Concluding Observation Human Rights Committee CCPR/C/IRN/CO/3 para 26 Full recommendation: The State party should ensure that the right to freedom of assembly and association is guaranteed to all individuals without discrimination, and release immediately and unconditionally anyone held solely for the peaceful exercise of this right, including students, teachers, human rights defenders (including women’s rights activists), lawyers and trade unionists. The State party should also ensure the prompt, effective, and impartial investigation of threats, harassment, and assault on members of these groups, and, when appropriate, prosecute the perpetrators of such acts. The State party should also withdraw its draft Bill on the Establishment and Supervision of Non-Governmental Organisations, which would establish a Supreme Committee Supervising Non-Governmental Organisations’ Activities, chaired by the Interior Ministry, including representatives from the Intelligence Ministry, the police, the Basij and the Revolutionary Guards Corps. Assessment using Impact Iran human rights indicators1 A. The Islamic Republic of Iran should ensure that the right to freedom of assembly and association is guaranteed to all individuals without discrimination While Article 27 of the Constitution ostensibly protects the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, the guarantee falls short of international standards set out in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) by requiring that participants are not “in violation of the fundamental principles of Islam”. There is no clear definition or criteria that define what can be considered “fundamental principles of Islam.” Under Article 2 of the Law on Political Crimes, adopted in 2016, participation in an unauthorized assembly, even if it is peaceful, can effectively be considered a political offence.2 Unauthorized assemblies had previously been prohibited under the 1981 Law on the Activities of Parties, Populations and Political and Trade Unions and Islamic Associations or Recognized Religious Minorities.3 Those 1 CCPR.21.S.1 CCPR.22.1.S.1 CCPR.22.1.P.1; CCPR.22.1.P.1 CCPR.21.O.1; CCPR.22.1.O.1 2 The 2016 Law on Political Crimes, available at: https://rc.majlis.ir/fa/law/show/968421 3 The 1981 Law on the Activities of Parties, Populations and Political and Trade Unions and Islamic Associations or Recognised Religious Minorities, available at: https://rc.majlis.ir/fa/law/show/90226 1

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