Official Statement by IHRNGO In Response to Misinformation and Attacks Following the Oslo Conference on Human Rights
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); 30 October 2025: The Oslo Conference - entitled “Human Rights in Post-Islamic Republic Iran” - was convened by Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) with the aim of facilitating a structured and inclusive dialogue on the foundational principles necessary to safeguard the rights and dignity of all Iranians-regardless of political affiliation, ethnicity, religion, gender, or identity-in a future democratic Iran.
Participants in the conference were invited not as an endorsement of their political platforms or past actions but based on the fact that they either represent parts of Iranian society or are likely to play a role in the transition period following the end of the Islamic Republic.
The conference provided a unique and neutral space for respectful exchange. It allowed representatives of politically and ideologically diverse backgrounds-many meeting for the first time-to engage in open conversation, articulate their positions, and collectively issue a historic joint statement opposing the death penalty, a fundamental human rights violation widely practiced in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
We – and the participants of our event - view the outcomes of this conference as a significant achievement. In a context marked by deep political divisions and widespread mistrust, creating a space for civil and principled dialogue is not only necessary-it is courageous and forward-looking.
We are grateful for the many expressions of support received from human rights defenders and civil society actors both inside and outside Iran. We also welcome constructive criticism and will take it into account as we plan future initiatives.
At the same time, we strongly reject the coordinated campaign of disinformation and defamation that followed the conference. While some of these attacks emanated from state-affiliated media outlets such as Fars News Agency (linked to the IRGC) and Kayhan (a mouthpiece of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei), others have unfortunately come from diaspora groups who purport to oppose the Islamic Republic.
These latter accusations-including claims that IHRNGO is promoting separatist or militant agendas-are baseless and defamatory.
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) is an independent, non-partisan, and non-governmental human rights organization, with no affiliation to any political party or group. Our mandate and operations are grounded solely in international human rights law, and our track record over more than a decade speaks for itself.
We are particularly concerned about the use of politically charged labels such as “separatist” by some of the conference’s critics. This is a tactic long employed by the Islamic Republic to justify the criminalization, persecution, and execution of dissidents, particularly those from ethnic regions including Kurdistan, Khuzestan, and Sistan-Baluchestan. The repetition of this terminology by some actors in the diaspora-whether intentional or not-risks legitimizing state repression and undermining the very principles of human rights advocacy.
Finally, the Oslo Conference was not designed a political gathering, nor was it intended to form any coalitions. It was a human rights-focused initiative, aiming to initiate dialogue on common principles that may serve as a foundation for future post-Islamic Republic in Iran.
We believe that respectful dialogue-even among actors with profound disagreements-is essential to ensuring the human rights of every citizen, without exception, in a future Iran.
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO)
Oslo, 30 October 2025