Accountability for Human Rights Violations Perpetrated by Iranian Security Guards Sent Abroad with Sports Teams

The National Security Organization is one of the subsets of the Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is mainly responsible for the role of spying and gathering information in the ministries, government organizations, and any institution that is somehow related to the government.

This organization lacks a founding document or statute despite having broad roles and powers.

One of the duties of this security organization within the Ministry of Sports and Sports Federations is to accompany teams sent to international tournaments in order to monitor and spy on athletes in all situations, both male and female. According to available information, security personnel abroad have rigorously supervised any behavior of the athletes and, on occasion, physically dealt with them. When competing abroad, these agents intimidate the athletes into following the protocol and unwritten security regulations of the Ministry of Intelligence.

The role of these agents in regulating female athletes' attire has recently received a lot of attention. In light of this, the following query is posed:
What are the restrictions on these agents' authority abroad, and is there a legal mechanism in place to manage them?

1. Based on the concept of territorial jurisdiction, after participating in international events, sports teams are subject to the rules and regulations of the host countries rather than the Islamic Republic. This matter is particularly crucial in light of the required hijab. Iranian female athletes are exempt from the Islamic Republic's mandatory hijab and other covering requirements under the legislation of the host nation.

2. The security officers sent with the team hold regular visas, just like the other team members. Based on this, it is possible for the athlete to file a complaint with the country's police and request life assistance in case of any threat, disturbance, or breach of the athlete's privacy by the security officers. In this regard, it should be emphasized that these individuals may be on a list of human rights violators and that they may be subject to prosecution and potential legal action as soon as they reach the territory of democratic countries.

Iranians overseas as well as human rights organizations can request to prosecute security officers employed by the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence who accompany sports teams abroad.

The Hengaw legal team is prepared to offer Iranian athletes legal support in this manner.

Hengaw Legal Office

January 16, 2023