On Dec. 19, Iran’s moderate president Hassan Rouhani fulfilled one of his most important electoral promises: the formation and declaration of a Citizens’ Rights Charter.

The charter, which has 120 articles, emphasizes the right to a “decent life” — including the rights to freedom of speech, access to information, health services, a clean environment, holding rallies and clean water.

Expressing his pleasure over the move, Rouhani said Dec. 19, "I have stood by my promises regarding youth, women, and religious and ethnic minorities.” He also described the charter as a great step toward implementing the constitution and said, “The government was committed to implementing the rule of law from its first day in office. The Charter on Citizens’ Rights is the result of opinions taken from lawyers, experts and the public, and has the potential to evolve.” Rouhani continued, “No one [individual], no group and no media is exempt from the law. Everybody has equal rights before the law and it recognizes no 'favorites.'”

In reaction to the unveiling of the charter, conservative and hard-line newspapers slammed Rouhani, and demanded that the president’s attention rather be focused on the people’s economic situation.