Amnesty International: The World Must Confront the 'Impunity' of Iranian Officials

Amnesty International, on the eve of the anniversary of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini's death, condemned the impunity of Iranian government officials involved in the 'brutal repression' of protests and emphasized the necessity for the global community to confront it. In a statement on September 13, Amnesty International criticized the lack of any action to hold accountable those suspected of committing criminal offenses, referring to it as a 'crisis of impunity.' The organization called on all governments to initiate criminal investigations into those suspected of responsibility for 'crimes,' including commanders and other senior officials in the Islamic Republic, and to issue international arrest warrants if credible evidence exists. Amnesty International also urged the global community to assist in compensating victims of 'international crimes and other serious human rights violations' by the Iranian government. Diana Tahawi, Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International, emphasized that despite the 'unimaginable oppression' imposed by Iranian officials on the people over the past year, no criminal investigations have been conducted against any officials. Tahawi noted the anniversary of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests as a serious reminder for countries worldwide to initiate criminal investigations into the 'atrocious crimes committed by Iranian officials.' She also called on all countries to issue official statements to Iranian officials demanding an end to the 'illegal use of firearms against protesters' and 'torture of detainees,' while emphasizing the release of detained protesters. According to Amnesty International's statement, 'over the past year, Iranian officials have committed numerous crimes under international law, including hundreds of killings, the arbitrary execution of seven protesters, tens of thousands of arbitrary arrests, widespread torture, including rape of prisoners, extensive harassment of victims' families, and retaliatory actions against women opposing compulsory hijab.' The organization highlighted the 'all-out assault' by Iranian officials against the human rights of women and girls over the past year, noting that women and girls who defy compulsory hijab face deprivations such as 'seizure of vehicles, denial of employment, education, medical care, banking services,' as well as sentences of 'imprisonment, fines, and humiliating punishments.' In another part of the statement, Amnesty International referred to the 'blatant lying' of Iranian officials regarding hundreds of killings, stating that 'officials have not only evaded holding accountable those suspected of criminal responsibility in this brutal crackdown but have also spent the past year spreading blatant lies to the people and the international community, attributing the responsibility for the killings to 'rioters,' 'unknown individuals,' accidents, or suicides of the victims. Concurrently, officials have intensified the suffering of victims' families through relentless harassment and intimidation.' Amnesty International also mentioned the 'arbitrary detentions and summons of tens of thousands,' including protesters, human rights defenders, minority rights activists, journalists, and lawyers. The organization described the use of 'live ammunition and rubber bullets' by security forces to inflict injuries on protesters last year as part of a 'tsunami of torture' under the supervision of Iranian officials. Amnesty International further characterized the Iranian authorities' increasing use of the death penalty as 'political repression' and 'creating terror among the people,' referencing the execution of seven male prisoners linked to nationwide protests and labeling their trial as 'show trials' and 'severely unfair.' During the protests that erupted following Mahsa (Zhina) Amini's death in custody, Iranian government forces killed over 500 individuals, including 71 children, and arrested thousands. The Islamic Republic has executed seven protesters so far. In the lead-up to the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death, the Iranian government has intensified security pressures against a wide range of civil society activists, human rights defenders, political activists, student activists, educators, and labor activists. Moreover, in the weeks leading up to the anniversary, pressure on the families of victims has significantly increased, with opponents and protesters being arrested under various pretexts, and many families seeking justice being summoned or detained and transferred to Iranian prisons. In recent months, the graves of those killed in the nationwide protests have been repeatedly vandalized. Methods such as pouring tar, breaking photo glasses, cutting down trees planted on the graves of the deceased, and destroying gravestones have been employed in the desecration of the graves of opponents of the Islamic Republic and victims of human rights violations in Iran. Since the 1979 revolution, many families of executed individuals have faced similar harassment.