human rights

Open letter by former world leaders to the leaders of Canada, the EU, UK, and US

July 28, 2023

To:Joe Biden, President of the United StatesCharles Michel, President of the European CouncilRishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the United KingdomJustin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada Copy:Leaders of the 27 Member States of the European Union 10 July 2023 Excellencies, Since September 2022, the world has witnessed a sweeping popular uprising in Iran, demanding freedom and …

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124 former world leaders seek accountability in Iran

July 28, 2023

UPDATE, 9 July 2023: Former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and former United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown are among more than a dozen distinguished former world leaders who have announced their support for the Open Letter on Iran. UPDATE, 17 July 2023: Mario Monti, former Prime Minister of Italy; Joseph Deiss, former President …

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Stop executions in Iran

Open letter to world leaders – Act now to stop execution of protesters in Iran

January 1, 2023

OPEN LETTER To: Joe Biden, President of the United StatesCharles Michel, President of the European CouncilRishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the United KingdomJustin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada Copy: Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights 21 December 2022 Excellencies,We write to request that your nations set up a joint accountability mechanism for rapid …

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242 human rights experts call for firm position on Iran, including sanctions, to stop execution of protesters

January 1, 2023

More than 240 current and former United Nations officials, judges, human rights experts, Nobel laureates, and NGOs in an open letter on Wednesday called on world leaders to step up pressure on Iran to halt the execution of anti-government protesters, including by imposing sanctions on its officials for human rights abuses, expelling Iranian ambassadors and …

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WGEID supports international investigation into Iran’s 1988 massacre

September 6, 2022

The United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) has repeated its support for an international inquiry into the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran in its latest report to the UN Human Rights Council. WGEID’s report to the 51st session of the Human Rights Council, A/HRC/51/31, dated 12 August 2022, states: …

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UN Special Rapporteur’s report to UNGA 77 seeks accountability for Iran’s 1988 massacre

September 7, 2022

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Javaid Rehman, has released his report to the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, in which he once again calls for international accountability regarding the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran. The report, A/77/181, dated 18 …

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Reuters: UN urged to open query into Iran’s 1988 killings and Raisi role

February 2, 2022

Reuters news agency carried a report about an open letter sent to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet and the Member States of the UN Human Rights Council seeking an international inquiry into the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran. The open letter, organised by JVMI, has been …

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Le Figaro : L’ONU appelée à enquêter sur un massacre en Iran en 1988

February 2, 2022

French daily Le Figaro published a report about an open letter sent to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet and the Member States of the UN Human Rights Council seeking an international inquiry into the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran. The open letter, organised by JVMI, has …

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EFE: Piden a la ONU investigar la masacre de opositores iraníes en 1988

February 2, 2022

The Spanish news agency EFE carried a report about an open letter sent to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet and the Member States of the UN Human Rights Council seeking an international inquiry into the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran. The open letter, organised by JVMI, …

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Iran’s Judiciary Imprisons Activists and Relatives of Victims of 1988 Massacre

January 10, 2022

Iran’s judiciary last week sentenced three middle-aged women, including two relatives of the victims of the 1988 massacre, to collectively 12 years imprisonment. Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court on 6 January 2012 sentenced the three women to a total of 12 years in prison on the charges of “propaganda activities against the regime” and …

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Amnesty International appeals for release of Maryam Akbari Monfared, relative of victims 1988 massacre

September 20, 2021

Amnesty International in an Urgent Action appeal on 27 August 2021 called for the immediate release of Maryam Akbari Monfared, an Iranian prisoner of conscience, held in custody for more than 12 years for her open letters condemning the Iranian authorities’ human rights violations and seeking truth and justice for her siblings who were forcibly …

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1988 Massacre in Iran - UN Document A/HRC/38/NGO/122

NGOs urge UN to investigate 1988 massacre in Iran

July 21, 2018

Several non-governmental organisations with consultative status at the United Nations have once again urged High Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein to support an international investigation into the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran. The text of the NGOs’ joint written statement to the 38th session of the UN Human Rights Council was published and …

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UN must act on new report detailing destruction of mass graves related to the 1988 massacre in Iran

April 30, 2018

JVMI welcomes the new joint report today by Amnesty International and Justice For Iran highlighting the Iranian authorities’ deliberate desecration and destruction of mass graves related to the 1988 massacre of thousands of political prisoners. JVMI urges UN High Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein to support the launch of an independent inquiry to bring justice …

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March 2018: New report by UN Special Rapporteur on Iran reiterates need for investigation into 1988 massacre

December 19, 2020

The latest report to the United Nations Human Rights Council by the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran, the late Asma Jahangir, drew attention to the need for an investigation into the 1988 massacre. The report (A/HRC/37/68), presented to the 37th session of the Human Rights Council, included …

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United Nations human rights written statement HRC34 on Iran 1988massacre

Human rights groups submit written statement to HRC on Iran’s 1988 massacre

April 4, 2017

Six human rights organisations with consultative status to the United Nations human rights body have submitted a joint written statement to the 34th session of the Human Rights Council about the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran and the need for the international community to hold the perpetrators to account.

Hossein-Ali Montazeri's letter to Ayatollah Khomeini about the execution of 13-year-old girls in Iran, 27 September 1981

Secret letter by Khomeini’s deputy acknowledges execution of 13-year-old girls in Iran

October 3, 2016

On 27 September 2016, a state-run website published the text and scan of a letter written exactly 35 years to the day by Iran’s former deputy supreme leader to the Ayatollah Khomeini, pointing out the Iranian judiciary was executing girls as young as 13 simply for supporting the Iranian Resistance and despite the fact that …

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International Standards guiding the UN Special Rapporteur on summary or arbitrary executions

September 24, 2016

From the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), this text outlines the international standards that guide the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions: International Standards The Special Rapporteur is guided primarily by international legal standards. The main substantive legal framework, as indicated by the Commission on Human Rights, in …

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Mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions

September 24, 2016

United Nations A/HRC/RES/26/12 General Assembly    Distr.: General 11 July 2014 Original: English Human Rights Council Twenty-sixth session Agenda item 3 Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development  Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council

European Convention on Human Rights

September 24, 2016

European Convention on Human Rights Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms Rome, 4.XI.1950 The Governments signatory hereto, being members of the Council of Europe,

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

September 24, 2016

Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty Adopted and proclaimed by General Assembly resolution 44/128 of 15 December 1989 The States Parties to the present Protocol, Believing that abolition of the death penalty contributes to enhancement of human dignity and progressive development …

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Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

UN Convention against Torture

September 24, 2016

Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 39/46 of 10 December 1984 entry into force 26 June 1987, in accordance with article 27 (1) The States Parties to this Convention, Considering that, in accordance with the principles proclaimed …

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Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

The International Bill of Human Rights

September 23, 2016

Fact Sheet No.2 (Rev.1), The International Bill of Human Rights All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS (art. 1), adopted by General Assembly resolution 217 A (III) …

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Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

September 24, 2016

Preamble Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world, Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of …

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The Swiss daily Le Temps covered the launch of ‘Justice for the Victims of the 1988 Massacre in Iran’ in a press conference at the United Nations in Geneva on 21 September 2016.

Le Temps: Top Iranian officials including Rouhani’s Justice Minister implemented Khomeini’s fatwa

August 18, 2021

The Swiss daily Le Temps covered the launch of ‘Justice for the Victims of the 1988 Massacre in Iran’ in a press conference at the United Nations in Geneva on 21 September 2016. Le Temps wrote that senior Iranian officials, including the current Justice Minister Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi, implemented Khomeini’s fatwa. The JVMI seeks their prosecution, …

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