Human Rights Defenders' Demand from Rouhani to Supervise Intelligence Agencies

The Center for Human Rights Defenders has urged Hassan Rouhani to increase oversight of the Ministry of Intelligence during his second presidential term and to resist the 'violations' of parallel intelligence agencies, introducing these agencies to the public. This organization, chaired by Shirin Ebadi, in its report on human rights violations in Iran in Ordibehesht (May), called on Rouhani to prioritize greater oversight of the Ministry of Intelligence. The report emphasized that 'any illegal action by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence will be recorded in the President's record of actions.' The Center for Human Rights Defenders also pointed to the existence of 'parallel and illegal' security institutions in Iran, urging Rouhani to, based on his legal duties, 'resist their violations and introduce these agencies' to the public. According to this organization, 'naturally' the highest responsible figure in the judiciary is aware of the 'illegal actions' of parallel security institutions, 'such as the arrest and case-making against civil and political activists.' Shirin Ebadi, the Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate, had previously criticized Rouhani's government in Azar (December) 2016 for its 'very weak' record on legal freedoms, noting that Rouhani had made 'no changes' in the Ministry of Intelligence contrary to his electoral promises. She referred to the role of Ministry of Intelligence agents in the cases of Narges Mohammadi and Abdolfattah Soltani, two members of the Center for Human Rights Defenders. Meanwhile, Taghi Rahmani, the husband of Narges Mohammadi, announced that the Ministry of Intelligence is the complainant against Mrs. Mohammadi, and if this ministry withdraws its complaint, Narges Mohammadi will be released. The Coordination Council of the Green Path of Hope, an organization close to Mir Hossein Mousavi, in a statement in Shahrivar (September) 2015, referred to the 'efforts of authoritarian extremists to impose political blockage on society,' accusing the Ministry of Intelligence of 'colluding' with the IRGC Intelligence Organization and the judiciary in some of the 'repression projects.' Earlier, in Shahrivar (September) 2014, the Kalemeh website reported on the 'role' of the Ministry of Intelligence in 'summoning and threatening civil activists.' In recent years, the Ministry of Intelligence under Rouhani's government has also prevented the holding of meetings by some political and cultural groups critical of the Iranian government, including the National Front and the Iranian Writers' Association. Ali Younesi, the Minister of Intelligence in Mohammad Khatami's government, had previously stated that the Ministry of Intelligence had not yet been 'captured' by Rouhani's government. He clarified on Mehr 14, 2014, that by 'capture' he meant that the government had not 'fully taken control' of the Ministry of Intelligence. Meanwhile, the Minister of Intelligence in Rouhani's government has also had conflicts with the judiciary and the IRGC Intelligence Organization. For instance, after the arrest of several managers of Telegram channels in Esfand (March) 2017, Mahmoud Alavi, the Minister of Intelligence, stated that the government opposes the arrest of Telegram channel managers. In response, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the spokesperson for the judiciary, said on Wednesday, Farvardin 23, that there are 'issues regarding the Minister of Intelligence' in this case, and he cannot prepare a report about this case. On the same day, Mahmoud Alavi responded to this statement by saying, 'I do not recognize any crime for the admins that I would be complicit with; it seems they are my accomplices. Defending the government is not a small crime.' The spokesperson's office of Rouhani's government also announced at that time that Mr. Mohseni Ejei made these comments due to 'fatigue and pressure of commitments.' However, Mr. Ejei reiterated his previous statements even after these reactions.