Documentary 'Iran – Plaidoyer pour la justice' Uses Legal Lens to Document Massacres

The documentary 'Iran – Plaidoyer pour la justice', premiered on July 16, 2026 at the Maison du barreau in Paris, is the first film to approach the massacres committed by the Iranian regime during the January 2026 protests from a legal perspective. Initiated by the Norouz association and directed by Rudy Saada and Maxime Perez, the film aims to lay the groundwork for future judicial action. It compiles images, testimonies, and evidence gathered on the ground, including material from social media and even regime-propagated footage. The filmmakers emphasize that only a fraction of the horror is shown, but the legal angle is crucial. Hilda Dehghani-Schmit, co-founder of Norouz, notes that the regime's goal was to instill terror, but instead it killed fear, as protests continue. The documentary also highlights the Smart Proof application, co-developed by Norouz, which allows secure, geolocated evidence collection via smartphone without leaving traces, to protect witnesses. The film advocates for an international tribunal for Iran, similar to those for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. Plans include widespread screenings from September 2026, including at the French National Assembly and Senate, to raise political awareness. Dehghani-Schmit criticizes the regime's propaganda and victimization tactics, warning that international opinion may shift due to anti-Americanism and Islamophobia.