UANI Calls on InterContinental Hotels Group to Reverse Decision to Host Iranian Delegation During Human Rights Council Meeting in Geneva

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2012
Contact: Nathan Carleton,
[email protected]
Phone: (212) 554-3296

 

UANI Calls on InterContinental Hotels Group to Reverse Decision to Host Iranian Delegation During Human Rights Council Meeting in Geneva

 

New York, NY - On Tuesday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) called on the InterContinental Hotels Group to reverse its decision to host Iran's delegation during this month's meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva, Switzerland.

 

UANI recently learned of InterContinental's decision, which comes as Ahmed Shaheed, UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran, released a new report which found that Iran executed 670 individuals last year, including ethnic minorities, juveniles, and homosexuals.

 

In a letter sent March 13, 2012 to Richard Solomons, CEO of InterContinental, UANI CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, wrote:

 

It is unacceptable that a luxury hotel would agree to host the regime in such opulent accommodations, particularly as the international community works to economically and diplomatically isolate the Iranian regime for its illicit nuclear program, egregious human rights violations and state sponsorship of terrorism.

While Iran may be permitted to attend international organization events in such cities like Geneva, there is no basis for one of the world's leading hotel groups to provide this oppressive regime accommodations. Simply put, Iranian regime representatives may stay within the confines of Iran's embassies or in the case of Geneva, the Permanent Mission of Iran to the UN. This would not be out of the norm.   

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Unfortunately, rather than take these charges seriously, the Iranian regime has rejected Shaheed as incompetent and dismissed the report as a set of fabrications based on statements by "terrorists" and the Iranian Foreign Minister Salehi made the dubious statement before the HRC that Iran has the best human rights record in the Muslim world.   

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By hosting the Iranian regime the InterContinental once again runs the risk of grave reputational harm. In 2009, the InterContinental received widespread scorn for hosting the Iranian President Ahmadinejad while he attended the UNGA.  In 2010, the InterContinental committed to refuse to host the regime at the UNGA.  For the InterContinental to fail on that commitment and host the regime in Geneva is regrettable and UANI will continue to demand that the InterContinental fulfill its commitment and abide by the global movement to economically isolate the Iranian regime. UANI is prepared to launch a worldwide campaign and boycott of the InterContinental if it persists in this behavior. Please confirm that you will no longer host the Iranian regime in Geneva or elsewhere.

 

In 2009, InterContinental hosted Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at The Barclay New York during the UN General Assembly, a decision which brought The Barclay a great deal of negative publicity. In 2010, InterContinental committed to refuse to host President Ahmadinejad.

 

UANI has requested a response by March 16, 2012.  

 

Click here to read UANI's full letter to the InterContinental Hotels Group.

Click here to send a message to Intercontinental.
Click here to visit UANI's Hotels Campaign page.

Click here to read the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran.

 

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