A/HRC/25/26 I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 68/184, in which the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to report to it at its sixty-ninth session, and to submit an interim report to the Human Rights Council at its twenty-fifth session. The report provides information on progress made in the implementation of resolution 68/184, focusing on the concerns identified in the resolution, while also highlighting issues affecting economic, social and cultural rights. 2. The report draws upon observations made by the United Nations treaty monitoring bodies, the special procedures of the Human Rights Council, various United Nations entities and international non-governmental organizations. It also refers to information from official State media. 3. Since the latest report of the Secretary-General to the General Assembly (A/68/377), the Government has taken some commendable steps in the area of human rights. These include the release of high-profile political prisoners who had been arrested following the 2009 post-election unrest; the reinstatement of some university students and lecturers who had been banned from higher education for their alleged role in the above-mentioned unrest; and the drafting of a Citizens’ Rights Charter for public consultation. The Government also made pledges regarding the elimination of discrimination against women and ethnic minorities and the promotion of freedom of expression. 4. The Islamic Republic of Iran engaged productively with the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which reviewed the country’s second periodic report in May 2013. Unfortunately, the Government has not engaged substantively with the special procedures of the Human Rights Council. No mandate holder, including the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, has been admitted to the country since 2005, and the number of replies to the large amount of communications transmitted by the special procedures remains very low. 5. The United Nations human rights mechanisms continue to raise concerns about amputations, floggings, increased application of the death penalty, arbitrary detention and unfair trials. Freedom of expression remains curtailed, with a large number of journalists still in prison and social media being blocked. Human rights defenders and women’s rights activists continue to face arrest and persecution. Women are subject to discrimination, entrenched both in law and in practice. Discrimination against minority groups persists, in some cases amounting to persecution. Lack of access to timely and appropriate health care in prisons remains an issue. II. Overview of the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran A. Civil and political rights 6. The international community, including the Secretary-General of the United Nations, greeted the high turnout in the June 2013 elections. The process was, however, marred by the disqualification of a large number of candidates, including all women candidates, the reported intimidation of political activists, journalists, trade unionists and student activists, and restrictions on freedom of expression.1 The President made pledges 1 A group of special procedures mandate holders expressed serious concerns about the large-scale disqualification of candidates, including all women by the Guardian Council, which vets presidential candidates. Of the 686 individuals registered, only 8 were approved. 3