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The International Center for Human Rights - ICHR

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The International Center for Human Rights - ICHR

Promoting Human Rights in Middle East
Supporting and helping vulnerable people, political prisoners, refugees, war victims, abused women.

International Center for Human Rights (ICHR) is a non-governmental, non-profit international organization dedicated to promoting and defending human rights and democratic values. Our goal is to secure a peaceful and equitable life for members of society. Our group is comprised of a large number of human rights activists, many with over ten years experience. We have come together to establish ICHR in order to campaign against massive and systematic human rights violation in Iran and worldwide. We strive to educate, raise awareness , and gain international support for Iranians suffering from inhuman and unjust treatment by the Islamic Republic of Iran. We believe in every individual's rights, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international standards. We cannot fight this battle alone and in order to continue, we are in constant need of your support. We invite you to become a member and join us in our mission. Financial support is greatly appreciated as well.

08/11/2026

ICHR is deeply concerned by the issuance of hundreds of Procedural Fairness Letters by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to Iranian applicants whose connection to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) arose solely from mandatory military service.

Military service is compulsory under the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Many young Iranian men have no meaningful choice as to whether they serve, and those assigned to the IRGC generally do not choose that assignment. They may serve in ordinary, low-level positions without command authority, ideological affiliation, or meaningful participation in the organization’s activities.

ICHR strongly supports Canada’s measures against the IRGC, its senior officials, and individuals responsible for terrorism, repression and serious human rights violations. ICHR campaigned for listing the IRGC in Canada and elsewhere as a terrorist entity. However, an individual compelled by law to perform ordinary military service should not be treated in the same manner as a person who voluntarily joined, commanded, supported, or meaningfully participated in the IRGC.

Failure to recognize that distinction between conscripts and members of IRGC risks imposing severe immigration consequences on individuals who neither chose to join the IRGC nor participated meaningfully in its activities.

ICHR therefore urges the Government of Canada and IRCC to adopt a clear policy or operational measure providing that mandatory conscription in the IRGC, by itself, should not constitute membership for immigration inadmissibility purposes. Former conscripts should be exempted from a finding of membership where their involvement was limited to compulsory service under Canadian laws, unless there is independent evidence demonstrating voluntary, substantive, senior, operational, or otherwise meaningful involvement with the IRGC.

Canada can remain firm against the Iranian regime while protecting the fundamental principle that individuals should be assessed according to their own conduct, choices and responsibilities.

06/20/2026

ICHR: On World Refugee Day 2026, the International Center for Human Rights (ICHR) stands in solidarity with refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced persons worldwide who have been forced to flee conflict, persecution, violence, and human rights abuses.

According to UNHCR, nearly 118 million people remain forcibly displaced worldwide, including over 43 million refugees and more than 73 million internally displaced persons. Refugees and displaced persons come from every region of the world, including countries such as Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Venezuela, Iran, Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and many others, each seeking safety, protection, and the opportunity to rebuild their lives.

Behind every statistic is a human story; a family separated by conflict, a child denied education, or an individual striving to live with dignity and hope.

ICHR Calls for Action

We urge governments, organizations, and communities to:

- Protect refugee rights and human dignity.
- Combat discrimination, racism, and hate.
- Expand access to education, healthcare, legal protection, and employment opportunities.
- Support humanitarian assistance for displaced populations.
- Promote peaceful solutions to conflict and human rights violations.

Our Message

Today, we honour the courage, resilience, and contributions of refugees around the world. No one chooses to become a refugee; people flee because they have no safe alternative.

Let us stand together in solidarity with all refugees and displaced persons and work toward a world where every person can live in freedom, safety, and dignity.

Together, We Can Turn Compassion into Action and Hope into Opportunity.

International Center for Human Rights (ICHR)
World Refugee Day – June 20, 2026

05/12/2026

ICHR: During a Parliament Hill press conference, ICHR’s Ardeshir Zarezadeh joined MP James Bezan at the Parliament of Canada, marking Iran Accountability Day, alongside family members of victims, Mehrzad Zarei and Fatemeh Kazemi.

The event called for the freedom of political prisoners, an end to ex*****ons in Iran, and stronger Canadian support for a free and democratic Iran.

At the press conference, Ardeshir Zarezadeh urged Canada to support the Iranian people through practical measures and concrete action.

MP James Bezan discussed the transnational depressions in Canada and threats coming to Canada from Iran, mentioned his private member bill C-219 which is currently under study by the Parliament’s committee study. MP Bezan sponsored several political prisoners and called on the IRI to free political prisoners.

Mehrzad Zarei, who lost his brother, and Fatemeh Kazemi, who lost her brother during the recent mass atrocities committed by the Islamic regime against protesters in Iran, called on Canada to stand with the Iranian people; especially during internet blackouts that silence victims and hide human rights abuses.

05/05/2026

ICHR: Six Executions in Five Days: Iran, Islamic Republic Escalates Use of Capital Punishment to create fear.

In the span of five days, the Islamic Republic of Iran executed at least six political prisoners across two prisons. Their names were Mehrab Abdollahzadeh, Naser Bakerzadeh, Yaghoub Karimpour, Mehdi Rasouli, Mohammadreza Miri, and Ebrahim Dolatabadi.

Three of them were Kurd. Two; Rasouli and Miri, both 21-year-old workers, had been arrested during the January 2026 protests. One was a father of two. None of their families or lawyers were notified in advance.

Between March 17 and April 27, 2026, at least 22 political prisoners were hanged in Iran, roughly one every two days. The six ex*****ons of May 2–4 bring the confirmed total to at least 28 political prisoners executed in under seven weeks.

Across all six May cases, the same pattern of abuse is evident. Confessions were extracted under torture and severe beatings, then used as primary evidence at trial. Defendants were denied access to independent legal counsel during detention and, in several cases, at trial itself.

Proceedings were conducted before Revolutionary Courts, which operate without transparency and provide no meaningful right of appeal.

The charges; moharebeh (“waging war against God”), efsad-fil-arz (“corruption on earth”), and alleged cooperation with Mossad, function as broad, catch-all capital offenses that can be applied to virtually any form of dissent.

After the ex*****ons, authorities refused to return the bodies to families. In some cases, relatives report being pressured into silence by security agencies, with false assurances that cooperation might lead to reduced sentences.

“The speed of these proceedings was itself a form of violence. In Bakerzadeh’s case, the Supreme Court upheld his death sentence just ten days before his ex*****on. In other cases, lawyers were physically prevented from accessing case files or entering prosecutors’ offices. These were not trials; they were predetermined outcomes in search of justification,” said Ardeshir Zarezadeh, ICHR President.

The world must act to stop political prisoners’ ex*****ons in Iran.

05/04/2026

ICHR: Human rights lawyer Astareh Ansari was arrested at her home in Shiraz on the night of May 3, 2026.

No information has been released about the reason for her arrest, the authority responsible, or where she is being held.

This is not the first time she has been targeted; she was previously detained during the 2022 protests following the Mahsa Amini protests.

In recent months, dozens of lawyers across Iran have been arrested, summoned, or prosecuted for carrying out their professional duties, defending clients, speaking publicly about cases, and upholding legal rights.

“Lawyers must be able to defend their clients freely and independently; they should not face harassment, intimidation, or prosecution simply for doing their jobs. Such actions are not only contrary to the rule of law, but also violate international legal commitments, including principles set out in the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers and broader human rights obligations,” said Ardeshir Zarezadeh, ICHR President.

“When authorities cannot answer the accusations against them, they remove the lawyer. When they cannot ensure a fair trial, they imprison the defender. Many lawyers remain behind bars, including Nasrin Sotoudeh and Narges Mohammadi, reflecting a broader pattern of repression against the legal profession.”

All jailed lawyers must be released immediately.

03/10/2026

The International Center for Human Rights (ICHR) is deeply concerned by the reported shooting at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto. Any attack involving a diplomatic mission and civilians is a serious matter that must be investigated fully and transparently by Canadian authorities.

This incident comes at a time when we have also witnessed disturbing shootings targeting Jewish synagogues in the Toronto area, as well as increasing threats and intimidation directed at members of the Iranian-Canadian community, particularly activists who advocate for democracy and human rights in Iran.

“Taken together, these incidents raise serious concerns about the security environment in Canada and the growing risks associated with foreign regime influence, intimidation, and extremist networks operating abroad,” said Ardeshir Zarezadeh, ICHE President.

For years, members of the community and security experts have warned Canadian authorities about these dangers. Calls were repeatedly made for stronger action, including addressing foreign interference networks linked to the Islamic Republic and listing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist entity due to its role in repression, intimidation, and transnational activities.

Canada is a safe and democratic country, and it must remain that way. Protecting communities, preventing intimidation by foreign regimes, and responding decisively to acts of violence are essential to safeguarding public safety and democratic values.

ICHR calls on authorities to investigate these incidents thoroughly and ensure that Canada remains a place where individuals can live, speak, and advocate freely without fear.

01/17/2026

⁨ ⁨ ⁨ روزنامه معتبر نشنال پست کانادا بقلم اردشیر زارع زاده مدیر مرکز بین المللی حقوق بشر (ICHR) و حقوقدان و فعال سیاسی سابق در ایران مقاله ای منتشر کرده که در آن اردشیر زارع زاده تاکید دارد که

ایرانیان از غرب می‌خواهند درک کنند که این خیزش یک فرصت تاریخی نادر است؛ نه‌تنها برای پایان دادن به یک رژیم بی‌رحم در داخل کشور و جلوگیری از خون‌ریزی، بلکه برای برچیدن تهدید هسته‌ای و صدور دیرپای تروریسم و نقش جمهوری اسلامی در ناامنی جهانی.

ما در مرکز ای سی اچ ار با انعکاس صدای ایرانیان در سطح جهان و لابی های گسترده تلاش می کنیم تا حاکمیت قانون و کرامت انسانی در ایران تماس پیدا کند.⁩

لینک مقاله در استوری⁩
⁩

01/16/2026

Official Statement — ICHR ( The International Centre for Human Rights, Canada)

The United Nations Security Council is the highest platform where truth can confront power. Today, that platform was used with courage and clarity.

The UN Security Council conducted a meeting in response to the ongoing mass killings IN iran by the Islamic Republic.

Ahmad Batebi and Masih Alinejad two well-known human rights defenders stood where history listens. They were guest speakers and witnesses at the Council.

“Ahmad Batebi and Masih Alinejar spoke not for themselves, but for a silenced nation. They carried the voices of millions of Iranians who have been denied justice, dignity, and life itself.” Said Ardeshir Zarezadeh, ICHR President. “The world was watching. Leaders were watching. Even those who once promised to stand with the Iranian people were watching.”

Ahmad and Masih declared that this time is different. That the bullets of the Islamic Republic, the blood of Iranian youth, and the countless victims of this regime’s terror can no longer be met with silence, diplomacy, or delay, and demanded a clear, firm, and moral response from the international community.

Ahmad Batebi, a human rights defender and journalist in DC, once the symbol of the Iranian student movement, today stood as a symbol of freedom at the United Nations. He confronted the representative of the Islamic Republic with truth, stripped the regime of its lies, and delivered the message of the Iranian people directly to the world, and to President Trump.

This Security Council session did not happen by chance. It was the result of years of resistance, sacrifice, and unwavering struggle by a nation that refuses to surrender to tyranny.

ICHR look to the coming days with vigilance, determination, and hope not the hope of illusion, but the hope born from a people who have risen and will not be silenced again. Ahmad Batebi

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