Abdorrahman Boroumand Center
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Omid - An Online Memorial
Meaning “hope” in Farsi, Omid is a searchable, online memorial containing more than 16,000 cases of executions by Iranian government forces and their agents since 1979. Launched in 2006, this bilingual electronic memorial to those killed is a work in progress, a first step towards truth, justice, and reconciliation for the Iranian people. Using documentation technology specifically customized to provide statistical analysis of human rights violations, Omid pays homage to the victims of persecution and political violence and asserts the right of the Iranian people to know the truth about what happened to them.
Omid is unique because of its use of technology to give a voice to victims. Omid is the first such effort to compile comprehensive information on those who have been killed in and outside Iran – regardless of political affiliation, occupation, educational status, sex, belief or religion. The circumstances that led to each victim’s death and the human rights norms that were violated in the process – ranging from torture to discrimination – are also recorded. Omid is a groundbreaking model that can serve other countries seeking to address past violations and to end ongoing violence and impunity.
Human Rights and Democracy Library
The Human Rights and Democracy Library is an historical archive as well as a research and advocacy tool that helps the understanding of the scope and pattern of more than 30 years human rights violations. Containing over 3,000 international human rights instruments and reports in Persian and English, as well as testimonies from the victims and other relevant sources, the Library is a valuable source of information and education not only for Iranians but also for human rights advocates, journalists, scholars, and policymakers outside Iran.
Human Rights Defenders Timeline
The Human Rights Defenders Timeline is a glance at four decades of persecution of lawyers. It is the first phase of a project that attempts to provide an understanding of the root causes of the systemic persecution of human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists and others who have called for reform and exposed abusive laws and practices.
Where we work
Awards
The Lech Walesa Prize 2009
Lech Walesa Institute Foundation
Affiliations & memberships
The Lech Walesa Prize 2009
External reviews
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
ABF is driven by a mission to document every execution and hear every victim. In doing so, ABF aims to demonstrate that violence and a justice system that is marred by discrimination and rejects due process is a problem, no matter who is in power.
Ultimately, these efforts will help to:
-Educate Iranians about the history and the context of cyclical violence in the country.
-Challenge the Islamic Republic of Iran’s tradition of placing blame on others for its use of violence.
-Document incidents to lay the groundwork for any investigation into human rights violations and a future truth commission.
-Educate the international community about the abuses that continue to take place.
-Provide resources for other human rights organizations to use within their specific contexts.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
To achieve our goal, we have to confront and understand the past, draw attention to patterns of human rights violations, trigger reflection on human rights and democracy, influence the national discourse and engage victims and other citizens in a common endeavor, that is truth telling. To do so we:
• Document methodically and as objectively as we can every single execution and assassination and publish stories in Farsi and English with a focus on the right to life and the right to due process of law.
• Engage victims of human rights violations to tell their story as a first step to healing, echo their voices, and draw attention to impunity.
• Help Iranians remember their history and strengthen their will to confront the past.
• Promote human rights based values through translations of theoretical and practical tools, reports and advocacy.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
With its thorough methodology, impeccable research standards, and focus on every single executed individual, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, civil status, political party, ABF staff are highly respected among ordinary Iranians, activists, victims’ relatives, policy makers, and academics in Iran and around the world. This respect has garnered ABF the trust of Iranians from all walks of life and political views who are willing to tell their stories and those of their relatives who have been killed. ABF has built a network of survivors, proving to be extremely effective in building trust among those who have never trusted anyone with whom to share their stories. These efforts are buoyed by the regular communication received from victims’ relatives, expressing appreciation for the work and for impacting their lives. ABF is so well respected in the Iranian community that there is currently a waiting list to have cases documented.
This is also a testament to the organization’s founders and staff, who are particularly competent because of their academic and professional training as well as personal life experience and language skills. ABF has also deliberately hired individuals from diverse political, religious, and cultural backgrounds, all united by their commitment to helping ensure that Iranians will never again bear witness to such massive human rights violations. This policy also allows ABF to reach out more effectively its targeted audience.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
To date (2019) ABC has documented nearly 25,000 individual cases in the Omid Memorial and published 2,283 Farsi language resources in its Human Rights and Democracy Library, and 3,304 English language resources. ABC’s 18 years of documentation and human rights education work has helped establish a network of collaborators (victims, NGOs, supporters, including among minorities) and a sizeable Farsi-speaking online following. Its unbiased and all inclusive documentation and publications have addressed barriers to equal access of justice and drawn attention to the discriminatory treatment of minorities in Iran’s justice system. It has also established strategic working relations with international stakeholders (UN, EU and Member States) and carried out successful advocacy as a reliable source of information and analysis, combining both historical and contemporary data on human rights abuses in Iran. Its expertise on summary and extra-judicial killings, Iran’s drug policy, and due process violations is regularly solicited by groups such as Harm Reduction International, Reprieve, Amnesty International, UN Human Rights Mechanisms, and the European Union.
ABC continues to confront and help Iranians understand the past, draw attention to patterns of human rights violations, trigger reflection on human rights and democracy, and influence the national discourse and engage victims and other citizens in a common endeavor, that is truth telling. These goals are accomplished through a number of innovative projects that build on the core activities of ABC.
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Abdorrahman Boroumand Center
Board of directorsas of 10/11/2019
Iraj Pezeshkzad
Ladan Boroumand
Roya Boroumand
Anne Applebaum
José Zalaquett Daher
Reza Daneshvar
Natacha Levine
Azar Nafisi
Françoise Rudetzki
Bill Shipsey
Francis Fukuyama
Elizabeth T. Gray