Overview: On February 11, 1979, the pro-Western Iranian constitutional monarchy was overthrown and the nation became the Islamic Republic of Iran, ruled by a non-elected religious Supreme Leader who is addressed as "Ayatollah." The population of Iran falls just under 70 million, with an average annual income equivalent to approximately US$8,000.
The State of Human Rights in Iran: Iran is ruled by religious fundamentalists who recognize no secular rule of law or traditional concept of natural rights. Although Iran technically holds elections (from a slate of candidates chosen by the Ayatollah), they wield only as much power as the Ayatollah chooses to grant at the time.
Speech, Press, and Assembly: Free speech, as such, does not exist in Iran. Human rights activists and other perceived agitators are subject to beatings, arrests, torture, and disappearance.
Religious Expression: The Islamic Republic of Iran is a religious institution with no secular concept of law. Those who convert from Islam to another faith may face execution for apostasy. Religious minorities are routinely subject to widespread persecution.
Women's Rights: In Iran, women can vote and run for Parliament and are not prohibited from traveling freely, but they are also subject to police beatings and torture for violating perceived social norms, are not protected from domestic violence, and are discriminated against in other subtle ways (such as inheritance law).
Racism: Arabs (who make up 3%) of the population), Azeris (who make up 24%), and Kurds (who make up 7%) are frequently subject to racial profiling and mass arrests at cultural functions. Although there are very few Jews in Iran, vicious antisemitism is also a serious problem.
Beatings, Arrests, Torture, and Executions: Iranian police tend to respond to peaceful political demonstrations by viciously beating and arresting protesters, who are then subject to further beatings, torture, sexual assault, and denial of medical treatment in prison. Iran formally executed 94 prisoners in 2005, and many more died in prison under mysterious circumstances.
Prognosis: Although Iran's democratic processes are circumvented by the theocratic government structure, the Ayatollah's power is rooted in the support he receives from large segments of the population. A substantial shift in public opinion, leading to the consistent election of reformist candidates, could result in the long-term liberalization of Iranian human rights policy.
This process seemed to be underway in 1997, when a surge of reformist voters--primarily women and young adult males--elected philosophy professor Mohammed Khatami, who was reelected in 2001. But Iran is more nationalist than it is reformist, and when conflict between the United States and Iran reached a fever pitch during the U.S.-led "war on terror," and the emerging possibility of a much more literal war between the United States and Iran, the Iranian people responded by reasserting more conservative Islamic values. This led to the election of anti-reformist candidate Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2005, along with the election of a clear conservative majority in Iran's parliament.
Ahmadinejad has been able to successfully antagonize Western nations, then exploit the resulting fear of a Western-led invasion in order to generate more political support. This self-sustaining process has further stonewalled the work of Iran's reformers, but whether or not it will function as an effective long-term political strategy remains to be seen.
See also:
This process seemed to be underway in 1997, when a surge of reformist voters--primarily women and young adult males--elected philosophy professor Mohammed Khatami, who was reelected in 2001. But Iran is more nationalist than it is reformist, and when conflict between the United States and Iran reached a fever pitch during the U.S.-led "war on terror," and the emerging possibility of a much more literal war between the United States and Iran, the Iranian people responded by reasserting more conservative Islamic values. This led to the election of anti-reformist candidate Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2005, along with the election of a clear conservative majority in Iran's parliament.
Ahmadinejad has been able to successfully antagonize Western nations, then exploit the resulting fear of a Western-led invasion in order to generate more political support. This self-sustaining process has further stonewalled the work of Iran's reformers, but whether or not it will function as an effective long-term political strategy remains to be seen.
See also:
- Iran's Hardliners Hold Fast
- Iran: Losing Faith in the Ayatollahs
- Iran's Theocracy is Sputtering
- Khatami Condemns Fascism in Iran
- Iran's Hard Right Turn
- Iran: 2005 Election Runoff
- Sights Down on Iran
- Iran's Nuclear Ambitions
- Military Action Against Iran?
- Iran Takes Center Stage
- Iran's President on Globalization
