Dear All Assyrians, Assyrian Organization and individual Assyrian activists,

Shlama Ashuraya,

We are honored to announce that after months of dedicated work and consultation, we are now ready to formally commence the democratic process for establishing the Assyrian Parliament. This crucial step begins with the opening of candidate registration for the upcoming Founding Conference, which will take place in Sweden from the 19^th to the 21^st of September 2025.

If you wish to run in the elections for the Assyrian Parliament, please fill out the candidate registration form below and send it to us by email at candidate@AssyriaParliament.com

This moment marks a historic milestone in our collective struggle to secure the rights, representation, and sovereignty of the Assyrian people worldwide. The Assyrian Parliament aims to serve as the highest representative authority, united across the homeland and diaspora, to protect our heritage and advance our political, cultural, and social aspirations.

Enclosed in this email, you will find the following essential information:

• The comprehensive plan for the democratic process — detailing timelines, procedures, and guidelines to ensure a transparent, fair, and inclusive election.
• The candidate registration form — outlining the requirements and process for individuals wishing to stand for election.
• Proposal for First Reading of the Bylaws of the Assyrian Parliament — setting out the foundational legal and organizational framework for the new institution.

We hereby invite ALL ASSYRIANS, ASSYRIAN ORGANIZATIONS, AND INDIVIDUAL ASSYRIAN ACTIVISTS to actively engage in this democratic process by reviewing, providing feedback, and proposing amendments to this initial draft of the Bylaws. Your participation is crucial to ensure that this foundational framework truly reflects the will, aspirations, and rights of the Assyrian people worldwide.

We call upon all committed Assyrian leaders and activists who share the vision of a strong, democratic, and sovereign Assyrian Parliament to participate actively in this process. Your engagement is vital to building a legitimate and effective representative body that reflects the will of our people.

Please review the materials carefully and submit your candidacy in accordance with the guidelines provided. We are confident that together, through transparent and democratic means, we will lay the foundations for a united and prosperous future for the Assyrian nation.

Should you have any questions or require further clarifications, please do not hesitate to contact us at ap@AssyriaParliament.com

In solidarity and hope,

Khaya Ashur!

The Supreme Body for Establishing the Parliament of the Land of Assyria.

July 9^th 2025 – 6775.

 Timeline for the process of the elections and Founding Conference:

• July 10, 2025: Proposal for First Reading of the Bylaws of the Assyrian Parliament is published and Official Launch of Candidate Registration for the Founding Conference – September 2025.

• July 30, 2025: Deadline for comments on the first version of the Bylaws.

• August 1 – September 18, 2025: Voter registration in our system is open.

• August 11, 2025: Revised version is released — Proposal for Second Reading of the Bylaws of the Assyrian Parliament is published.

• August 22, 2025: Final deadline for feedback of the Bylaws.

• September 7-20, 2025:  The voting process is open.

• September 19–21, 2025: The Founding Conference of Assyrian Parliament. The bylaws will be presented and ratified at the conference. Assyrian Parliament will be established.

 What should you do?
Read the attached draft and send your comments, suggestions, or proposed changes no later than July 30. You can:
Send an email to: candidate@AssyriaParliament.com

 The goal is to create a set of bylaws that is widely supported and rooted in the collective input of all stakeholders.

Thank you for your participation and commitment!

Best regards,

The Supreme Body for Establishing the Parliament of the Land of Assyria.

Candidate Registration Form

Assyrian Parliament – Candidate for Parliamentary Member

Personal Information

1. Full Name:
2. Date of Birth:
3. Phone Number:
4. Email Address:
5. Country of Residence:
6. Province/State of Residence:

Candidate Information

1. Brief Biography (max 200 words):
   (Please briefly describe your background, experience, and motivation for running as a Parliamentary Member)
2. Do you have previous experience in political, social, or organizational work?
   • Yes
   • No
     If yes, please provide a brief description:

Confirmation

1. I confirm that the information provided is accurate, and I agree to abide by the Parliament’s bylaws.
   • Yes

Date: ___________
Signature: ___________________________

PROPOSAL FOR FIRST READING OF THE BYLAWS OF THE ASSYRIAN PARLIAMENT

Article I: Name and Purpose

Preamble

We are now faced with a momentous challenge as a people. We are dispersed and no longer form a critical mass in our homeland. We are thus faced with an existential question: shall we persevere as a people, a nation, a community, or will we disappear? If we do nothing, time will end our existence in the far-flung corners of the world. We do not desire this outcome. We desire that we come together, as our will and capabilities allow, to gather the fragments of our scattered nation where they are, advocate for a strong standing first in our homeland, then to work toward strengthening the diaspora community by proving a systematic, consistent, and coherent leadership platform to work from: Assyrian Parliament. We believe that this is a necessary step toward the preservation, organization, and strengthening of our nation worldwide.

For centuries, the Assyrian people have endured ongoing persecution and discrimination in their historical Assyrian homeland. During World War I (1914–1918), over 700,000 Assyrians were killed in a genocide, and the majority of their historical Assyrian homeland territories — stretching from Urmia, Hakkari, and Tur Abdin — were lost, amounting to three-quarters of their ancestral land of Assyria. This was followed by massacres committed against Assyrians in the historical Assyrian homeland known as the “Assyrian Triangle,” which stretches between the Great Zab River, the Tigris River, and the present-day border of Turkey — including the massacre in the village of Simele, where more than 3,000 Assyrians were killed and 64 Assyrian villages were destroyed in 1933.

During the Kurdish movement in 1961, our Assyrian villages were burned and populations displaced, followed by the tragedy of the village of Surya in 1969, and campaigns of killing and displacement such as the Anfal campaign in 1988, during which 182 Assyrian villages along the Turkish border strip were destroyed.

Again, since 2003, new massacres have occurred, sparing not even places of worship such as the Our Lady of Salvation massacre in Baghdad in 2010. Our people faced fierce attacks by terrorist groups since 2014, including the forced displacement of Assyrians from Mosul and the Nineveh Plain, destruction of the Mosul Museum, the cities of Nimrud and Dur-Sharrukin (Khorsabad), and the historical Assyrian walls of Nineveh. In Baghdida, hundreds of our people were burned in a wedding hall with no accountability. In this way, approximately one and a half million members of the original Assyrian people were intimidated and displaced from their historical lands, forced to leave their homeland that holds their deep roots and ancient civilization.

Once again, since 2003, new massacres have taken place, sparing not even places of worship, as in the Our Lady of Salvation massacre in Baghdad in 2010. Our people have been subjected to brutal attacks by terrorist groups since 2014, including the forced displacement of Assyrians from Mosul and the Nineveh Plain, and the destruction of the Mosul Museum, the cities of Nimrud and Dur-Sharrukin (Khorsabad), and the Assyrian walls of Nineveh. Similar atrocities occurred in the Assyrian villages along the Khabour River, where terrorists stormed the villages, killing and kidnapping a large number of Assyrians, and displacing and uprooting the remaining population, leading to the depopulation of these indigenous areas. In Baghdeda, hundreds of our people were burned in a wedding hall without any accountability or justice. In this way, approximately one and a half million members of the indigenous Assyrian people were terrorized and forcibly displaced from their ancestral lands, compelled to leave their homeland that holds their deep roots and ancient civilization.

Between 1840 and 1990, we lost nearly 95% of our historical lands due to Kurdish occupation, supported or tolerated by government entities aiming to eliminate the Assyrian presence.

Based on this historical and present suffering, the Assyrian Parliament is hereby established under these regulations.

Due to our indigeneity and the urgent need to safeguard our continued presence in the region, we assert that stability and security can only be attained through self-determination. Therefore, we hereby establish the Assyrian Parliament as a representative body grounded in our own agency and collective will.

Section 1: Name

The official name of this organization shall be the Assyrian Parliament (AP).

Section 2: Purpose

The Assyrian Parliament is established to justly represent the Assyrian people as an indigenous nation dispersed throughout the world, to defend their rights, preserve their language, culture, and heritage, and advocate for their political standing on both international and domestic levels.

Specific objectives include:

1)    Coordinating with Assyrian entities worldwide, such as Assyrian federations, associations, nonprofit organizations, and unions.

2)    Demanding the recognition of the Assyrian people as an indigenous people and calling upon their issues to be acknowledged by various national and international entities, as well as fostering solidarity and communication among Assyrian communities globally.

3)    Developing programs that promote education, cultural and linguistic preservation, social betterment, and political recognition of the Assyrian people wherever they live.

4)    Establishing and maintaining the legal and organizational infrastructure necessary to support the Assyrian cause in accordance with international democratic principles and within the legal framework of existing states and international bodies.

5)    Be an official voice of the Assyrian people and strives to establish a sovereign Assyrian state on the indigenous land of Assyria.

6)    Be a democratic institution committed to justice, human rights, and international diplomacy

Section 3: Foundational Principles

The following are the principal rules that the AP is built upon:

1)    The Assyrian people: The Assyrians are a proud nation with a rich history spanning thousands of years, possess a unique language, and a vibrant heritage, and a claim to their modern, classical, and ancient history and their material culture now in the possession of various states, museums, libraries, and various other entities. As an indigenous people, they deserve a representative governance structure that can represent their political, social, economic, cultural, linguistic, and other interests. Despite being represented, historically and today, the Assyrian people remain one and their identity is tied to a history and land that is apparent, coherent, and comprehensive.

2)    The AP shall be democratically elected and shall have periodical elections no longer than every 4 years.

3)    AP shall abide by international laws recognized by the United Nations and all applicable laws in the country(s) it is registered.

4)    AP shall act solely as a peaceful, political, non-profit organization and democratic institution.

Article II: Structure

Section 1: Assyrian National Assembly (ANA):

1)    Assyrian National Assembly (ANA) is the highest Assyrian body in this document that convenes at least once every year to oversee the work of the Assyrian Parliament, hold elections and make changes to the bylaws, rules and policies.

2)    The ANA is the voter registrar of the Assyrian Parliament with valid registration/identification cards

3)    To include digital sessions for elections and for urgent global or ad hoc meetings

4)    The participants of the ANA and their voting rights are explained in Article V.

5)    The ANA sessions shall be managed by a committee of at least 3 chairpersons and as many vice chairs and secretaries as needed to run the ANA sessions.

6)    The ANA shall task a preparatory committee to prepare for the ANA meetings.

Section 2: Assyrian Parliament (AP):

The AP is the active supreme representative body between the sessions of the National Assembly, and its members are elected through general elections held worldwide online and in person within the Assembly’s conferences.

AP shall represent the Assyrians around the world as one nation and act on behalf of the Assyrians in coordination with the existing Assyrian organizations to serve the Assyrian nation and its interests.

1)    AP General Body (GB)

1. i)All AP members create the GB of the AP
2. ii)The GB shall meet at least once a year

iii)   The AP shall consist of 33 members, made up of Assyrian organizations and individual Assyrian activists who register as candidates and are elected during the elections conducted by the ANA.

2)    AP Board of Directors (BOD)

1. i)The AP shall elect the BOD with a maximum of 9 members to meet as often as needed and supervise the AP general meetings and make decisions that are delegated by the GB members to the BOD.
2. ii)The BOD is composed of the following:

(a)  Chairperson: Leads BOD and GB sessions, operation and represents it in international forums as the head of the Assyrian nation.

(b)  Vice-Chairperson: Assists the chair and takes his/her place when the chair cannot attend a function due to any reasons.

(c)  Treasurer: Oversees financial affairs and ensures transparency.

(d)  Secretary: Shall oversee the keeping of all records of various proceedings.

(e)  Other Roles: Based on need AP, through the BOD, shall create other roles and other board members can be assigned to those roles.

3)    The Election Committee (ELC) – merge with other documentation on oversight committee

1. i)The AP shall establish the ELC of minimum (3) qualified members to run the elections and allow a minimum of 3 election observers to verify the election health and validity dependent on region and registration.

4)    The AP shall elect executive committee (EXC)

1. i)The EXC shall be selected by GB from any Assyrians or non-Assyrians based on their experience and expertise.
2. ii)All members of the AP if selected, can join the EXC or any of its sub-committees in addition of attending to the tasks of AP.

iii)   EXC of the AP shall have a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) under each functioning office and a minimum of 4 assistants, all elected by the AP to be able to lead the Assyrian efforts in various parts of the world.

1. iv)EXC shall submit its plan for how many sub-committees and positions within those subs it will start with, and it can always expand, or contract based on needs and by the approval of the AP.
2. v)The authorities and capacities of the BOD chairperson(s) and CEO of EXC shall be well defined by the GB and BOD.

Section 3: Legal Registration and Status

1)    Registration
The Assyrian Parliament shall be established and registered with the relevant authorities such as the United Nations, the European Union, and countries deemed necessary, in accordance with their laws and regulations.

2)    Applicable Laws and Regulations: AP shall abide by international laws recognized by the United Nations and all applicable laws in the country(s) it is registered.

Article III: Membership

Section 1: Eligibility

Membership in the AP shall be open to representatives from duly-registered Assyrian organizations, independent Assyrian intellectuals, and community leaders of the Assyrian nation worldwide.

Qualifications:

• Identification as Assyrian
• Age requirements: 18+
• Of sound mind and body
• Shall not exceed 2 terms
• Not a formal representative or appointed from any foreign, adversary or political agent
• Note for swear-in: All candidates must swear an oath affirming that they have no ties to, receive any funding from, external influence/loyalty, or act on behalf of any foreign government, intelligence agency, or political entity whose interests conflict with the advancement of the Assyrian cause.

Section 2: Representation

Assyrian organizations that run as candidates in the AP elections and obtain membership in the AP must appoint a representative to manage the membership and represent the organization in the AP no later than 8 days after the election results. The representative must comply with the AP membership requirements as outlined in Article III, Section 1.

Section 3: Rights and Responsibilities

Members shall:

o   Actively participate in AP deliberations and initiatives.

o   Uphold the objectives of the AP.

o   Report back to their respective organizations on AP activities.

o   As is possible, financially support the mission and administration of the AP.

Section 4: Termination

Membership of any individual or an organization that disrupts any proceeding or acts contrary to the mission of the AP may be revoked, subject to a majority vote of the AP.

Article IV: Elections

Section 1: Elections Participants

The AP shall be elected by the following participants either in person or via online.

1)    Representation can exist from any Assyrian Federation or Assyrian Union elected by Assyrian Associations. 

2)    Representative of a legitimate elected Assyrian Associations or nonprofit legally registered Assyrian organization.

3)    Representative of an Assyrian political, cultural, or educational organization.

4)    Election committee with approval of AP can temporarily suspend some of these regulations depending on the election registration and participation.

5)    All participants shall register in advance to be able to participate and vote.

Section 2: Election Rules

The AP shall be elected by the following rules:

1)    An election committee of minimum (3) qualified individuals (in odd numbers) assigned by the ANA administration and a minimum of (3) observers selected from volunteers at the conference. Any complaints about the election committee (oversight committee) shall be handled by the conference administration or their delegates and resolved before the election results finalized.

• Election committee members shall not be candidates for election

2)    The criteria may be proposed by election committee to AP for final voting with a simple majority. The Election committee shall comply with the decisions.

3)    Only one of the organization leadership members can represent the organization and other members, if attending, shall vote as individuals.

4)    The Election committee will review the qualifications of voters and candidates.

5)    Voting shall be democratic, safe, secure and private. (Election committee shall establish sufficient protocol to verify eligibility and legitimacy of the vote).

Section 3: Election Candidates

The AP candidates shall be qualified based on the following rules

1)    Candidates shall identify as Assyrian and have Assyrian ancestry with verifiable community members. To establish if a candidate is eligible, he/she shall have at least one of the grandparents known to be an Assyrian person. The verification shall be done by the Election Committee at least 30 days prior to the ANA at the Assyrian World Conference (AWC).

• Special elections can have shorter verification periods (at least 3 days prior to the conference) dependent on election committee discretion

2)    Elections may be open 2 weeks prior to ANA at the AWC, under the supervision of the election committee

3)    There shall be no discrimination based on age, sex, language, experience level, religion or similar limitation imposed on any candidates.

4)    Candidates shall not be a security officer or a political representative of a non-Assyrian nation.

5)    Candidate shall not be banned or under investigation by the AP for any wrongful acts against the interests of AP or Assyrians in general.

Section 4: Election Process

The AP candidates in the ANA shall be elected by the following rules

1)    The voters all shall be registered and verified by the election committee 24 hours before the close of the elections.

2)    Election window shall be announced at least 45 days prior to the start of the 2-week election period

• Special elections window shall be announced at least 7 days prior to election window

3)    The election committee will explain the rules before the elections and conduct the elections after that.

4)    There shall be no less than at least 30 participants both in person and online to hold the ANA or elect the AP.

5)    All rejected candidates have the right to submit a appeal to the ANA and the decision shall be made by the vote of the majority of participants.

6)    When operational, through majority vote, the AP has the right to render exceptions to any limitations that these bylaws may place on the membership of any candidate.

Article V: Meetings

Section 1: Annual Congress

• As directed and authorized by the BD, the GB shall convene annually, with the location and date determined by the BD.
• The Congress agenda shall be distributed at least three months in advance.

Section 2: AP Sessions

• The AP shall meet as a minimum once every month, either virtually or in person.

Section 3: Quorum and Decision-Making

• A quorum for AP meetings shall consist of a majority of its members.
• Decisions shall be made by a simple majority unless otherwise specified.

Article VI: Finances

Section 1: Funding Sources

• The AP shall be funded through voluntary contributions, grants, and fundraising activities.

Section 2: Budget and Auditing

• AP’s annual budget shall be approved by the BD and GB through a majority vote.
• An independent auditor shall review financial records annually.

Section 3: Ownership

• The ownership of all assets shall be by AP.

Section 4: Salaries and reimbursements

• AP representatives and all activists working in sub-committees by default shall be volunteer workers. However, the GB may authorize the BD to pay members and non-members for the necessary services.
• The annual budget shall be approved by GB.
• AP shall never end a year in deficit.
• AP shall reimburse all activists if they have legitimately purchased goods or paid for services with prior approval of an AP representative.

Article VII: Amendments

Section 1: Proposals

• Amendments to the Bylaws may be proposed by any member of the AP, within the BD or GB at least 3 months in advance of an ANA session through writing and delivery to the BD.

Section 2: Approval

• Proposed amendments require a two-thirds majority vote at the ANA.

Article VIII: Dissolution

Section 1: Basis

• Dissolution of the AP, based on the existence of another body to replace its mission within the Assyrian nation, shall require a majority vote of the BD and GB and a plan for the disposition of its assets to the appropriate non-profit organization as required by law.

Section 2: Procedure

• In the event of dissolution, there shall be no less than 30 participants to hold the conference or elect the AP. If fewer than 30 participants registered 30 days before the conference day, the conference shall be postponed to a maximum of 6 months later. If there were not enough participants after 6 months, the AP shall start the process of dissolution.

Annex A – Election Procedure for the Assyrian National Assembly (ANA)

Article I: Composition

Section 1

 The ANA consists of:

1. a)Representatives appointed by Assyrian organizations registered with the Assyrian Parliament (AP), and
2. b)Individual members who meet the criteria of Article III and are registered with the AP.

Article II: Voting rights and eligibility

Section 1

The following criteria must be met to participate in the ANA with voting rights:

1)    The person must be Assyrian in accordance with Article III.

2)    The person must be at least 18 years of age.

3)    The person must be registered as a member with the AP no later than 30 days before the ANA session.

4)    A person may not participate as both an individual member and as a representative of an organization.

Article III: Appointment of organization representatives

Section 1

A registered organization is allocated representatives based on the following scale:

• 1–49 members: 1 representative
• 50–99 members: 2 representatives
• 100 or more members: 3 representatives

Section 2

The organization’s leadership appoints its representatives through a general assembly, internal vote, or board decision.

Section 3

The appointed representatives must be submitted in writing to the AP Secretariat no later than 21 days before the ANA session.

Article IV: Individual members

Section 1

Individual members who are not representing an organization may apply for membership in the ANA.

Section 2

The total number of individual members may not exceed 30% of the total number of voting members in the ANA.

Article V: Publication and approval of the membership list

Section 1

The ANA Secretariat shall publish a preliminary list of eligible voting members no later than 14 days before an ordinary or extraordinary session.

Section 2

Objections to the list may be submitted no later than 5 days after publication.

Section 3

The final list of members shall be formally approved at the opening of the session.

Article VI: Term of membership

Section 1

Membership in the ANA is valid for one session and expires at the conclusion of that session.

Section 2

For each new session (ordinary or extraordinary), new appointments or registrations must take place.

Article VII: Digital participation

Section 1

Participation in the ANA may take place either in person or digitally through a platform approved by the Secretariat.

Section 2

Digital participants shall have the same voting rights as in-person participants, provided they are properly registered and their identity is verified.