Human Rights Headquarters of the Judiciary
HRHQ
Summary
The Human Rights Headquarters of the Judiciary (ستاد حقوق بشر قوه قضاییه) was established by Supreme Leader directive in 2005 and operates within the Judiciary under the Chief Justice. It receives individual complaints including allegations of custodial torture, prison mistreatment, and police abuse, and channels them to relevant Judiciary offices. It is not independent — its head is appointed by the Chief Justice, it has no subpoena power, no binding enforcement authority, and no independent investigative staff for use-of-force incidents. It publishes no statutory public reports, and its output is subject to executive/Judiciary review before any external release. It functions primarily as a grievance channel and Iran's official interlocutor with UN human rights bodies.
Independence Scorecard
| Appointment | Executive appointment |
|---|---|
| Term length | Not specified |
| Removal standard | At will (weak protection) |
| Budget independence | Executive discretion |
| Subpoena power | No |
| Compel testimony | No |
| Records access | Restricted |
| Public reports required | No |
| Pre-publication review | Executive review |
Statute
- Name
- Judiciary Regulation on Human Rights Headquarters
- Citation
- Supreme Leader Directive 2005; restructured by Judiciary internal regulation 2020
- Full text
- Agency website →
Jurisdiction scope
Receives complaints of human rights violations including custodial deaths, torture, and mistreatment in prisons and detention centers; coordinates with Judiciary branches on individual cases; reports to the Chief Justice; represents Iran in international human rights dialogues