Citizen Rights Charter is not a slogan: Rouhani aide

TEHRAN – Elham Aminzadeh, special assistant to President Rouhani on citizens’ rights, has said that the Citizen Rights Charter is not a slogan, suggesting it helps light the path towards a bright future.

In an interview with AFP, Aminzadeh expressed hope that the charter will one day be made into law by parliament and extended to all branches of government, according to Tehran Times.

However, she said the charter has no power over the judiciary or parliament and only covers the civil service and other parts of the executive.

“I cannot put an article in this charter for the judiciary or legislature,” she said.

The Citizen Rights Charter, unveiled last month by the Rouhani administration, enshrines freedom of speech, protest, fair trials and privacy. Rouhani has said that he regards the achievement as one of his oldest dreams.

His critics say since he faces a reelection battle in the upcoming months, the launch of the charter has been timed to influence voters. Aminzadeh, however, denied such claims, saying the charter had been a key campaign promise in 2013.

“It’s not a slogan… It is not just for the Rouhani government, it is for the next 100 years,” she said.

Elsewhere in her remarks, Aminzadeh defended the human rights situation in Iran, saying, “In comparing to other countries, I think (the human rights situation in Iran) is good, but it can be better.”

“I don’t know why of the many different human rights violations around the world, the foreign media is not keen on discussing them,” she said.

She also accused Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International of having “double standards” against Iran and ignoring rights abuses in countries like Bahrain and Yemen.

M.Wassouf