It was a short statement, uttered in the dry atmosphere of an international legal forum in Geneva 10 years ago. It passed unnoticed at the time. To many New Zealanders the statement would appear uncontroversial, even self-evident. But the statement was wrong. Badly wrong. And the person who uttered those words should have known better. If she’d briefed herself properly she quite likely would have.
The statement was made by the Minister of Justice at the time, Judith Collins, on behalf of New Zealand. She was appearing before the United Nations as part of New Zealand’s regular obligation to give an account of itself and its adherence to various UN conventions. Usually New Zealand takes an approach of nothing-to-see-here nonchalance.
But in 2014 a delegate from Iran had the temerity to challenge New Zealand’s casual attitude.
“We would like to express our concern over a number of human rights issues in the country as follows.
“Ensuring safeguards to protect the rights of minorities from discrimination and marginalisation which pose them a higher risk of torture and ill-treatment.”
The Iranian delegate continued to rattle off a bunch of other concerns, such as discrimination in the justice system.
After other countries gave their views, Collins gave a response for New Zealand, which she read from prepared notes. However, she paused for emphasis and looked up from her notes when responding to Iran, singling out the allegation of torture.
“In response to Iran, I can advise that there is no state torture in New Zealand.”
The problem with this statement is that it wasn’t true.
Hellbound and Down 