‘The International Day for the Right to the Truth’
Written by ACI in 24 March 12Ref: 205 / M / 509
Date: 24 March 2012
‘The International Day for the Right to the Truth’
concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims
24th of March 2012 marks the second ‘International Day for the Right to the Truth’.
This day recognises the right of the families to the truth regarding the fate of their loved ones at the hands of their persecutors. It honours the memory of victims of gross and systematic human rights violations which include extra judicial or state sponsored disappearances, torture and loss of life and promotes the importance of the right to truth and justice.
In 2010 United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights, Navitham Pillay, stated “The right to the truth implies knowing the full and complete truth about events that transpired, their specific circumstances, and who participated in them, including knowing the circumstances in which the violations took place as well as the reasons for them.”
While marking this day and ‘the right to truth’, ACI honours the memories of all victims of gross human rights violations in Iran of the last thirty three years.
Without a doubt, the right to the truth about gross human rights violations and serious violations of human rights law is an inalienable and undeniable right, linked to the duty and obligation of the Islamic Republic to protect and guarantee human rights of every Iranian citizen, and that the Islamic Republic is duty bound according to its international obligations to conduct effective investigations, to guarantee effective remedyand to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Truth will not remain hidden for long.