Our History & Vision

Florida for Human Rights in Iran (FHRI) is a group of citizens with a wide range of backgrounds joined together in support of human rights in Iran.

The Iranian presidential election in June 2009 was widely perceived to be fraudulent; massive pro-democracy protests which followed in Iran were brutally crushed by the government, eliciting worldwide support for Iranian people and protest against the their government.

FHRI was formed in Orlando in support of human rights in Iran. FHRI has successfully campaigned to increase public awareness of human rights violations in Iran by organizing art exhibits, rallies and events at which authors and former political prisoners have spoken. FHRI works closely with other human right organizations such as Amnesty International USA.

Our Mission

Being a non-partisan collaboration of human rights activists, FHRI does not promote a particular political agenda. The group is not based on, influenced by, affiliated with, or supportive of the interests or policies of any political party, group or religion. While calling for full respect for freedom of speech, expression, and assembly for all Iranian citizens, FHRI also demands an immediate end to the widespread and systematic violations of human rights in Iran.

Our core beliefs lie within the human rights declaration of 1947 by United Nations general assembly for all people and all nations. We strive to ensure that every citizen of Iran, regardless of race, religion, gender, or ethnicity enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards.

Saadi, one of the major  Persian poets of the medieval period, is well known for his aphorisms, the most famous of which adorns the entrance to the Hall of Nations of the  UN building in New York with this call for breaking all barriers:

Of One Essence is the Human Race,

Thusly has Creation put the Base.

One Limb impacted is sufficient,

For all Others to feel the Mace.

The Unconcern'd with Others' Plight,

Are but Brutes with Human Face.