American Society of International Law Awards Medal to Roya Boroumand

The American Society of International Law honored Roya Boroumand, Executive Director of the Abdolrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran, with the 2024 Goler T. Butcher Medal. According to the Boroumand Foundation's Instagram page, the Goler T. Butcher Medal was awarded to Ms. Boroumand for her commitment to 'promoting human rights and democracy in Iran.' The award presenters also commended the Executive Director of the Boroumand Foundation for 'producing accurate and impartial reports on human rights violations and serving justice and accountability under international law.' Goler T. Butcher was a prominent African-American lawyer and professor of international law at Harvard Law School. Ms. Butcher served as the Africa Director at the United States Agency for International Development and was a pioneer in the fight against famine and hunger in Africa. The American Society of International Law has awarded the Goler T. Butcher Medal annually since 1997 to outstanding international individuals for their 'contribution to the development or effective realization of international human rights.' The Abdolrahman Boroumand Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization established to promote human rights and democracy in Iran. The foundation's stated goal is to 'guarantee and preserve all human rights for all Iranians without any discrimination.' This foundation was established by her children, Roya and Ladan Boroumand, after the assassination of Abdolrahman Boroumand in Paris. Abdolrahman Boroumand was an Iranian political activist and head of the Executive Committee of the National Resistance Movement of Iran, who was murdered on April 17, 1991, in front of the elevator of his residence in Paris. Roya Boroumand stated: 'The investigations of the fact-finding committee regarding the protests in Iran are very important, and their publication is a step forward.' Ladan Boroumand added: 'Elections in the Islamic Republic are not free, and individuals are selected based on ideological affiliation.' Dozens of human rights organizations and groups have called for the extension of UN human rights missions regarding Iran.