Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); 28 September 2026: The sixth Oslo conference organised by Iran Human Rights concluded after two days of discussions between Iranian opposition parties and organisations with diverse political backgrounds. The conference included closed-door discussions on possibilities for joint human rights action and a public ceremony at which representatives of participating organisations signed the Minimum Human Rights Principles. The dialogue will continue, with the aim of identifying and pursuing concrete human rights actions across political divides.
Fifteen opposition parties and organisations have endorsed the Minimum Human Rights Principles, developed through a year-long dialogue facilitated by Iran Human Rights. Representatives of 12 of the organisations were present in Oslo for the conference, entitled “Iran’s Human Rights Crisis: From Shared Principles to Joint Action.”
Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, Director of Iran Human Rights, said: “The signing of the Minimum Human Rights Principles by 15 opposition parties and organisations with different political backgrounds, views and programmes is a significant step. It shows that we can disagree profoundly on political questions while respecting each other’s fundamental rights. Building a culture of democracy and human rights cannot wait until after political change; it has to begin with how we treat each other today.”
He added: “The real significance of what happened in Oslo will be determined by what follows. If groups with profound political differences can defend each other’s fundamental rights and take concrete action when the rights of people anywhere in Iran are violated, they are not only defending human rights today; they are also helping to build the democratic and human rights culture that a future Iran will need.”
From Shared Principles to Joint Action
The two-day conference was the sixth conference organised by Iran Human Rights as part of its Oslo dialogue process. It built on previous conferences and a series of discussions over the past year between political parties and organisations with different views on Iran’s political future.
The first day was held behind closed doors and focused on how the participating groups could move from agreement on common human rights principles towards practical action.
Despite significant political differences, participants held constructive discussions on areas in which joint or coordinated action could be possible. These included responses to executions and threats against political prisoners and protesters, violations affecting ethnic and religious groups, and ways of responding more rapidly and effectively to serious human rights violations across Iran.
Participants also discussed specific human rights issues on which further joint or coordinated steps could be taken. The purpose was not to create a political alliance or common political programme, but to explore how shared human rights commitments could provide a basis for practical action across political divides.
Public Signing of the Minimum Human Rights Principles
On the second day, representatives of 12 parties and organisations gathered at the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters for the public signing of the Minimum Human Rights Principles.
The principles are the result of months of discussions between political organisations with different ideological and political orientations. They establish a common minimum of fundamental rights that the signatories commit themselves to respecting, irrespective of which political forces may hold power in a future Iran.
The signing does not constitute a political alliance or agreement on Iran’s future system of government. Rather, it reflects a shared commitment that fundamental rights and human dignity must be respected for everyone, including those with whom one fundamentally disagrees politically.
Before the signing, Amiry-Moghaddam said:
“We do not have to agree on every aspect of Iran’s future. But we should be able to agree that no one should be deprived of their fundamental rights because of their political views, identity, beliefs, gender, ethnicity or religion.”
Following the signing ceremony, representatives of the 12 organisations present addressed the public conference. Two additional contributions were delivered by video message.
Views of Political Parties and Organisations on the Principles
Heshmatollah Tabarzadi, Secretary-General of the Democratic Front of Iran, said in a voice message from prison: "Every human being, by virtue of being human, must enjoy the rights set out in the Declaration." Stressing that any government that seeks democracy must adhere in practice to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, he reminded the audience that human rights are not limited to opposing the death penalty and the imprisonment of political opponents.
Hafez Fazeli, representative of the Democratic Solidarity Party of Al-Ahwaz, said: "Different political forces may not be able to agree on every issue, but they can agree on a set of fundamental principles." He described this as natural and even necessary, but stressed that it does not mean dividing human rights into first-class and second-class rights.
Farzaneh Azimi, representative of the Left Party of Iran, said: "The struggle for human rights, including the fundamental right to life and opposition to the death penalty, must not remain confined within political, ideological and organisational differences." She emphasised that political forces and organisations opposed to the deprivation of the right to life should be able to take joint action in this area despite their differences.
Younes Shameli, representative of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party, stressed the need to recognise the right to regional self-administration and said that Iran's future political structure should be built on decentralised, bottom-up democracy. He emphasised: "The political situation and the likelihood of future developments make attention to human rights essential in this period."
Asso Hassanzadeh, representative of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, stated that his party seeks respect for the human rights of Kurds alongside respect for the rights of others. Hassanzadeh stressed that a joint defence of human rights does not require resolving the political differences among groups opposed to the Islamic Republic; it is enough for these differences to be set aside in the field of human rights.
Duman Radmehr, representative of the Azerbaijan Democracy and Development Party, said that groups opposed to the Islamic Republic must present a clear and credible vision of Iran's future and reassure society that political change will not lead to civil war, chaos or the collapse of the country's vital structures.
Ahwan Chiako, representative of the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), described the human rights situation in Iran as a "deep structural crisis" and said that human rights should not be regarded merely as a commitment for a future government, but must be the standard of conduct for political groups today and a foundation for building Iran's future.
Hamid Taghvaee, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Worker-communist Party of Iran, said that to confront all forms of discrimination in Iran, human rights and a shared human identity must be the basis, and the rights of individuals must be recognised equally regardless of nationality, religion, gender, language and culture. He stressed that national and religious discrimination are real, but the way to confront them is through emphasis on shared human identity and legal equality.
Nahid Bahmani, representative of the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, stressed that the documentation of human rights violations must become more professional so that the information gathered can be used in independent investigations, judicial proceedings and the process of transitional justice. She added: "The key question is what action can be taken in the face of widespread human rights violations, and what obligations arise from a practical commitment to minimum human rights principles."
Fariba Mohammadi, representative of the Komala Party of Kurdistan Toilers, said: "Human rights must not be selective." She stressed that disagreement over the form of government, Iran's future structure, the relationship between centre and periphery, the national question and the right to self-determination is natural, but these differences must not stand in the way of joint action against torture, the death penalty, the imprisonment of opponents and other human rights violations.
Nasser Boladai, Secretary-General of the Balochistan People's Party, said that parties could make human rights the basis of cooperation rather than focusing on their own party programmes. Referring to the anniversary of the killing of Jina (Mahsa) Amini and the "Bloody Friday" of Zahedan, Boladai said that discrimination and repression in Iran take many forms, and that human rights must encompass both individual and collective rights.
Shilan Mirzaei, spokesperson for the Strategic Council of Republicans inside Iran, said in a video message that the political and civil rights of citizens must not depend on their gender, language, religion or lack of religious belief, place of birth or residence, cultural identity, family background or geographical identity, and that all citizens must enjoy equal rights.
Abdolrahman Diyeji, representative of the Turkmen Sahra Cooperation Council, said: "We regard human rights not as a slogan, but as a fundamental principle that stands above party, group and ideological interests." Dieji stressed that defending the rights of one group does not mean opposing the rights of another, and that any right a group demands for itself must also be recognised for others.
Hossein Bahiraei, representative of the Solidarity of Iranian Republicans, referring to Iran's economic and social situation, said that conditions have deteriorated to such an extent that addressing human rights solely from a preventive perspective is no longer sufficient, and that livelihood problems, access to medicine and food, and the risk of internal conflict must also be taken into account.
Despite their different political perspectives, a recurring theme in the speeches was that respect for human rights cannot be postponed until after political change, and that political differences should not prevent the defence of the fundamental rights of others.
Dialogue to Continue with Focus on Human Rights Action
The Oslo dialogue will continue, with greater emphasis on translating the shared principles into practical responses to human rights violations.
The participating organisations will remain in contact and continue discussions on specific areas in which joint or coordinated human rights action may be possible. Such cooperation is not intended to constitute a political alliance, but to make it possible for groups with different political programmes to act together where fundamental rights are at stake.
Iran Human Rights will continue to facilitate the dialogue while maintaining its independent and non-partisan human rights mandate.
Signatories:
The English PDF of the document is available here.