On July 1, 2024, the third day of the Free Iran World Summit convened under the theme “Crimes Against Humanity and Accountability for Perpetrators.” Leaders, lawmakers, judges, legal experts, and human rights activists from around the world gathered to discuss Iran’s dire human rights situation, focusing on extrajudicial executions and systematic disappearances.
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), attended alongside international personalities and human rights advocates. She paid tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for human rights in Iran, highlighting the torture, solitary confinement, and execution threats faced by dissidents.
Iran’s Troubling Human Rights Record
The summit highlighted Iran’s record of repression, with 500,000 people imprisoned and tortured for political reasons and over 100,000 political prisoners executed. Iran also has one of the highest execution rates globally. The absence of international accountability has emboldened the regime. Atrocities include the massacre of Kurds, mass executions in the 1980s, the 1988 massacre of political prisoners, and crackdowns on protests in recent years.
Systematic Repression and Control
Speakers emphasized that human rights violations in Iran are systematic, affecting every facet of society, including education, workplaces, and the internet. The regime uses a network of organizations like the Basij paramilitary forces and the IRGC to maintain control. Ethnic minorities, religious groups, and women face severe oppression, with numerous institutions dedicated to enforcing the compulsory hijab and suppressing women.
The summit underscored Iran’s dubious distinction of holding contemporary world records in various forms of repression. According to reports, at least 500,000 people have been imprisoned and tortured for political reasons, with over 100,000 political prisoners executed. Iran also maintains one of the highest execution rates globally, with three-quarters of the world’s recorded executions in the previous year taking place in the country.
International Support for Iranian Resistance
International figures voiced support for the Iranian resistance. Former Norwegian MP Lars Rise and former French Minister Alain Vivien emphasized recognizing and supporting the Iranian Resistance Units. Marit Nybakk, former Deputy Speaker of the Norwegian Parliament, highlighted the regime’s public executions and endorsed the NCRI and Mrs. Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan for a democratic Iran.
Legal Perspectives and International Action
French jurist Gilles Paruelle and Joachim Rueker, former President of the UN Human Rights Council, called for restoring justice and ending the regime’s practice of using foreign hostages. Dr. Mark Ellis, Executive Director of the International Bar Association, stressed the importance of universal jurisdiction to bring perpetrators to justice.