Iran Judiciary Chief Raps West’s Double Standards on Human Rights

The methods and strategies that the US and the West have adopted around the world are nothing but human rights violations, Amoli Larijani said in a ceremony to celebrate the “Islamic Human Rights and Human Dignity Day” in Tehran on Sunday.

“You can see the situation of the Yemeni people today; war crimes are being committed in the country, according to the definition of international treaties and declarations,” the cleric said.

“(The Saudi-led coalition’s) attacks on hospitals, mosques and historical sites are war crimes,” he added.

Amoli Larijani further emphasized that the self-proclaimed advocates of human rights in the West have closed their eyes on the atrocities in Yemen.

However, when it comes to the Islamic Republic, they support rioters who set fire to cars and shops in the streets under the guise of backing human rights, the judiciary chief went on to say.

During late December and early January, peaceful protests over rising prices and economic problems broke out in some Iranian cities, but the unauthorized gatherings turned violent after a number of opportunists, some of them armed, vandalized public property and launched attacks on police stations and government buildings.

Iranian security officials say they have hard evidence that the protests were directed from abroad.

They say many rioters arrested in the unrest have been trained by the MKO or had links with Takfiri terrorist groups.

Following the unrest, people held several demonstrations across the country to condemn the violent riots and acts of vandalism, and voice support for the Islamic Republic’s Establishment.

Iranian officials maintain that people have the right to stage protests to express their opinions as long as rallies comply with the legal conditions.