At a human rights conference held at the United Nations’ European headquarters in Geneva, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi delivered a message warning of escalating repression in Iran and calling for the international community to hold the regime’s leaders accountable for their crimes.
Mrs. Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran for the transitional period of transferring sovereignty to the people of Iran, stressed that the country is facing severe crises, from the killing of protesters and young demonstrators during recent uprisings to the growing dangers posed by war and repression.
She emphasized that the fundamental conflict in Iran is between the Iranian people and their organized resistance on one side and what she described as the ruling religious fascism on the other. According to Rajavi, the solution to this long-standing confrontation lies in the overthrow of the regime by the Iranian people through an organized uprising and the establishment of a democratic republic.
In her message, Rajavi also expressed sympathy for civilians who have lost loved ones or homes due to war and repression, and urged all parties to avoid actions that endanger innocent people or damage civilian infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, and service centers.
She highlighted the situation of thousands of political prisoners in Iran, including many young people arrested during recent protests, warning that they face serious threats while the authorities refuse to release them. Rajavi called for urgent international action to protect these prisoners.
Referring to the democratic alternative proposed by the resistance, she pointed to the Ten-Point Plan presented by the National Council of Resistance of Iran for a future free Iran, which includes the abolition of the death penalty, separation of religion and state, gender equality, and respect for the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Mrs. Rajavi concluded by urging the international community to take decisive steps, including referring the crimes of the Iranian regime to the United Nations Security Council and ensuring that the leaders of the regime face justice through international legal mechanisms or universal jurisdiction.
Unfortunately, in the past four decades, the Western world has often ignored the tragedy of human rights violations in Iran.
By staying silent about the repression of freedoms in Iran, they gave the most significant concession to the regime. They allowed it to escape punishment…— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) March 12, 2026
Read the full text of Maryam Rajavi’s message below:
Ladies and gentlemen,
Distinguished guests,
In the name of peace and freedom, I call on human rights defenders to support the solution of the Iranian people and resistance, which is the establishment of a democratic republic.
Today, the people of Iran are facing very serious crises.
From the brutal killing of thousands of young people and teenagers during the January uprising by the criminal clerical regime, to the dangers and hardships that the current war has created for our people.
Now the son of Khamenei has been announced as his successor. For the past three decades, he and his father have been among the top officials responsible for repression.
With his appointment, the regime will continue its policy of repression, as well as exporting terrorism and warmongering. Once again, it has been proven that a viper cannot give birth to a dove.
In recent days, at the same time as the foreign war, the Revolutionary Guards officially announced that they will shoot at any protester.
According to a report on state television, the judiciary is ready to use again the method of the 1988 massacre of political prisoners this year.
Protecting Civilian Lives
Honorable guests,
Let me express my sincere sympathy to my fellow compatriots who have lost their loved ones during the war or because of the regime’s repression, and whose homes have been destroyed.
There is no doubt that the criminal regime ruling Iran has played a major role in bringing the country to this dangerous and tragic situation.
But the main war is the war between the people of Iran and their resistance on one side, and religious fascism on the other.
This struggle has continued for 44 years, since June 20, 1981.
The solution to this confrontation is the overthrow of this regime by the people and by an organized uprising.
For this reason, in the face of war and repression, we stress on peace and freedom.
As I said on February 28, I repeat again: all sides involved must avoid any action that puts the lives of innocent civilians in danger.
They must avoid causing any harm to the people of Iran or damage to schools, hospitals, service centers, and civilian infrastructure.
Anything that directly targets the lives, dignity, and well-being of ordinary citizens must stop.
The slogan of the Iranian Resistance and the provisional government announced by the NCRI is Peace and Freedom.
I call on all governments and advocates of human rights to support it, which reflects the desire of the Iranian people.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The regime has imprisoned thousands of political prisoners in its prisons.
Tens of thousands of young people and teenagers who were arrested during the January uprising are also still in prison.
Bombings and missile attacks threaten the lives of these prisoners. But the regime is not willing to release them.
The mullahs are holding the children of the Iranian people as hostages to prevent new uprisings.
Many prisoners are under death sentences, including 18 people who are accused of membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization.
The Final Consequence of Appeasement
Distinguished guests,
Unfortunately, in the past four decades, the Western world has often ignored the tragedy of human rights violations in Iran.
By staying silent about the repression of freedoms in Iran, they gave the most significant concession to the regime. They allowed it to escape punishment for its crimes.
Many times, we warned that appeasement with this regime would lead to war. Today, the world is seeing the serious consequences of this wrong policy.
Of course, the Iranian people have paid the highest price.
More than one hundred thousand members of this resistance have been executed for seeking freedom.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In the face of the ruling religious dictatorship, the people of Iran have been able to present a democratic alternative. This alternative is the National Council of Resistance of Iran, which was established 44 years ago based on the principal of No to Shah No to the mullahs.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran has announced a plan for a provisional government to transfer power to the people, based on a Ten-Point Plan.
This program is the basis for the work of the provisional government. It is a plan for the future of a free Iran, based on democracy and human rights.
It includes the abolition of the death penalty, a ban on torture, and the end of the clerical Sharia laws.
It calls for a democratic republic based on the separation of religion and state, equality between women and men, and guaranteed freedoms according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
It also emphasizes the autonomy of ethnic nationalities and upholds the rights of all discriminated nationalities in Iran, including Baluchis, Kurds, Arabs and Turkmens.
A Call to the International Community
Distinguished guests,
I will end my remarks by calling on the international community to take urgent action.
In this war, political prisoners are in the greatest danger. The clerical regime must be compelled to release them.
The crimes of this regime should also be referred to the United Nations Security Council.
The leaders of the regime must face justice through international mechanisms or by member states under the principle of universal jurisdiction.
The main war is the war between the people of Iran and their resistance on one side, and religious fascism on the other. This struggle has continued for 44 years, since June 20, 1981.
The solution to this confrontation is the overthrow of this regime by the people and by an… pic.twitter.com/evcQWUYlL6— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) March 12, 2026