Basic HTML Version
Summer 2017
DEFENDERS
3
A
glance at the general outlines of Iran's
Constitution shows that the law has
tried to recognize the rights and freedoms
of the country’s citizens as a result of which
such rights have come under a separate
chapter titled “The Rights of the Nation.”
For this reason, Iran's Constitution can be
considered as one of the richest laws in
the field of citizenship rights. However,
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani unveiled
a Charter on Citizens' Rights last year in
order to facilitate implementation of this part of the Constitution and draw more
attention to citizenship rights. He also aimed to bring all citizenship rights and
freedoms of Iranian citizens in one place, so as to make special follow-up on these
rights possible. In the following interview with Modafe’an (Defenders) magazine,
AliAkbar Gorji, who holds a doctoral degree in lawand is also a professor at Tehran’s
Shahid Beheshti University, explains various levels and executive guarantees of
these laws. This university professor believes that peace and tranquility are the
outcome of realization of citizenship rights. This means that whenever these rights
and freedoms are protected, violence gradually decreases. In other words, violence
is a consequence of disregard for human and citizenship rights and if citizenship
rights are enforced in a suitable manner, the world would see peace, tranquility and
development. The text of the interview follows.
***
Q: When laws are categorized in Iran, in what category of laws
or binding documents does Iran's “Charter on Citizens' Rights”
belong? What relationship this charter has with the basic rights
and other approved laws? Please explain about legal status and
executive guarantees for this charter.
A: Citizenship rights are among natural rights and freedoms of human beings and
various political systems, that is, governments, have recognized them and tried
to guarantee their realization within their borders and under their governance.
Reducing Violence Hinges on
Safeguarding Citizenship Rights
Interview with Ali Akbar Gorji
Professor of Law; Shahid Beheshti University
By: L.Kazemi
Journalist