HRA Presents Spreading Justice at HRC48 Side-Event

On September 21st, a number of prominent human rights organizations, including HRA, Impact Iran, HURIDOCS, and the Abdorrahman Boroumand Foundation, hosted a virtual discussion in the margins of the 48th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council on how online databases can help monitor human rights in Iran and support accountability efforts.

In an announcement of the event, Impact Iran stated, ​​” In recent years, human rights organizations have developed a range of online tools that have strengthened the capacities of rights defenders to advance evidence-based reporting and advocacy aimed at generating a culture of accountability and transparency in pursuit of the realization of human rights for all persons.”

United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran Dr. Javaid Rehman delivered the event’s opening remarks, in which he highlighted the important work of the organizations represented by the panel. He mentioned Abdorrahman Boroumand Center’s OMID Memorial, the Spreading Justice’s Initiative by Human Rights Activists in Iran, and Impact Iran’s Iran Rights Index, which is a culmination of work by the Impact Iran Secretariat and coalition members including HRA.

“The individual characteristics of the different databases that are the topic of discussion today… all indicate that civil society organizations have clear goals in their well-coordinated documentation efforts,” Rehman stated. “Each of these databases serves a valuable goal for public information advocacy, memorialization, or support accountability mechanisms.”

In demonstrating how HRA’s Spreading Justice database can contribute to accountability efforts, panelist and HRA Senior Advocacy Coordinator Skylar Thompson outlined the functions and goals of the project.  

“Spreading justice is a database of Iranian Human Rights violators, both individual and institutional violators,” Thompson said. “This database, which is available in both English and Farsi, currently contains over 250 profiles, ranging from Iranian president Ibraham Raisi himself to lesser-known violators that continually commit heinous acts, and yet fly almost silently under the radar.” 

On the functions of the database, Thompson said,  “If an individual were doing research on an individual victim’s case, they could, for example, search Nazanin Ratcliffe and find all violators associated with her case.”

The profiles also include detailed legal reviews prepared by experts in international human rights law. HRA collects information from open-source research, and through its wide network of volunteers inside Iran. Volunteers receive training aimed at strengthening organizational documentation capacity, which includes online security, diversity and inclusion, neutrality, informed consent. 

“The information that is collected through this network is extremely important to our work,” Thompson said. “It also gives us unparalleled access to victims.”

On the use of the database, Thompson stated that there is a real need for governments to work alongside civil society, in their efforts to hold perpetrators accountable, and added that this was a core motivation behind the development of Spreading Justice.  

She continued, “If we can begin to close the accountability gap in Iran, we will begin to see a disruption in the continuous cycle of abuse,” Thompson said. “The truth is that the international community has a number of tools available to hold perpetrators of serious human rights violations accountable, particularly when domestic judicial remedies are unavailable, such as is the case in Iran. The use of these tools is lacking.”

HRA Hosts ‘A Way Forward’, a Virtual Panel on Role of Diplomacy in Human Rights Work

On Thursday, September 16, HRA hosted “A Way Forward”, a virtual discussion on the role of diplomacy in advancing the goal of promoting human rights in Iran. The event, which had over 100 participants, was moderated by lawyer and human rights activist Shabnam Mojtahedi, and panelists included representatives from a number of prominent human rights organizations.

Dr. Javid Rehman, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, delivered the event’s opening remarks, in which he highlighted the importance of protecting and promoting a more free civil sector, and emphasized the extent to which human rights and civic freedom go hand in hand.

“We can see around the world that in countries where there is a dynamic and free civil society, there is better protection of human rights,”
Javaid Rehman
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran


“We can see around the world that in countries where there is a dynamic and free civil society, there is better protection of human rights,” Rehman said. “In Iran, civic space is under significant constraint. Civic space actors, such as human rights lawyers, defendants, and journalists are targeted, harassed and excluded. Moreover, the channels for political participation are by law severely restricted and manipulated, to the extent that they prevent meaningful participation.”

Mohammad Al Abdallah, Syrian rights activist and Director of the Syrian Justice and Accountability Center, spoke on the culture of impunity in the Middle East, and the ways in which widespread human rights violations can become normalized in a region over time. 

“When you don’t have a well-designed policy that is consistently related to human rights in the region, that will be interpreted as a green light. ‘Go ahead, we don’t care, nobody is looking,’ ”

There was a particular emphasis throughout the discussion, from several of the panelists, on the effectiveness of accountability and rights work on a granular level. Between holding individual violators accountable and working with individual victims, activists and small organizations can make a tangible difference in the communities they oversee.

 

“When you don’t have a well-designed policy that is consistently related to human rights in the region, that will be interpreted as a green light. ‘Go ahead, we don’t care, nobody is looking,' ”
Mohammad Al Abdallah
Director, Syria Justice & Accountability Centre
“My work has been focused on how to leverage internationally protected rights, and in particular Iran’s international obligations and commitments in a local/domestic context"
Christina Storm
Director of law division of DT institute/ founder of lawyers without borders

Panelist Christina Storm, who now serves as director of the rule of law division of the DT institute, started her career as a trial lawyer where she founded Lawyers Without Borders. Through this organization, she spent 20 years harnessing lawyers around the world to advance human rights on local and international courts, and most of that work happened at an individual level.

“My work has been focused on how to leverage internationally protected rights, and in particular Iran’s international obligations and commitments in a local/domestic context,” Storm said. 

Panelist Michael Page, who serves as deputy director in the Middle East and North Africa division at Human Rights Watch (HRW), proposed that three ways the US can further goals of human rights in Iran are adopting a ‘Do no harm’ approach, building multilateral pressure on human rights issues in coordination with Iranian policy, and holding Iranian officials accountable outside of the country.

On the subject of accountability, discussion attendant Hamed Esmaeilion asked how human rights organizations can better support the victims of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, which was shot down by the IRGC, killing over 170 people, and then covered up by the Iranian government.

Page spoke on organizations’ capacity to push for domestic accountability. “We need to show […] if there has been any domestic accountability for what has happened,” Page said. “The short answer is [that there has] not, but I think that’s the first step.”

Meanwhile, Al Abdallah pointed out the work that can be done in providing resources and relief to the affected families, in what he calls a ‘victim-centered approach’.

“Part of the work that human rights organizations can do is supporting the families and helping them better frame their policy demands with member states,” Al Abdallah said, “as well as encouraging diplomats to meet with the families.” 

Several participants asked questions relating to sanctions, and panelists touched on a number of ways in which broad sanctions end up having harmful effects on the countries whose human rights violators they purport to be holding accountable.

“Broad Sanctions in Iran have contributed to serious hardships for ordinary Iranians,” Page said. “Working with businesses and civil society, I think the Biden administration should, as a starting point, seek to mitigate the negative impact of broad sanctions including this issue of ‘over-compliance’, in which companies refuse to sell goods or services to people in Iran because of the risk of sanctions, even though those goods and services have humanitarian exemptions.”

 

"Broad Sanctions in Iran have contributed to serious hardships for ordinary Iranians"
Michael Page
Deputy director in the Middle East and North Africa division at HRW

On a related thread, panelist Patrick Clawsen, a senior fellow at Washington institute, pointed to the US-sponsored sanctions with Swiss and South Korean governments, which were designed to facilitate Iranians’ access to humanitarian goods.

“None of these have worked,” Clawson said. “A major issue is that the Iranian Authorities have decided that they have adequate access to humanitarian goods through the channels they are now using, which can best be described as evading the sanctions. And they find it easier to use barter and other means (…) rather than going through the quite-onerous requirements.””

“A major issue is that the Iranian Authorities have decided that they have adequate access to humanitarian goods through the channels they are now using, which can best be described as evading the sanctions."
Patrick Calwson
Director of Research at the Washington Institute
"There needs to be a broad expansion of the use of targeted sanctions regimes, (...) Targeting individuals has proven to be a more effective policy than targeting institutions,"
Skylar Thompson
Senior Advocay Cordinator at HRA

Thompson suggested an increased emphasis on holding individual violators accountable, rather than further investing in these broad economic sanctions that have historically proven so ineffective. 

“There needs to be a broad expansion of the use of targeted sanctions regimes,” Thompson said. “Targeting individuals has proven to be a more effective policy than targeting institutions,”

 

Rehman additionally called for creative solutions, on the part of both NGO’s and governmental organizations, in working to integrate principles of human rights into every level of the civic process. 

“As part of the rule of international law, It is imperative that human rights be a part of every bilateral and multilateral discussion, not just with Iran, but with all countries. “

9/16 11:30ET: Spreading Justice presents a virtual panel discussion; Human Rights in Iran: A Way Forward

Event Ended: 2021/9/16 11:30ET: Shabnam Mojtahedi will moderate a timely discussion on the role of diplomacy in advancing respect for human rights in Iran. Panelists will explore how the international community can prioritize the promotion and protection of human rights principles in current and future diplomatic engagements with Iran. The discussion will also seek to address the challenges of engagement with Iran as figures like Ebrahim Raisi, a known and serious rights abuser, occupy top positions of power and how tools like Spreading Justice Can be tools for accountability.

Join distinguished speakers Michael Page, Mohammad Al Abdallah, Patrick Clawson, Christina Storm, and Skylar Thompson with United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran, Dr. Javaid Rehman.

The Extra-Territorial Assassination of Mousa Babakhani


Human Rights Activists in Iran’s Spreading Justice team (HRA-SJ) has identified and profiled Sarmad Nazerfard as the individual responsible for the assassination of Mousa Babakhani in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Mousa Babakhani was a member of the Central Committee of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), a known opposition party of the Islamic Republic. Nazerfard is believed to have assassinated Babakhani before fleeing to Iran.

The Assassination

According to sources close to HRA, it is believed Nazerfard was commissioned by the security services of the Islamic Republic, namely the Revolutionary Guards Intelligence Organization.

Erbil police and third party news sources have confirmed that Nazerfard shot and killed Babakhani in an Erbil hotel on August 6th, 2021. An informed source stated to HRA-SJ, The room where Mousa Babakhani’s body was found is a room registered to Nazerfard, who is also wanted by the Erbil police.”

Sources revealed to HRA-SJ that Babakhani traveled to Erbil to meet with Nazerfard. The two were in contact the night preceding the assasination.

Nazerfard allegedly stayed at the Goli Soleimani Hotel for eight months and had been in contact with Mr. Babakhani for several years, working to gain his trust. According to Ismail Sharafi, a member of the Central Committee, Mr. Babakhani believed that Nazerfard was a friend.

Hotel staff testified that Mousa Babakhani entered the hotel on his own and reported directly to Nazerfard’s room. Nazerfard reportedly confiscated Babakhani’s personal belongings, including  his mobile phone. Sourced believe Nazerfard carried the belongings with him upon fleeing to Iran.

Nazerfard Flees to Iran

It is believed that Nazerfard entered Iran via the Iraq-Iran border at Khanaqin. According to the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Security Agency, in Erbil, Sarmad Nazerfard travelled to the border town of Khanaqin after leaving Babakhani.

According to the KDP, “Nazerfard was not a member of the Peshmerga or even a member of the party and his relationship with Mousa Babakhani was not a party affiliation at all.” The source continued,  “Sarmad’s name does not exist in any of the party’s organizational records.”

Who is Sarmad Nazerfard?

Born in Baghdad, Nazerfard, immigrated to Iraq at least four years before fleeing to Iran. Kamal Karimi, a member of  leadership of the KDP, confirmed in an interview with the judiciary that the history of Sarmad Nazerfard’s presence in Erbil dates back at least four years. According to Karimi, “Sarmad Nazerfard, also known as Saman Abdi and Sarmad Abdi in Erbil, had been in friendly relations with Mr. Babakhani after arriving in Erbil and had met him regularly.”

According to Kamal Karimi, Sarmad Nazerfard regularly traveled to Iraq and Khanaqin and always claimed that he was going to Baghdad to visit his father. According to Karimi, Sarmad even told the hotelier when he was about to leave the hotel after Babakhani’s assassination that he had to go to Baghdad immediately to visit his father.

The Role of the IRGC

There is a long history of IRGC commission murders in Iraqi-Kurdistan.

A member of KDP leadership stated, “Although we do not have reliable information about Nazerfard’s relationship to Iran’s security agencies, the Revolutionary Guards have previously carried out such work, and through this agency, people from Iran are given missions.” “They have previously come to Kurdistan to carry out sabotage and assassination.” Nazerfard, and those believed to have commissioned his services must be held accountable.

Extra-Territorial Assassinations

Extra-territorial targeted killing outside of war is a violation of international human rights law prohibiting the arbitrary deprivation of life. “Iran has long practiced extra-territorial assassinations against dissidents abroad. This illegal practice of state-sanctioned targeted killing must be condemned by the international community and perpetrators must be brought to justice,” said Skylar Thompson, Senior Advocacy Coordinator at HRA-SJ.

More information on Nazerfard can be found via this link to his unique Spreading Justice profile. If you have any additional information on Nazerfard you can anonymously submit to HRA-SJ  here. 

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For media inquiries please contact HRA Senior Advocacy Coordinator Skylar Thompson at [email protected]FacebookTwitterEmailShare

HRA Joins 10 Other Human Rights Groups in Calling on UN Representatives to Protect Human Rights

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, several rights organizations have written a statement calling for increased accountability from UN representatives in Iran

Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) has joined 10 other organizations in urging UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, UN Resident Coordinator Stefan Priesner, and a number of county directors of UN agencies in Iran to uphold the UN’s promise to prioritize human rights and commit to “use all leverages they have to promote and protect human rights in the framework of their fieldwork activities in Iran”.

The statement demands that, in order to ensure accountability from UN representatives, the signatory organizations be directly involved in the oversight process, and outlines the ways in which current endeavors to work with the Islamic Republic have failed to sufficiently highlight human rights.

“We regret that the current UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), signed between the Islamic Republic of Iran and 15 UN agencies in 2015, had marked the UN system’s failure to acknowledge and address core human rights issues as part of its activities in Iran,” the statement reads.

The letter concludes that the first step towards adhering to the above values is to “consult, involve, and listen to the input from independent human rights monitors both within and outside the country”.