US FOUNDATION FOR LIBERTY AND HUMAN RIGHTS

aka U.S Foundation for Liberty and Human Rights   |   Arlington, VA   |  www.usflhr.org

Mission

The U.S. Foundation for Liberty and Human Rights (“The Foundation") is a non-profit, tax-exempt and tax-deductible, 501C3 volunteer organization formed by U.S. citizens of Iranian descent and is a sister organization of U.S Foundation for Liberty.

Many of the volunteers themselves have been victims of the Iranian regime's brutality. Having experienced firsthand the violation of their fundamental rights, these volunteers promote women's rights, the rights of victims of abuse, rights of minorities and dissidents, as well as refugees who have fled repression in Iran.

The Foundation has led many projects focused on the resettlement of political refugees in third countries. In one of its most difficult, complex, but successful campaigns, it helped complete the transfer to Albania of thousands of residents of Camp Liberty (near the Baghdad International Airport) in Iraq in 2016. These refugees were designated as 'asylum seekers' and 'persons of concern' by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and as 'protected persons' under the Fourth Geneva Convention by the United States.

One-third of the residents were former political prisoners and an equal number are women. They fled persecution in Iran and took refuge in Iraq in the 1980s. Iranian rulers view these dissidents and human rights advocates as a major threat and have actively been plotting to kill or capture them for a long time.

Since 2003, the residents were repeatedly attacked by Iraqi security forces at the behest of Tehran, resulting in over 140 deaths and some 1,400 wounded.

The residents were also denied vital medical treatment by Baghdad as a form of harassment and pressure. Due to sustained medical deprivation in Iraq, some of the residents' physical ailments have substantially worsened and in some cases turned into permanent disabilities.

Now that these dissidents have been resettled in Albania, The Foundation is working hard to help them with access to food, shelter, medical care, and other basic needs. One of our major, and perhaps most expensive, projects is to provide for their medical care as many of the injured refugees are now in hospitals in Albania and need urgent medical care, including major surgeries.

Another significant and costly initiative was to find the residents permanent housing because the UN Refugee Agency had given the residents until December 31, 2017, to vacate buildings it had provided temporarily. This was an extremely difficult task because, despite promises by the UN that the residents would be allowed to sell their properties in Iraq, the Government of Iraq reneged on that pledge and confiscated all their movable and immovable assets.

The Foundation is currently focused on raising awareness about these and other Iranian refugees. It is also educating the public about ongoing protests by the people of Iran for freedom and democracy through sponsoring of seminars, symposiums, and conferences. These are meant to provide credible information and data on the overall situation and human rights violations in Iran.The Iranian people currently live under one of the most brutal and repressive regimes in the world. The theocracy in Iran not only murders, tortures and suppresses its own population, but it is also the world's largest state-sponsor of terrorism. It has been wreaking havoc in the Middle East by supporting the criminal regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, which has slaughtered close to half a million Syrians, including tens of thousands of children. It has also lent political, financial and military support to extremist groups in Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen and elsewhere, making it the biggest source of instability in the Middle East and the greatest foreign policy threat to the United States and moderate countries in the region.

Yet the Iranian regime has an Achilles Heel: the Iranian people. It realizes that its existence is threatened by the people's yearning for freedom and democracy. It was this yearning that organized a progressive resistance movement to struggle for a secular, democratic and non-nuclear Iran.

Thousands of members of the Iranian Resistance had sought refuge in neighboring Iraq for years. In September 2016, after spending years under siege and faced with threats from the Tehran regime, the final group of these dissidents was resettled in Europe, primarily in Albania. Nearly 1,000 of them are women, with many survivors of the Iranian regime's prisons.

Prior to that, the thousands of Iranian refugees were residing in a prison-like Camp Liberty in Iraq as “protected persons" under international law. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees described them as “asylum seekers."

Brutally pursued by the Iranian regime and its puppet government in Iraq since the 2003 Iraq War, these refugees are now settled outside of Iraq. However, given the harsh treatment, the medical siege and numerous deadly attacks they suffered, these injured refugees are in desperate need of medical support.

Notes from the nonprofit

My name is Saied Sajadi. I am a Plastic Surgeon, and I am chairman of the board of the US Foundation for Liberty and Human Rights. The legendary Iranian Poet, Sa'adi wrote: “The children of Adam are limbs of each other; having been created of one essence. When the calamity of time afflicts one limb, the other limbs cannot remain at rest. If thou hast no sympathy for the troubles of others, those eloquent words have been my guiding principles. I had the good fortune to witness others also striving to express their love of humanity through their work when I came to know the Iranian residing at Iraq's Camp Liberty. These educated, resourceful women and men had every opportunity to lead successful lives with rewarding careers but chose instead to bear the hardships required to bring a better life to the beleaguered and battered people of their homeland, Iran. You know many of their personal stories. The commitments they honored, the persecution they endured, the injuries suffered, and...

Ruling year info

2014

Chairman of Board

Dr Saeid Sajadi

Co-Chair

Mrs Homeira Hesami

Main address

1530 Wilson Boulevard Suite 430

Arlington, VA 22209 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

46-5037053

NTEE code info

Victims' Services (P62)

International Peace and Security (Q40)

IRS filing requirement

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Communication

Blog

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

The Iranian people currently live under one of the most brutal and repressive regimes in the world. The theocracy in Iran not only murders, tortures and suppresses its own population, but it is also the world’s largest state-sponsor of terrorism. It has been wreaking havoc in the Middle East by supporting the criminal regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, which has slaughtered close to half a million Syrians, including tens of thousands of children. It has also lent political, financial and military support to extremist groups in Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen and elsewhere, making it the biggest source of instability in the Middle East and the greatest foreign policy threat to the United States and moderate countries in the region. Yet the Iranian regime has an Achilles Heel: the Iranian people. It realizes that its existence is threatened by the people’s yearning for freedom and democracy.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Assist Disabled Iranian Refugees in Urgent Need of Help in Albania

Iranian refugees currently residing in Albania are in urgent need of medical and humanitarian attention. Your valuable support will ensure that these men and women receive medical treatment in order to survive. These refugees have been designated as ‘asylum seekers’ and ‘persons of concern’ by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and as ‘protected persons’ under the Fourth Geneva Convention by the United States. The U.S. Foundation for Liberty and Human Rights is a non-profit, tax-exempt and tax-deductible, 501C3 volunteer organization formed by U.S. citizens of Iranian descent, and is a sister organization of U.S Foundation for Liberty. Many of our volunteers have themselves been victims of the extremist Iranian regime’s brutality. These volunteers have been inspired to promote and advance human rights in Iran, the rights of Iranian women, youths and victims of human rights violations as well as refugees, who have fled the repression of religious extremists ruling Iran.
Foundation has led many initiatives to resettle political refugees in third countries. In 2016, in one of its most difficult, complex, but successful campaigns, it helped complete the transfer to Albania of thousands of residents of Camp Liberty in Iraq. For years, these refugees waged a democratic campaign against Islamic extremism but are now in need of help after being attacked and persecuted by the terrorist agents of the Iranian regime. Dozens of their colleagues have already lost their lives. Dozens more have lost limbs, endured serious bodily harm and their lives are in danger. A third of the refugees are women. The residents were repeatedly attacked by pro-Iran terrorist agents, resulting in over 140 deaths and some 1,400 wounded refugees.

Population(s) Served

Iran: People’s Struggle for Liberty, Democracy, Women’s Rights
The Iranian regime supports international terrorism and is committing gross human rights violations, evident by the violent crackdown of peaceful, anti-government demonstrations in 2009 and the suppression other peaceful acts of protest.

The resilience of the Iranian people in the face brutality, especially since the June 12, 2009 uprising, has inspired not only Iranians, but all in the global community who share their desire for “universal” values of freedom, justice, and democracy. The resistance of women, youth, and students in Iran and the people’s desire for change is rooted in over a century of struggle for democracy.

The ongoing protests across Iran and the escalating international sanctions foretell of a relatively rapid disintegration of the existing theocracy in Iran and the start of irreversible changes in favor of democratic solutions for Iran.

Population(s) Served

The US Foundation for Liberty and Human Rights is seeking funding for its Voice for Liberty project to help expand the programs and the outreach of Simay-e Azadi (Visage of Liberty) satellite television channel.

For the past three decades, the Iranian people have endured unspeakable torture, repression, imprisonment, and economic calamity under the current theocratic regime. Through systematic censorship of the media inside Iran, the regime has tried to deny millions of Iranians with access to uncensored and unfiltered news about the outside world. In his report to the United Nations General Assembly in October 2016, the UN Secretary General expressed particular concern about “the persistent pattern of arbitrary arrests and convictions of journalists and online activists. As of March 2016, at least 47 journalists and Internet users were reportedly imprisoned in the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

This situation has created a serious need of the Iranian people to access outside news sources and outlets. Simay-e Azadi was established to respond to this need and has served as a trusted news outlet both inside and outside the country. It has become a reliable, popular, and credible source, giving voice to the aspirations and dreams of Iranians everywhere.

Its operations rely on the help of hundreds of volunteers around the world, mostly intellectuals, writers, artists, journalists, and activists trying to act as a bridge and conduit for awareness. Simay-e Azadi is funded by donations from its viewers and other interested individuals only and not advertising. The principal funding vehicle is telethons held three to four times per year, which invite viewers to call and make contributions to enable the Channel to continue its be raised in order to expand programing, broadcast outlets and viewership within the country.

The extensive number of news reports and programs from inside Iran and the exiled community reflects this Channel’s rapid pace of growth and popularity. Thousands of reports and letters regularly received by Simay-e Azadi show that Iranians have embraced it as their most reliable source for information. This campaign is an effort to continue to build on the previous successes of Simay-e Azadi and inform the Iranian people about important developments across the globe which affect their daily lives

Population(s) Served

Resettlement in another country is often the only way political refugees have a chance to rebuild their lives. Every year, thousands of Iranians escape the wrath of the dictatorial regime in Iran. The flow of political refugees from Iran spiked in mid-80s and again after the June 2009 popular uprising in Iran. Escaping medieval oppression, these political refugees, mostly students and mostly women, routinely depart Iran without adequate documentation, financial resources, or shelter. These dissidents face daunting challenges. Apart from the scarcity of basic life necessities, they are often targeted by Iranian intelligence agents in foreign countries and thus need protection beyond that which would normally be required for asylum seekers. Iranian intelligence agents have assassinated several Iranian dissidents abroad. Countless others live in Europe, in bordering Turkey, and beyond under constant fear or isolation.

Refugees fleeing oppression must be protected, cared for, and assisted in the process of transition to and in adjusting to life in democratic nations. The U.S. Foundation for Liberty and Human Rights assists to resettle these individuals in third countries.

Resettlement Programs are in 3 major areas:
Address the Basic and Most-Pressing Needs – We first help political refugees, asylum seekers, and their families by providing basic necessities of life such as shelter, food, and especially health care. We subsequently work to facilitate societal integration, access to education or counsel if necessary. Our goal is to work with humanitarian organizations and host governments to ensure that they become self-sufficient as soon as possible.
Build Support Systems – We assist political refugees during the challenging process of overcoming past trauma in part by providing them avenues of creative expression. As part of this effort, we support cultural events, gatherings, television or internet programming, and sponsor political events if necessary. The goal is to develop and expand their support system both in America and in their home countries whenever possible.
Facilitate Their Voice, Help Refugees Achieve Independence and Self-Sufficiency – Most political refugees, particularly those escaping Iran are often highly educated individuals who wish to remain connected with the broader community of Diaspora and their home country’s opposition movements. The Foundation helps prepare political refugees for emotional/physical recovery followed by long-term success and integration in their host countries. The Foundation therefore offers financial support to credible TV/Internet organizations which can best assist the political refugees in building/expanding their social networks. We will also help them learn how to manage money, understand the financial systems, or re-establish professional credentials

Population(s) Served

Where we work

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of people unable to obtain or delaying needed medical care

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Assist Disabled Iranian Refugees in Urgent Need of Help in Albania

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

Iranian refugees currently residing in Albania are in urgent need of medical and humanitarian attention. Your valuable support will ensure that these men and women receive medical treatment in order to survive. These refugees have been designated as 'asylum seekers' and 'persons of concern' by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and as 'protected persons' under the Fourth Geneva Convention by the United States. The U.S. Foundation for Liberty and Human Rights is a non-profit, tax-exempt and tax-deductible, 501C3 volunteer organization formed by U.S. citizens of Iranian descent, and is a sister organization of U.S Foundation for Liberty. Many of our volunteers have themselves been victims of the extremist Iranian regime's brutality. These volunteers have been inspired to promote and advance human rights in Iran, the rights of Iranian women, youths and victims of human rights violations as well as refugees, who have fled the repression of religious extremists ruling Iran.

Iranian refugees oppose the extremist ideology of the mullahs ruling Iran and call for a democratic, secular and non-nuclear Iran. Their pursuit of a free Iran aligns with the core interests of the United States because a liberated Iran, in place of the current foremost state sponsor of terrorism in the world, would champion global peace and security while combating terrorism inspired by religious extremism. You can join us by donating to this important cause. Without your support, refugees championing this cause will perish.

After their resettlement in Albania, the USFLHR is working to help these refugees with food, shelter, medical care and other needs. Living in a refugee camp, they rely heavily on the Foundation's financial support. Many of the refugees injured as a result of terrorist attacks are now in hospitals in Albania and need urgent medical care, including major surgery, in order to survive. Among other things, the Foundation helps cover expensive medical expenses for them. The Iranian regime views these dissidents as an existential threat and thus has no qualms about harming them even more.

Please watch following Video clip from John Kerry former Secretary of state regarding our cause and what has been accomplished so far by usflhr.

https://youtu.be/Ig2wB0wbnS8
Secretary Kerry Remarks about Relocation of refugees to Albania

Financials

US FOUNDATION FOR LIBERTY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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US FOUNDATION FOR LIBERTY AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Board of directors
as of 06/19/2019
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board co-chair

Mr Saeid Sajadi

USFLHR

Term: 2014 -


Board co-chair

Mrs Homeira Hesami

USFLHR

Term: 2014 -

Fatollah Dastmalchi

USFLHR

Ahmad Arzabak

USFLHR

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes