"This is just a joke" - Martina Navratilova on Iran's appointment as chair of UN Human Rights forum
Martina Navratilova opposed Iran's appointment as the chair of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) social forum, scheduled to take place on Thursday, November 2.
In May, Vaclav Balek, the president of the UN Human Rights Council, announced that Ali Bahreini, Ambassador and Permanent Representative for Iran, would chair the forum, which aims to highlight the contribution of science, technology, and innovation to the promotion of human rights.
The appointment generated significant backlash and triggered widespread international protests due to Iran's history of oppression, torture, and violence against its own citizens.
In response to the criticsm, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell justified the decision by stating that the chairmanship rotates among regions, making Iran's appointment consistent with "established UN procedures."
However, research by UN Watch, an NGO that monitors the United Nations, found that the Asian group, which includes Iran, has held the position four times within the last six years, disrupting the rotation among the other regional groups.
Martina Navratilova reacted to the news on social media and expressed her disapproval of Iran's appointment as the chair, describing it as a "joke."
"And this is just a joke...," Martina Navratilova posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Martina Navratilova backs separation of church and state; denounces Oklahoma official's push for teaching Bible in schools
Martina Navratilova recently voiced her opposition to Ryan Walters, the Oklahoma superintendent of public instruction, for his endorsement of teaching the Bible in public schools.
In an appearance on Fox News in July, Walters emphasized the Bible's role as a "foundational document" in the nation's history. He also highlighted the importance of understanding the significance of religious freedom.
"The reality is, is the Bible is a foundational document in our country's history. Read the founders, read their letters, listen to what these men and women said about why founding a country with the freedom of religion, the free exercise of religion was so important," he said.
Additonally, he advocated for the reintegration of the Bible into the school curriculum.
"So you actually want to put, not put the Bible in schools, but teach from the Bible in schools, which is something which I think the Supreme Court ruled against many, many years ago," he added.
Navratilova reshared a clip of the interview on social media and expressed her disagreement with Walters' views.
"No we, don't. It's called separation of Church and State," she posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Navratilova recently also criticized Fox News journalist Jesse Watters for his anti-Palestine stance amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.