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Iran urges UN probe into Saudi sexual abuse of teens

Iran's High Council for Human Rights calls on the United Nations to investigate sexual abuse of two teenage Iranian pilgrims by Saudi officers at Jeddah airport.

Iranian Judiciary’s High Council for Human Rights has called on the United Nations to investigate the recent sexual abuse of two teenage Iranian pilgrims by Saudi officers at Jeddah airport.

In a statement published on its website, the council condemned the heinous act, adding that the harassment of the Iranian teens had been committed based on a fatwa by a Saudi sheikh and congregational prayers leader.

Such a move indicates that the Saudi cleric not only does not consider the act illegal and against Islamic teachings, but also prescribes it as authorized and acceptable, the statement added.

The council further called the act deplorable, dangerous and worrisome, urging the UN Human Rights Council to take strong measures against the abuse whether within the framework of either the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, or the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The council also urged the Saudi government to abide by its Islamic commitments toward pilgrims and honor its international obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Riyadh government needs to adopt preventive measures against not just the two perpetrators of the assault, but all those who preach and disseminate such acts, added the statement.

The council stressed that the Islamic Republic reserves the right to follow up on the sexual abuse through international mechanisms.

While performing body search on passengers at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi officers reportedly took two Iranian teenagers, aged 14 and 15, away, citing suspicion. The officers, who had sounded off the alarm at the gate, subjected the teenagers to indecent acts.

Following the incident, Iran summoned the Saudi chargé d’affaires and submitted a note of complaint to the Saudi government.

Saudi Arabia says it has arrested the two officers who sexually harassed the teenagers.

IA/MKA/SS


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