NGOs have reported a pattern of violations to the aforementioned human rights targeting
disproportionately members of minority or marginalized groups. 18 19 20 21 22 23
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.24 Additionally, as the
aforementioned restrictions on otherwise protected activities under international law are
enshrined into Iranian law, opportunities to seek justice are particularly limited.
The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has not amended laws and policies that infringe
on the right to freely associate and assemble with expressive groups or like-minded individuals
and to promote peaceful ideals and activities.
B. Non- governmental organizations, including unregistered associations, should be
allowed to function freely, and their members should be able to operate in a safe
environment. The establishment of associations should be facilitated by a
notification procedure that is simple, easily accessible, non-discriminatory and nononerous or free of charge.
The establishment and operations of groups, political associations and trade unions are protected
under Article 26 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, provided that they do not
violate the State’s independence, freedom and national unity, and are in conformity with Islamic
18
See more: Association for the human rights of the Azerbaijani people in Iran, http://www.ahraz.org/association-for-the-humanrights-of-the-azerbaijani-people-in-iran-ahrazs-repot-regarding-the-current-situation-of-the-azerbaijani-arrestees-that-arearrested-during-the-recent-protests-nove/
19
See more: Kurdistan Human Rights Geneva, https://kmmk-ge.org/sd/annual-report-2020/
20
See more: United For Iran, https://ipa.united4iran.org/en/prisoner/
21
Center for Human Rights in Iran, https://iranhumanrights.org/2020/10/more-bahais-begin-serving-prison-sentences-in-iransimply-for-their-beliefs/
22
See more: Joint submission to the Human Rights Committee from All Human Rights for All in Iran, Association for Human
Rights in Kurdistan – Geneva, Association for the Human Rights of the Azerbaijani People in Iran, Iran Human Rights
Documentation Center, OutRight International, Siamak Pourzand Foundation, Small Media, Impact Iran, 2020,
https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CCPR/Shared%20Documents/IRN/INT_CCPR_NGO_IRN_42317_E.pdf
23
“Iran arrests 29 linked to protests against compulsory hijab laws”, New York Times, 2 February 2018.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/02/world/middleeast/iran-hijab-protests-arrests.html
24
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
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