U.N. rights rapporteur condemns harassment of journalists in Iran

Asma Jahangir speaks during a news conference in Islamabad January 25, 2007. REUTERS/Mian Khursheed/Files

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A U.N. special rapporteur on human rights said on Thursday there had been little change in the situation in Iran over the past year, voicing deep outrage over the harassment of journalists and adding that progress on women's rights was extremely slow.

A day after submitting her report to the world body, Asma Jahangir, the U.N. special rapporteur on the Iran rights situation, told reporters that torture was widespread in Iran and that some people were imprisoned for seeking justice.

Jahangir said she did not attempt to assess the impact of sanctions on human rights in Iran in her report because she had not been allowed to visit the country, which does not recognize her mandate.

(Reporting by David Alexander; Editing by Susan Heavey)