The Iranian lawmakers approved a provision affirming the right of all individuals to organize and participate in assemblies and marches, subject to specific legal conditions.
During an open session of Parliament on Tuesday, the MPs reviewed a report by the Parliamentary Commission on Internal Affairs and Councils regarding a bill on regulating the holding of gatherings and rallies, in implementation of Article 27 of the Constitution of Iran.
After hearing the views of both supporters and opponents, the lawmakers voted in favor of Article 2 of the bill. The article was approved with 223 votes in favor, three votes against, and no abstentions.
According to the approved and amended text of Article 2, all individuals enjoy the right to organize and hold gatherings and marches, or to participate in them, within the framework of Article 27 of the Constitution and other relevant laws. The article also stipulates that no one may be forced or hired to take part in a gathering or rally, nor may participants be prevented from leaving such events.
A note appended to the article specifies one of the key conditions for holding demonstrations, stating that applicants seeking to organize gatherings or marches must not have an effective criminal record relevant to the matter.