UN renews rights investigator in Iran another year

GENEVA (AP) — The United Nations' top human rights body has voted to renew its investigator for Iran for another year.

The U.N. Human Rights Council voted 22-5 on Thursday to extend the mandate calling for an investigator and adopt a report on Iran's human rights record.

China, Russia, Qatar, Bangladesh and Cuba opposed the move while other members of the 47-nation council abstained.

The council appointed former Maldives Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed to the new investivative position last year.

It also expressed "serious concern" at findings in Shaheed's report, such as Iran's frequent use of the death penalty and executions, including for minors, and persecution of people in religious communities unrecognized by the state.