Elahe Sharifpour-Hicks has been defending human rights for more than two decades. She was the Iran researcher for Human Rights Watch from 1994 to 2001 and is currently the manager of Human Rights and Planning at New York.
On the tenth anniversary of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA), Sharifpour-Hicks tells Peace Mark Monthly: “The most positive feature of HRA is distancing itself from politics.” And regarding the permanence of HRA, she adds: “The only thing that makes such an activism possible and permanent is to show devotion, and that is exactly what the members of HRA have shown.”
How would you describe HRA, and if it is possible to highlight one positive feature of it, what would that be in your opinion?
The work of all the groups that have been established in the past with the purpose of defending, promoting, and advancing human rights in Iran is commendable. Taking into consideration the risks and dangers of gathering information in Iran and considering the constraints and difficulties that these groups face aboard, their activism makes a non-stop around-the-clock effort that is of high importance, considering the human rights situation in Iran.
Regarding the most positive feature of HRA, I can mention that it has distanced itself from politics. When dealing with human rights issues, staying away from politics is very important. Considering that, in a country such as Iran that lacks political parties and that constrains and even makes political activism impossible, there is a very fine line formed and many would intentionally or unintentionally cross the line and confuse politics and human rights. There is a concern that any of us having our own political beliefs could bring them to our human rights work. This is a crucial responsibility, and I am certain that you and your colleagues have always taken it into consideration, because I believe HRA has always stayed away from politics.
As you mentioned, for HRA and, overall, for the civil society and for any group or organization that is defending human rights in Iran, there are many ups and downs and difficulties; this results in many of these groups and organizations not being able to survive for long. With that being said, what do you think are the structural differences that lead to a perpetual existence of a human rights organization and its continued activism? In this regard, what difference could you mention specifically about HRA?
To start with, from the whole society and the international organizations, those that could not continue or advance (despite their longer history compared to the rest of the groups) have had financing and budget problems. As I mentioned before, these organizations need to stay politically neutral and should only be active to defend, promote and advance human rights. In Iran, this is even more of an issue because human rights organizations and, in general, communitarian and non-governmental organizations are still new to people, and they don’t value paying for these kinds of memberships. Therefore, it is very important to find funding from places that do not make the organization dependent. Indeed, this is one of the biggest obstacles that a human rights organization faces. In this regard, even the special rapporteur of the United Nations faces budget problems.
Considering these issues, the only thing that makes such activism possible and permanent is to show devotion, and that is exactly what the members of HRA have shown. Their work is not like the daily work of a researcher working for Human Rights Watch or Amnesty International. Their work is similar to a 24-hour unique job. Therefore, the unique feature that has led to the continuation of activism of HRA is devotion and around-the-clock tirelessness without sufficient funding.
Is there anything you would like to tell the members and colleagues who have been with HRA in over a decade?
None of us have anything negative to say in this important matter of defending, promoting and advancing human rights. Maybe you are talking to me because of my experience and my age. But all of us who work to defend human rights, whether from older or younger generations, have a great respect for each other. I do not want to say the cliché, I bow to your tirelessness, but I truly and honestly shake your hands in friendship and kindness. This path that you have started and continued, along with its risks, dangers and around-the-clock work, is a very precious path. Maybe many human rights activists would not see the result of their endeavors and hard work in the short time (just like freeing a prisoner takes lots of hard work and time). However, any society would have a special respect for people who work really hard and have devoted themselves to improving the conditions of their fellow humans. We are just like classmates who learn from each other, and I have learned a lot from HRA.
