News

Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi and nine human and labour rights organizations today expressed dismay at parliamentary proceedings in Iran which look set to pass into law a bill which appears intended to wipe out independent civil society in the country, in violation of international standards on freedom of association and assembly, which Iran is obliged to uphold.

The nine – a mix of international and Iranian organizations – Amnesty International, Arseh Sevom, Education International (EI), Hivos, Human Rights Watch, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), in the framework of their joint programme, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, FIDH’s affiliate the Iranian League for the Defence of Human Rights, and the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran – along with Shirin Ebadi called on members of Iran’s parliament to reject the draft law.

The Bill on the Establishment and Supervision of NGOs is undergoing a final reading in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, Iran’s parliament. Despite vigorous opposition from civil society organizations in the country, which would significantly be affected by the law, key provisions which will severely limit the independence of civil society organizations have already been passed by the parliament.