well as long prison sentences.36 37 As of January 2021, the Islamic Republic of Iran has not engaged in investigations consistent with international standards into the reported incidents that occurred during and after the 2019 November protests.38 Despite the existence of several mechanisms that ostensibly accept complaints regarding violations of citizens' rights, such as the Article 90 Commission of the parliament (established based on Article 90 of the Constitution, offering a mechanism to citizens to file complaint against any of the three branches of power) and the Oversight Bodies for the exercise of Citizenship Rights in the country's provincial courts, there is no evidence to suggest that complaints to these bodies are independently reviewed and investigated.39 In light of the above, the rights enunciated under Articles 19, 21 and 22 cannot be exercised without any limitations or restrictions other than those provided for in the ICCPR in the Islamic Republic of Iran. C. The right to take part and have access to public life (Article 25) should be exercised without any limitations or restrictions other than those provided for the Covenant. Article 19 of the Constitution guarantees that all people enjoy equal rights, “whatever the ethnic group or tribe to which they belong” and that “color, race, language, and the like, do not bestow any privilege”. However, the Constitution omits an explicit provision recognizing religion or belief as a protected characteristic. Article 20 of the Constitution states that “All citizens of the country, both men and women, equally enjoy the protection of the law and enjoy all human, political, economic, social, and cultural rights, in conformity with Islamic criteria”. Additionally, Article 23 of the Constitution stipulates that “the investigation of individuals’ beliefs is forbidden, and no one may be molested or taken to task simply for holding a certain belief”. 40 Despite these legal safeguards, the rights of ethnic and religious minorities are not fully protected under Iranian law. Notably, representation and participation in public affairs by members of ethnic nationalities or religious minorities is limited. For instance, the Iranian Constitution places religious requirements on certain high-ranking positions. The President, the Supreme Leaders, 36 “November Protests; the details of the case of three prisoners who were sentenced to death,” HRANA.5 March 2020. https://www.enhrana.org/november-protests-the-details-of-the-case-of-three-prisoners-who-were-sentenced-to-death 37 See more: Article 19, Small Media, Human Rights Activists in Iran, Impact Iran https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=INT%2fCCPR%2fICS%2fIRN%2f42315 &Lang=en 38 Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, July 2020, https://documentsdds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N20/190/27/PDF/N2019027.pdf?OpenElement 39 Joint submission to the Human Rights Committee, Abdorrahman Center, Iran Human Rights Documentation Center (IHRDC), Impact Iran and Human Rights Activists in Iran, 2020, https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=INT%2fCCPR%2fICS%2fIRN%2f42313 &Lang=en 40 The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, English translation, https://irandataportal.syr.edu/wpcontent/uploads/constitution-english-1368.pdf 5