Campaign to set up an International Tribunal to probe into the mass murder of political prisoners in Iran in 1980s.
Clause 1:
Name: Iran Tribunal Campaign
Iran Tribunal Campaign is a popular, grassroots initiative and all embracing campaign set up by the survivors and the families of the victims of 1980s mass executions in Iran’s prisons. The Campaign is supported by political and labour activists, women’s rights activists, lawyers, students, Children’s rights activists, writers, artists and human right activists.
Clause 2:
Aims and Objectives
Article 1: The aim of the campaign is to help set up a Tribunal to address the issue of widespread executions in early 1980’s and the mass execution of political prisoners in the summer of 1988 in Iran.
Article 2: Since it is not feasible to review every single case of atrocity within a short time span, the prepared indictment whilst containing every single evidence by the survivors and the victims’ families, will be outlined in general. It goes without saying that the task of identifying witnesses and preparation of necessary documents will be upon the legal team in charge. It is deemed necessary that all the known executions that had taken place between June 1981 and the autumn of 1988 to be included in the indictment.
Article 3: In the spring of 1981, the Islamic Republic of Iran set out to physically eliminate all the non-conformist political activist and unconventional individuals in the spheres of arts and culture. Tens of thousands were arrested, tortured and executed. The summary trials were held without defence and lasted on average between 3 -5 minutes. None of the prisoners who went through these sham trials during the period, had the right to defend themselves or had a lawyer present. They were taken to the specially prepared rooms which resembled more of an inquisition room than a courtroom. After being insulted and intimidated their charges were read out. All those prisoners who were not executed during the early period of 80s, were subsequently murdered in the summer of 88 by the Islamic regime in a similarly orchestrated trials during which the defendants had to respond to only three prepared questions.
Article 4: Since the Tribunal’s declared results will not be legally binding, the attempt to convene it will have purely expository values and is intended to draw the international public opinion to the crimes committed by the Islamic regime since its inception.
Article 5: To realise the convening of the Tribunal, it is necessary to make use of all the available resources for the formation of a team of independent and impartial international lawyers.
Article 6: Expenses: Expenses to be incurred by the Campaign will have to be financed through donations, popular charitable deeds, membership fees and charity concerts. Iran Tribunal Campaign will not receive any financial support from any governments or state institutions.
Clause 3:
The decision making and executive organs
Article 7: General Meeting: General Meeting is the highest decision making body of Campaign that is usually held once a month depending on the volume of work. The Coordinating Committee (Executive Committee) is responsible for its convocation.
Article 8: Task and Responsibilities of General Meeting:
- Scrutinising the works carried out between successive sittings
- Making decisions on the future course of the activities and
- Reviewing or redefining Campaign’s constitution when necessary
- Selecting members of Coordinating Committee, Legal and Document gathering Committee, Preparation Committee, Finance Committee, Canvassing and Propaganda Committee and Translation and Interpretation Committee
Article 9: The Co-ordinating Committee (Executive Committee): This is one of the committees setup by General Meeting, whose membership vary between 7 to 11 people, depending on the scope of the activities.
Article 10: Tasks and Responsibilities of Coordinating Committee
- Conducting the aims and activities of the Campaign, overseeing the international works and implementing the decisions of the General Meeting
- Creating new roles and responsibilities to improve and revamp the aims of the Tribunal
- Preparation and propagation of all Campaign ’s literature
- Appointment of representatives to participate in local and international meetings.
- Convening the General Meetings of Tribunal.
Article 11: Legal and Document gathering Committee
- This is one of the committees setup by Campaign, whose membership vary between 5 to 7 people, depending on the scope of the activities.
- It is deemed necessary that at least two members of the Legal committee are appointed from members with background in legal activities.
Article 12: Tasks and Responsibilities of the Legal Committee
- Preparation of legal documents, gathering of various records and documents relating to the works of the Tribunal, typing and categorising them.
Article 13: Finance Committee
- This is one of the committees setup by General Meeting, whose membership vary between 7 to 9 people, depending on the scope of the activities.
Article 14: Tasks and Responsibilities of the Finance Committee
- Maintaining the expenses that will be incurred during trial,
- Sustaining the travel and hotel expenses of members, lawyers and guests whilst on the assignment for Iran Tribunal.
Article 15: Preparation Committee
- This is one of the committees setup by General Meeting, whose membership must exceed 10 people, depending on the scope of the activities.
Article 16: Tasks and Responsibilities of the Canvassing & Propaganda Committee
- Preparing necessary provisions and resources for the Tribunal, such as finding venue for the court, residential places for the guests, and organising trips.
Article 17: Canvassing and Propaganda Committee
- This is one of the committees setup by General Meeting, whose membership must exceed 10 people, depending on the scope of the activities.
Article 18: Tasks and Responsibilities of the Canvassing & Propaganda Committee
- Publicising and making known the works of Iran Tribunal
- Creation of an Internet cite/s,
- Publicising the works of Tribunal in the Iranian and International media, preparing and publishing advertising posters, carrying out interviews and so on.
Article 19: The Interpretation and translation Committee
- This committee is composed of members and volunteers who possess expertise in the field of interpretation and translation. Members of this committee must exceed five individuals, depending on the volume of work.
Latest edited Version of Constitution: 20 October 2008