82 civil and political activists, along with survivors of Iranian government violence, have emphasized their commitment to human rights principles by publishing a text referred to as the “Litigation Agreement.” By clarifying their views, they have announced they will be forming a “basis for solidarity.”

It calls for historical crimes to be documented, human rights to be protected, and executions and torture to end completely. These principles would be applied even to those who commit crimes and murders as authorities in the Islamic Republic.

From within Iran, Narges Mohammadi, Abdol Fattah Soltani, Atash Shahkarmi, Parvin Fahmi, Keyvan Samimi, Shahnaz Akmali and Atena Daemi have signed this text.

Outside Iran, Shirin Ebadi, Mehrangiz Kar, Parastou Forohar, Hamed Esmailiyoun, Reza Moini, Mohammad Reza Nikfar, Reza Alijani and Taghi Rahmani have signed the “pact”.

This is the latest proposal for a charter and covenant of vision for the future of Iran. In recent weeks, labor and civil organizations inside Iran published a “minimum demands” charter. Furthermore, Mir Hossein Mousavi, leader of the Green Movement, has called for constitutional reform in Iran.

“Litigation Pact” signatories have stressed the need to understand history in relation to the violence following the 1979 Iranian revolution. ”History has taught us that prison, torture, and killing are detours from democracy, freedom, and corruption. There was a time when the hope of freedom was destroyed in a cold avalanche with retribution upon retribution.”

According to this text, those who remember are less likely to suffer from ignorance, oppression, or to be oppressors themselves, and to reject violence and discrimination. Trying to hide the truth, even under the pretext of “national reconciliation” or “establishing peace and democracy”, erases memories and burns history, leading to the repetition of the same mistakes.

As a women’s movement of freedom, the ongoing protests in Iran are described as progressive and egalitarian by the signatories of this text. According to the civil activists and victims’ families, “we must be bold and forthright at this historic moment, insisting on Truth and Justice and preserving the dignity of people unquestionably.”

Furthermore, this text emphasizes adherence to five specific international human rights covenants:

• Abolition of the death penalty in Iran;
• In every situation, basing litigation on truth and justice & cooperating with national and international institutions to clarify all facts about gross violations of human rights in Iran, especially sentencing for political crimes.
• The end of impunity for political crime perpetrators;
• Reconstruction of the judicial system and complete independence; and
• In order to preserve knowledge, accept the diversity of narratives and form historical memory accurately, without ignoring anything.

This text emphasizes opposition to the death penalty, including for the dependents of the Islamic Republic, contrary to some right-wing opponents of the Islamic Republic who want the heads of government executed.

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