Shabtabnews In this dark night, I have lost my way – Arise from a corner, oh you the star of guidance.
IOPHR – Dr. Rouhani during his 2013 presidential campaign repeatedly talked about meritocracy in the country, and continually promised that if he became president, he would look after the rights of all Iranian citizens and his compatriots – regardless of their beliefs, opinions and religion. He also stressed that all citizens will receive equal rights and promised to distribute responsibilities throughout the country on the basis of qualifications, and the talents of the Iranian citizens. Moreover, he stated, that all will be treated equally and receive equal opportunity for growth, and all Iranian citizens will be given the same educational opportunities.
Yet, after his victory in 2013 elections and during the country’s 11th presidential term, Dr. Rouhani failed to fulfil the promises he made publicly to the people of Iran, and the only action that took place during his first term and followed from his cabinet, was the formulation of a pamphlet under the title “Citizenship Rights” which was published only in the last days of the eleventh government.
During his re-election campaign of 2107 for the country’s twelfth term of presidency, again, Mr. Hassan Rouhani, as a candidate, again repeatedly made promises about the importance of the Charter of Citizenship Rights. However, now, the general public and international observers can clearly see that none of his promises have been implemented or even look like to see the light of day. As Iranian citizens, despite the “being Iranian”, are consistently have their rights violated due to their beliefs, opinions and religions, throughout the country, and are often deprived of their most fundamental human rights.
The most striking example of such violation of human rights is the case of Mr. Spanta Niknam, an Iranian Citizen of the Zoroastrian faith. For even though the Zoroastrian religion is one of the recognized religions and under Iranian law falls under the category “the people of the heavenly or holy books ” and is explicitly mentioned in the constitutional law of Iran, and even the followers of this faith have seats in the Shura Council in Iran, we still see that, Mr. Spanta Niknam after winning the campaign for membership of the council of city of Yazd, was denied his seat in the council by the jurists of the Guardian Council, whose decree effectively suspended Mr Niknam’s membership of Yazd Council.
Mr. Ali Larijani, chairman of the Shura Council, in response declared the decision of the Guardian Council to be unlawful, but the spokesman of the Guardian Council, Abbas Ali Kadkhodaei, has publicly reaffirmed the Guardian Councils’ decree by stating that this matter is only an issue for the jurists of the Guardian Council and no one else.
Population of Iran is a rich myriad of different cultures, groups and rituals. However, the ideological system currently governing Iran with its discriminatory attitudes has caused the justice system to become a centre of outrage towards the Iranian nation and its rich heritage. For even though the Iranian regime has signed international treaties and conventions on the “crime and punishment” legislations and the proportion of offenses and penalties and laws governing the criminal procedure, it has nevertheless never been committed to upholding these conventions, during all the years following the Iranian revolution.
As a result, many of Iranian Citizens have been victims of anti-Shiite laws! The criminal laws in Iran today do not create a safe and secure environment for the followers of the various religions, opinions and beliefs and do not provide Iranians with freedom and security as Iranian citizens. All of which directly results in an unreliable system of criminal law. Which in the light of its defects creates deficiencies in the Shi’a edicts and Shi’a jurisprudence laws that reciprocate edicts, punishments and in general criminal penalties against Iranian citizens, on the basis of the religion, opinions and ideological beliefs, which clearly violate the human rights of Iranian citizens!
In this state of oppression, followers of the Baha’i Faith, who this year celebrate the 200th anniversary of their faith, are subjects of relentless repressions throughout Iran, which the general public is well aware of. For ever since the 1979 anti-monarchy revolution in Iran, the country’s three-tier state has never been the guarantor for the protection of the rights of our Baha’i compatriots. Over the years since the revolution, many Baha’i’ civilians have been victimized through blind and clamorous assassinations only because of their faith. However, the police and intelligence agents have never once pursued the killers and murderers of these Iranian citizens, and no court has ever sentenced any of the perpetrators of these vile crimes.
The International Organisation to preserve Human Rights, which has consistently sought to alert public and international opinion to the suffering and deprivation of Iranian citizens, who hold various religions and opinions, calls on Dr. Hassan Rouhani, the 12th President of Iran, to uphold the charter of Rights of Citizenship by fulfilling his promises and show the world that he no longer will be indifferent and silent against oppressions and injustices suffered by Iranian citizens.
IOPHR – Berlin, London, Washington. .
