The UN General Assembly's human rights committee has criticized Iran for cracking down on dissent and for its increased use of the death penalty.

The committee on November 19 approved a nonbinding resolution drafted by Canada that expresses serious concern about rights violations in the Islamic republic.

It demanded that Tehran halt "widespread and serious restrictions, in law and in practice, on the right to freedom of expression, opinion, association, and peaceful assembly" of human rights activists and government critics.

It also noted the "alarming high frequency" of the death penalty in Iran. The continuing executions of minors puts Tehran in violation of international accords it has signed, the resolution said.

The resolution, which was passed in a 76-35 vote with 68 abstentions, will now be sent to the UN General Assembly for consideration.  

Iran's deputy ambassador to the UN, Gholam Hossein Dehghani, called the document "a selective and politicized distortion of facts."

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP