Freedom and Human Dignity: Prerequisites for Peace
Statement from Civil Society and Human Rights Organizations, Groups, and Networks on the Eve of the Rome Negotiations
To the Governments Participating in the Rome Nuclear Negotiations,
The United Nations, the European Union, International Human Rights Institutions, and Global Public Opinion
On the eve of the second round of nuclear negotiations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States, scheduled to take place on April 19, 2025, in Rome, the signatories of this statement believe that these dialogues, while strategically necessary, cannot substitute for international accountability for the systematic human rights violations in Iran.
We support all diplomatic initiatives aimed at preventing the Islamic Republic of Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and curbing the spread of war in the region. However, we emphasize that any agreement that strengthens the position of the current Iranian government and prolongs its survival without accountability for human rights violations would contradict the will of the majority of Iranians who seek a transition from authoritarian rule to a democratic government based on the popular will.
An agreement with a regime that structurally violates human rights—including through gender apartheid, widespread use of the death penalty, suppression of minorities, imprisonment of critics and activists, and restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly, and belief—without incorporating binding and effective mechanisms to end these practices, is not only illegitimate but also amounts to tacit complicity in oppression.
We believe that lasting peace is unattainable without respect for human dignity.
Accordingly, we call on the negotiating governments, international institutions, and the global community to consider the following provisions as prerequisites to any agreement:
1. Immediate and unconditional release of all political and ideological prisoners, and the decriminalization of political, labor, and civil activism;
2. Unconditional freedom of belief, expression, thought, the press, political association, and formation of local and nationwide civil and professional organizations;
3. Immediate abolition of the issuance and implementation of all forms of the death penalty, including executions and retributive justice (qisas), and prohibition of all forms of physical and psychological torture;
4. Inclusion of clear, verifiable, and enforceable human rights commitments in the terms of any potential agreement;
5. Explicit support for the Iranian people’s right to self-determination through free and fair elections.
Finally, we emphasize that the legitimacy of any meaningful and sustainable agreement hinges not only on halting dangerous nuclear activities, but also on a genuine commitment to upholding the political and social rights and freedoms of the Iranian people.
Respectfully,
April 2025
The following organizations are signatories to this statement :
1. Zagros Center for Human Rights
2. The Global Network to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (GNFPPI)
3. Ahwazi Source
4. All for Iran, Switzerland
5. AMADNEWS Agency
6. Armita Foundation
7. Association for the Defense of Azerbaijani Political Prisoners in Iran (ADAP)
8. Association for the Support of Iranian Refugees in Malaysia
9. Balochistan Human Rights Group
10. Campaign for the Freedom of Fatemeh Sepehri
11. Campaign to Save Political Prisoners and Prisoners Sentenced to Death
12. Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI)
13. Comprehensive Solidarity of Founders of the Republic and New Iran
14. Dadkhwazani Kurdistan (Kurdistan Justice Seekers)
15. Europerse, Belgium
16. Ex-Muslim Scandinavia
17. Free Iran, Switzerland
18. FreeHuman, Germany
19. Girls of Justice Campaign
20. HANA Human Rights Organization
21. International Independent Physicians and Healthcare Providers Association(IIPHA)
22. Iranian Australian Republicans
23. Iranian Canadian Health Care Professionals
24. Iranian Network of Norway
25. Iranian Teachers’ Trade Challenge Group
26. Justice-Seeking Campaign for Four Executed Kurdish Political Prisoners
27. Justice Supporters Center
28. Kurdistan Human Rights Reporters Center
29. Kurdistan Women’s Organization of Iran
30. Lovers of Iran Group
31. Mana Association, Milan
32. National Solidarity of Iranians (Melliun Iran)
33. NIKA – Network of Iranians for Freedom and Democracy
34. No to Taboo, No to Violence Against Women
35. People’s Front of the Iranian Underground Resistance Movement
36. Republicans of Ottawa, Canada
37. Rescue Iran Coalition Front (JANA)
38. Victims and Justice Seekers of the Jina Uprising
39. Voice of Baloch Women , Barmesh
40. Woman, Life, Freedom , Belgium
41. Woman, Life, Freedom Association , Germany
42. Woman, Life, Freedom Association, Graz
43. Woman, Life, Freedom , Solingen -Germany
44. United Youth of Iran
45. 21st Century Human Rights Association, Germany
