independently reviewed and investigated.32 Additionally, the possibility to submit complaints is
particularly limited as freedom of expression, assembly and association are legally restricted in the
Islamic Republic of Iran.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has not ensured that the right to freedom of assembly and
association is guaranteed to all individuals without discrimination.
B. The Islamic Republic of Iran should 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.
Since 2016, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) has found at least 38 cases of
arbitrary detention in the Islamic Republic of Iran, a significant number of them concerning
individuals imprisoned solely for exercising their right to freedom of opinion, expression and
peaceful assembly. Despite these opinions, many remain in detention as of February 2021,
including but not limited to: Mr. Arash Sadeghi (Opinion no. 19/2018), Ms. Golrokh Ebrahimi
Iraee (Opinion no. 33/2019), Ms. Atena Daemi (Opinion no. 83/2018). OHCHR continues to
document numerous cases of individuals imprisoned solely for exercising their freedom of
expression.33
C. The Islamic Republic of Iran 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.
In his January 2021 report, the Special Rapporteur of the Islamic Republic of Iran reported that
“The Government has failed to conduct an independent and transparent investigation into the
violent State response to the November 2019 protests or hold perpetrators accountable.”34 As of
March 2021, there is no readily available information that might indicate that the Islamic
Republic of Iran has conducted independent and impartial investigations into all acts of violence
that have taken place in the context of the November 2019 protests.
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
32
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
33
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, January 2021,
https://undocs.org/Home/Mobile?FinalSymbol=A%2FHRC%2F46%2F50&Language=E&DeviceType=Desktop
34
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, January 2021,
https://undocs.org/Home/Mobile?FinalSymbol=A%2FHRC%2F46%2F50&Language=E&DeviceType=Desktop
4