Iranian President Hassan Rouhani unveiled Charter on Citizen’s Rights

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on 19 December 2016 unveiled the landmark Charter on Citizen’s Rights in Tehran.

The charter was unveiled to counter the accusations of Western nations about Iran’s ongoing human rights violations, including brutal practices such as public execution, torture, violence against women and discrimination against minorities.

Highlights of Charter on Citizen’s Rights

• The charter is primarily aimed at restricting the powers of State agencies vis-à-vis citizen’s civil and political rights.

• The charter guarantees a number of rights such as right to a fair trial, freedom of speech and freedom f movement.

• The charter also provides for equality of law and non-discrimination on the basis of nationality and religion.

• Though all these rights are provided in the post-Islamic revolution constitution of 1979, it is for the first time a clear list is provided by the authorities.

• However, it is still unclear that how far the institutions such as the judiciary and the Revolutionary Guards are bound by this charter.

• Since the 1979 Islamic revolution, these powerful institutions are in the hands of conservatives who are not answerable to the President of Iran.

• The hardliners argue that their priority is to protect the revolution against dissenters and outside interference.

About Hassan Rouhani

• He is the seventh president of Islamic Republic of Iran

• He assumed the office on 3 August 2013.

• He has been a member of Iran's Assembly of Experts since 1999 and also a member of the Expediency Council since 1991.

• He is a member of the powerful Supreme National Security Council since 1989.

• In 2013, TIME magazine named him in its list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.

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