Gharib Abadi: Establishing a network of ombudsmen to combat human rights violations contributes to sustainable development in Islamic countries

The fourth assembly of ombudsmen from member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation began on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, hosted by Iran’s General Inspection Organization and attended by the Chief Justice. The two-day event is held under the theme "Inclusive Accountability, Just Governance, and Convergence of the Islamic Ummah."

Kazem Gharib Abadi, Deputy for Legal and International Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, speaking at the Islamic Countries’ Ombudsman Association summit, declared: "This assembly cannot ignore the brutal crimes of the Zionist regime, particularly in Palestine and Lebanon. We condemn the killing of civilians, genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing by the Zionist occupying regime and call on the international community to bring the perpetrators to justice."

Excerpts from Gharib Abadi’s speech:

"Ombudsmen, as independent supervisory institutions, play a unique role in ensuring human rights compliance, preventing corruption, and promoting transparency in government activities. These institutions, operating independently of executive powers, can effectively identify irregularities, address public complaints, and hold government officials accountable. In the Islamic world, where deeper ties exist between religion and governance, ombudsmen can particularly promote Islamic ethics, achieve social justice, and defend human rights.

As independent supervisory arms, ombudsmen play a pivotal role in achieving good governance, government accountability, and protecting citizens’ rights. In a world facing complex challenges such as inequality, discrimination, and human rights violations, strengthening these institutions can create an environment for accountability, transparency, combating corruption, and promoting justice and equality, fostering public trust and the rule of law, so that justice is institutionalized not only nationally but across the Islamic world.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has always emphasized shared Islamic values. Based on Islamic principles, justice and respect for human rights must be upheld as fundamental principles in governance systems. Our Islamic diplomacy is founded on the belief that establishing justice is a fundamental responsibility. In this regard, we believe that creating and strengthening supervisory institutions, such as ombudsmen, as key tools for achieving justice, especially in Islamic societies, is of great importance.

Ombudsmen in Islamic countries should synergize and share their experiences. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, we are ready to share our successful experiences and achievements in strengthening supervisory institutions and supporting citizens’ rights with other Islamic countries. Bilateral and multilateral cooperation in this area can significantly improve the quality of government services and enhance accountability to the public.

Establishing a network of ombudsmen from Islamic countries, aimed at facilitating information exchange, particularly in combating corruption and human rights violations, can contribute to sustainable development in Islamic countries."