urgent medical treatment.