NATIONAL COUNCIL OF RESISTANCE OF IRAN (NCRI)

The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) is an Iranian political organization based in France, led by its president-elect, Maryam Rajavi. Founded in 1981 by Massoud Rajavi, NCRI is considered to be a democratic alternative to the current Iranian government. It is a large coalition of dissidents and organizations, such as the Association of Iranian Scholars and Professionals and the Association of Iranian Women, that support democratic regime change in Iran. NCRI defends Western values ... such as secularism and women's rights, and its membership is comprised of men and women equally. Its political platform supports human rights, women, capitalism, religious freedom, minority rights, and Iran’s integration into the global community. The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) incorporates many religious and ethnic minorities, as well as different political ideologies, serving as a guarantee for Iran’s unity. NCRI has repeatedly called for free elections under the auspices of the United Nation. The organization promotes peace and coexistence, with a goal to rebuild Iran free of weapons of mass destruction. It aims to accomplish this with the help of the people of Iran, Iranian experts in exile and international support. The National Council of Resistance of Iran does not seek help from the West in the form of weapons or financial aid; it requests simply taking a neutral stance between the Iranian resistance and the ruling regime. In April 2006, at a meeting of the Council of Europe, Maryam Rajavi elaborated on the movement's vision for the future of Iran. Her plan specified the following Ten Points for the Future of Iran: 1. Establish the concept of universal suffrage, where the ballot box is the only criterion for legitimacy. 2. Institute a pluralist system, respecting all individual freedoms including freedom of parties and assembly. NCRI underscores the need for complete freedom of expression of the media and unconditional access by all to the Internet. 3. Abolish the death penalty. 4. Separate Religion from the State. Prohibiting any form of discrimination against the followers of any religion. 5. Promote complete gender equality in political, social and economic arenas and allow equal participation of women in political leadership. No discrimination against women will be allowed, giving them the right to freely choose their clothing and be free in marriage, divorce, education, and employment. 6. Practice the rule of law and justice in a system based on the principles of presumption of innocence, the right to defense, effective judicial protection and the right to be tried in a public court. Abolish the Mullahs’ Sharia law and give total independence to judges. 7. Commit to accept and/or participate in the Universal Declaration of Humans Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention against Torture, and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women. 8. Recognize private property, private investment, and the market economy. Protect and revitalize an environment where Iranian people will enjoy equal opportunity in employment and in business ventures. 9. Implement a foreign policy based on peaceful coexistence, regional and international peace and cooperation, and respect for the United Nations Charter. 10. De-nuclearize Iran and make it free of weapons of mass destruction.More