A/RES/42/135 GA

226 (;eneral Assembly-Forty-second Session widest possible protection and assistance should be ac- corded to the family, which ¡., l he natural and fundamen- tal group unit of society, Recalling a/so the Declaration on Social Progres~ and Development, 14 which provides that thc family, as a basic unit ofsociety and the natural environment for the growth and well-being of ali its members, particularly children and youth, should be assistcd and protected so that it may fully assume its responsibilities within thc community, Convinced ofthe urgency ofmeeting the d1verse needs of the family, both as a beneficiary of anda-. an active partici- pan! in the development process, Recognizing the necessity of consolidating the efforts of all States in carrying out specific programmes concerning the family, in which the United Nations may have an im- portan! role to play, Aware of the international consensus on the importancc of the role of the family as an agent of positive change in society, Recalling Economic and Social Council resolutions 1983/23 of 26 May 1983 and 1985/29 of 29 May 1985, Convinced that appropriate measures should be taken at the local, national, regional and international levels to mobilize efforts on behalf of the family, Recalling, in this connection, its dccision 35/424 of 5 December 1980 and Economic and Social Council reso- lution 1980/67 of 25 J uly I 980 concerning the guidelines for international years and anniversaries, 1. Invites all States to make their views known con- cerning the possible proclamation of an international year of the family and to offer their comments and proposab thereon to the Secretary-General before 30 April 1988; 2. Requests the Secretary-Gcncral to submit to the General Assembly at its forty-third session a comprehen- sive report, based on the comments and proposals of Member States, on the possible proclamation of such a year and other ways and means to improve the position and well-being of the family and intcnsify international co- operation as part of global efforts to advancc social pro- gress and development; 3. Decides to consider that report and to take appro- priate decisions thereon at its forty-third session, under an item ofthe provisional agenda entitled "Familics in the de- velopment process". 93rd plenary meellng 7 December /()87 42/135. Question of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Afghanistan The General Assembly, Guided by the principies embodied in the Charter of the United Nations, thc Universal Declaration of Human Rights,2 the International Covcnants on Human Rights 1' and the humanitarian rules set out in the Geneva Conven- tions of 12 August 1949,1"1 Aware ofits responsibility to promotc and encourage re- spect for human rights and fundamental freeJoms for ali and resolved to remain vigilant with regard to violations of human rights wherever they occur. Emphasizing the obligation of ali Govcrnments to rc- spect and protect human rights and to fulfil the rcspon- ,ibilities they havc assumed under various international mstruments, Recalling Commission on Human Rights resolution 1984/55 of 15 March 1984,59 in which the Commission expres5ed its conccrn and anxiety at the continuing pres- ence of foretgn forces in Afghanistan, as well as Economic and Social Council resolution 1984/37 of 24 May 1984, in which the Counctl requested the Chairman of the Com- mission on Human Rights to appoint a special rapporteur to examine the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Recalling a/so Commission 011 Human Rights resol11- 1ions 1985/38 of 13 March 198560 and 1986/40 of 12 March 1986,61 Recalling further Economic and Social Council deci- ,1011s 19851147 of .10May 1985 and 1986/136 of23 May 1986, Recalling its resolutions 40/137 of 13 December 1985 and 41/158 of 4 Dccember 1986, Taking note of Commission 011 Human Rights resolu- tion 1987 /58 of 11 March 198726 and Economic a11d So- cial Council decision 1987/151 of 29 May 1987, by which the Council approved the Commission's decision to ex- tend for 011e year the mandate of the Special Rapporteur 011 the question of human rights and fundamental free- doms in Afghanistan, Having carefully examined the interim report of the Spe- cial Rapporteur 011 the situation of human rights in Af- ghanistan, 154 in which, while it is recognized that therc have been sorne improvements in the human rights situa- tion in Afghanistan, continuing grave and massive viola- tions of fundamental human rights in that country are re- vcaled, Recognizing that a situation of armed conflict continues to exist in Afghamstan, leaving large numbers of victims without protection or assistance, and that the conti11ua- tion of the conflict increases the seriousness of the gross and systematic violatio11s ofhuman rights already existing m the cou11try, Welcoming the resumption of sorne of the activitics of the International Committee ofthe Red Cross in Afghani- ,ta11 in the field of medica! assistance, 1. Commends the efforts of the Special Rapporteur to fulfil his mandate and takes note of his interim report on tbc situatinn of human rights in Afghanistan; ' Welcomes thc co-operation that the Afghan authori- tics havc begun to extcnd to the Commission 011 Human Rights by permitting its Special Rapporteur access to facilities for conducting his investigation when he visited Afghanistan from .10 July to 9 August 1987; 3. Expresses its deep distress and continuing alarm at thc continued violations of the right to life, liberty and ~ecurity of person, as well as of the right to freedom of ex- prcssion, freedom of assembly, freedom of movement and freedom of association reported by the Special Rappor- teur; 4. Expresses it.\ deep concern about the large number of persons detained without due process oflaw for seeking to excrcise their fundamental human rights and their deten- rion under conditions co11trary to internationally recog- nized mínimum standards, while noting a reduction in thc number of political prisoners and the releasc of sorne pri~- ,mers as a result nf limited amncsties; ~- .Votes with great co11cern that such widesprcad viola- 11< ms nf human rights. which havc airead y caused mi Ilion~ \'l. Resolutions adopted on the reports of lhe Third Committee 227 ----- - --- ---- -- ----- - - ---- of people to flee their homes and country, continue to cause large flows of refugees ami displaced persons: 6. Expresses once again its deep concern that the Af- ghan authorities, with heavy support from foreign troops, are acting with great severity against t heir opponents and suspected opponents, in a manner contravening humanitarian law and without any respect for the interna- tional human rights ohligations that they have assumed; 7. Expresses its grave concern al t he intensification of the armed conflict, which is causing death and material destruction, Jeading to acts of hrutality and to maltreat- ment of prisoners ami which, in particular, has severe consequences for the civilian population, with rising num- bers of wounded and dead as well as the destruction of houses, mosques, livestock and crops; 8. A/so expresses its grave concern, in particular, at the severe consequences for the civilian population of indis- criminate bombardments and military operations primarily directed against villages and the agricultura! structure; 9. Continues to note with great concern that the educa- tional system <loes not appear to respcct the liberty of par- ents to ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their own traditions and con- victions; 10. Calls once again upon thc parties to the conflict, in order to alleviate the suffering of the people of Afghani- stan, to apply fully the principies and rules of international humanitarian law and to co-operate fully and effectively with international humanitarian organizations, in particu- lar to facilitate the protection activities of the Interna- tional Committee of the Red Cross; 11. Urges the authorities in Afghanistan to co-operate fully with the Commission on Human Rights and its Spe- cial Rapporteur, in particular by permitting the Special Rapporteur access to ali the places he wishes to visit; 12. Requests the Secretary-General to give ali neces- sary assistance to the Special Rapporteur; 13. Decides to keep under consideration, during its forty-third session, the question of human rights and fun- damental freedoms in Afghanistan in order to examine this question anew in the light of additional elements pro- vided by the Commission on Human Rights and the Eco- nomic and Social Council. 93rd plenary meeting 7 December 1987 42/136. Situation of human rights in the Islamic Repub- lic of Iran The General Assembly, Guided by the principies embodied in the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights2 and the International Covenants on Human Rights, 13 Reaffirming that ali Member States have an obligation to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms and to fulfil the obligations they have under- taken under the various international instruments in this field, Recalling its pertinent resolutions, as well as the resolu- tions of the Commission on Human Rights and the Sub- Commission on Prevcntion of Discrimination and Protec- tion of Minorities, Takmg note, in particular, of Commission on Human Rights rcsolution 1987/55 of 11 March 1987,26 in which the Commission decided to extend the mandate ofits Spe- cial Representative for one year and requested him to sub- mit an interim report to the General Assembly at its forty- second ,ession on the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the situation of minonty groups such as the Baha'is and on new elements contained in his report to the Commission at its forty- third session, 155 for example, the allegations of violations affecting the medica! profession, and to submit a final re- por1 to the Commission at its forty-fourth session, Taking note of the opinion of the Special Representative that legal obligations and commitments on human rights do nnt foresce or admit of partial acceptance of instru- ments that have been conceived, drafted and adopted as a unified, coherent and complete set of norms, Nottng the opinion of the Special Representa ti ve that the persons appearing before him described violations of which they were truly victims and that their declarations wcre ,.·onvincing, Taking note of the Special Representative's view that the partial co-operation he received in 1986 from the Govern- ment of the Islamic Republic of lran had improved, through both documents and personal contacts, and that, therefore, there are grounds to hope that it may improve further in the months preceding the presentation of the fi- nal report, Concerned, none the less, at the Special Representative's conclusion that the co-operation extended to him has not reached the leve] that thc General Assembly and the Com- mission on Human Rights have consistently requested in the rcsolutions concerning this matter, 1 Takes note with appreciation ofthe interim report of the Special Representative and the considerations and the observations contained therein; 156 2. Notes that the Special Representative observes that the problem concerning the medica] profession appears to have heen solved; 3. Welcomes the pardoning of prisoners and shares the Special Representative's hope that this may be the first stage of a process leading to a general amnesty for political pnsoners; 4. Again expresses its deep concern about the numerous and detailed allegations of grave human rights violations in the Islamic Republic of Iran to which the Special Rep- resentative has referred in his report and, in particular, those related to the right to life, the right to freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or pun- ishment, the right to liberty and security of person and to freedom from arbitrary arrest or detention, the right to a fair tria!, the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and to freedom of expression, and the right of reli- gious minorities to profess and practise their own religion; 5. Expresses its grave concern, in particular, that al- t hough the Special Representative indicates that the num- ber of alleged violations of the right to life has diminished over the past two years, according to information made available to him, sorne one hundred persons were alleged to have been executed in the period October 1986-September 1987 hecause of their political and reli- gious convictions; 6. Expresses its deep concern at allegations that mal- treatment and torture, both physical and psychological, 11, See E/CN.4; 1987 /23 !\o ,\142/648, annex.

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