Maryam Rajavi FANS

Professor Leila Nadya Sadat , former Special Adviser on Crimes Against Humanity to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), asserted that Iran's 1988 massacres fall squarely within the legal definition of crimes against humanity: widespread and systematic attacks directed against a civilian population pursuant to state policy. Prof. Sadat emphasized a crucial legal principle: crimes against humanity carry no statute of limitations . As a result, identified perpetrators can be prosecuted in national courts worldwide under universal jurisdiction or other jurisdictional mechanisms regardless of how much time has elapsed. She argued that present-day atrocities—including torture, enforced disappearances, gender and political persecution, extrajudicial executions, and the systemic abuse of the death penalty —are directly sustained by decades of total impunity for earlier crimes. Addressing multilateral diplomacy, Prof. Sadat criticized Tehran’s conduct during negotiatio...

Professor Javaid Rehman , UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran from 2018 to 2024, warned that the critical findings in his final UN report are now materializing in real time. That landmark report documented systematic executions, torture, and enforced disappearances spanning 1979 through 1988, establishing that crimes against humanity and genocide were committed by Iranian authorities. Dr. Rehman underscored a direct ideological continuum connecting the 1988 massacres to current executions. He noted that the enduring influence of Ayatollah Khomeini’s fatwa and the revived use of broad political charges—such as moharebeh (enmity against God) and baghi (armed rebellion)—demonstrate an ongoing doctrine of repression. Following the nationwide protests of January 2026, politically motivated death sentences have increasingly targeted PMOI supporters and members of the Resistance Units. “Individuals are being sentenced to death and executed not because of any criminal conduct,” Dr...

Dr. Mark Ellis , Executive Director of the International Bar Association, characterized the escalating surge in executions as a calculated, sustained campaign of political repression rather than a collection of isolated human rights abuses. He asserted that Tehran is using the blueprint of the 1988 massacres as a model to eliminate present-day opponents while actively attempting to destroy evidence of past atrocities. Emphasizing legal avenues for accountability, Dr. Ellis highlighted universal jurisdiction—a principle allowing domestic courts to prosecute grave international crimes regardless of where they occurred or the citizenship of those involved. He cited Sweden's conviction of Hamid Noury as a vital validation of this mechanism, though he criticized Noury's subsequent release in a diplomatic prisoner swap. Reaffirming the duty of legal professionals and human rights defenders to amplify silenced voices, Dr. Ellis assured Iranians pursuing justice that their efforts are...

Connecting Iran’s human rights crisis to his extensive work on impunity in Mexico, Leopoldo Maldonado Gutiérrez , the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of freedom of opinion and expression, warned that shielding perpetrators directly incentivizes further atrocities. In Iran , political dissent is systematically treated as an existential threat to be eliminated rather than a fundamental human right . Maldonado emphasized that state terror extends far beyond individual victims: when citizens risk imprisonment, torture, or execution simply for protesting, criticizing authorities, or reporting truth, the government's true target is society as a whole. He pointed to internet shutdowns as a core tool of this repressive infrastructure, designed to silence citizens domestically while blinding the international community to ongoing abuses. “Peaceful expression, political opposition, and participation must never be punished with death,” Maldonado declared. Breaking this c...

Dr. Grażyna Baranowska , a member of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, focused on victims whose fates and burial places remain unknown. She emphasized that enforced disappearance is not merely a historical event, but an ongoing, continuous violation that persists until the fate and whereabouts of the disappeared are fully established. This distinction is crucial for accountability efforts and provides a essential legal foundation for the families of victims from the 1980s massacres . The UN Working Group currently has 617 outstanding cases concerning Iran. Dr. Baranowska stated that the body has repeatedly urged Iranian authorities to locate, protect, and preserve both mass and unmarked grave sites, while demanding exhumations and formal investigations conducted in strict accordance with international standards. Addressing contemporary violations, Dr. Baranowska highlighted recent disappearances targeting protesters, as well as religious and ethnic minor...

Professor Claudio Grossman , a member of the UN International Law Commission and former chair of the UN Committee against Torture, emphasized both individual criminal liability and the broader responsibility of the Iranian state. He stated that the Iranian people have been subjected to actions corresponding to severe violations under the Rome Statute—including torture, enforced disappearance, and systematic breaches of due-process guarantees—as well as prohibitions established by customary international law. While noting that expressions of solidarity provide essential moral strength to political prisoners , Prof. Grossman stressed that international support must transcend words and lead to concrete action. He urged the creative application of civil and criminal accountability against perpetrators and called for direct support for the Iranian people as they work toward a democratic future. Emphasizing that the primary responsibility for shaping Iran's future rests with its own ci...

Iran is facing two very different leadership stories. Inside the Islamic Republic, the question of who can lead the country, and whether the system can maintain cohesion around that leadership, has become increasingly difficult to answer. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly for roughly six months, leaving much of his political role to speculation. President Masoud Pezeshkian has meanwhile faced growing criticism from different factions as Iran confronts the consequences of war, economic collapse, and deepening social pressure. On September 6, as Iran’s ruling system struggled to project unity at the top, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran ( PMOI/MEK ) marked the start of its 62nd year of founding by choosing a new secretary-general. The contrast is striking. According to the organization, Mahnaz Maimanat was elected through a three-stage internal voting process involving members in seven countries. She received 56 percent of the vote in the first round, 8...

An uprising that ignited with the spark of Jina Amini ’s precious blood and was then set ablaze across all of Iran, from Tehran to Zahedan and Kurdistan, by the tragic martyrdom of a generation of courageous youth and teenagers like Hadis Najafi, Sarina Esmailzadeh, Mehrshad Shahidi, Khodanur Lojei, and Dr. Ebrahim Rigi. Their memories will never be forgotten. We remember Zahedan’s Bloody Friday; the thousands of students suspended or expelled from their studies; the brave youth who built street barricades in Mahabad, Javanrud, Sanandaj, and Kamyaran; and the fighting spirit of the PMOI Resistance Units—of whom Qalibaf, the speaker of the regime’s parliament, later admitted months down the line: “They played the greatest role in executing and organizing these events.” The 2022 uprising spread the unifying cry, “Death to the oppressor, be it the Shah or the (mullahs’) Leader!” and unveiled the decisive role of women—a path paved by decades of sacrifice and courage from steadfast PMOI an...

By Ali Safavi The regime in Tehran is reeling under a collapsing economy, public anger, systemic corruption, and its inability to resolve Iran’s multiplying crises. International attention is therefore turning toward the decisive internal factor: the Iranian people and organized resistance. Decades of Western engagement failed to moderate the regime, while the wars of 2025 and 2026 showed that military conflict cannot deliver democratic change. Such change can come only through Iranians themselves. Against this backdrop, Ehsan Mousavi recycles allegations against the Mujahedin-e Khalq ( MEK ) that have circulated for decades through the propaganda of both the Shah’s secret police and the clerical regime. He treats contested accusations as settled fact, omits decisive chronology, and makes sweeping claims about public opinion while disregarding the democratic program of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, of which the MEK is a member. Mousavi’s appeal to what is supposedly “mode...

While successive uprisings and the existence of a vast, organized network of Resistance Units and devoted fighters have proven the social and military readiness to overthrow the regime, two factors have acted as deterrents against the Iranian people ’s movement to bring down the regime: International Policy (Particularly European): By ignoring the principal force for change in Iran, these policies have not yet abandoned the dream of coming to terms with this brutal regime and continue to pursue flawed strategies. The Role of the Remnants of the Shah’s Dictatorship: This faction serves the regime’s interests by disrupting uprisings, sowing division among the opposition, promoting fascist slogans, and calling for attacks on Iranian cities. The son of the dictator Shah holds no real weight or standing beyond television and social media posturing—as the German newspaper Tageszeitung once described him, he is "more like a court jester, though without even a court." His entire poli...

The regime’s strategy to prevent its overthrow consists of executing members of the PMOI and arrested protesters, maintaining an atmosphere of war, and keeping its henchmen on the streets. Yet on the side of the Iranian people and the Resistance front, despite all the regime’s repressive efforts, resistance and protests are expanding. The Resistance Units’ operations against repression have continued incessantly and evolved to a new level. Protesting prisoners in more than 60 prisons across the country carry out hunger strikes every Tuesday under the campaign " No to Executions Tuesdays." Workers, retirees, nurses, and plundered citizens take to street protests, courageously chanting: " Enough warmongering, our tables are empty !" and "Our rights will only be secured in the streets!" In truth, the regime is flailing in a war for survival and cannot alter this fatal plight; thus, it attempts to camouflage it. The regime attributes its survival to a nonex...

In a powerful demonstration of international solidarity, Australian Senator Paul Scarr has reaffirmed his unwavering support for the Iranian people's quest for freedom, democracy, and peace. Addressing members of the Iranian-Australian community, the Queensland Senator highlighted his ongoing commitment to standing alongside those fighting for human rights in Iran. Backing the Ten-Point Plan and Community Solidarity Senator Scarr emphasized his endorsement of Maryam Rajavi’s 10-point plan , joining over 3,000 parliamentarians globally who view it as a clear roadmap for Iran’s democratic future. Recalling his involvement in solidarity events following the tragic death of Jina Mahsa Amini in 2022, he shared his experience marching with the diaspora in Brisbane and pledged to continue supporting their journey until their goals are realized. Zero Tolerance for Transnational Repression Addressing the safety and rights of activists within Australia, Senator Scarr delivered a stern warni...

For decades, the shadow of executions has hung over Iran . Thousands of lives—including dissidents, young protesters, and even individuals who were juveniles at the time of their alleged offenses—have been cut short under a brutal judicial system. Behind every statistic is a grieving family: mothers who spend sleepless nights waiting outside prison walls , wives driven to extreme desperation to cover blood money, and children who carry the lifelong trauma of public executions. The ruling regime relies heavily on capital punishment, torture, and harsh penal codes to maintain its grip on power. Under the current system, basic political dissent and peaceful protest are frequently criminalized as "waging war against God" (mohareb), stripping citizens of their right to due process and fair legal representation. By creating an atmosphere of fear, the regime attempts to silence legitimate public outcry against corruption, economic hardship, and systemic oppression. International hum...

Author: Dr. Phil Glendenning — Australian Supporters of Democracy in Iran The Iranian people's unrelenting struggle for freedom and democracy has rallied worldwide international solidarity. Today, the global community stands firmly beside a nation determined to take control of its own destiny. At international conferences around the globe, prominent leaders have repeatedly praised the extraordinary courage of Iranian men and women in their pursuit of liberty. A notable quote from former President of Ireland Mary Robinson—describing Mrs. Maryam Rajavi as the bravest and most courageous woman in the world—serves as a testament to this leadership. The Australian Supporters of Democracy in Iran (established in 2004 to defend human rights, women's rights, and democratic aspirations) is proud to amplify this cause. A Grim Legacy of Repression and Fear of the People Modern Iranian history is marked by painful atrocities alongside magnificent perseverance. In the summer of 1988, appro...