Javid Rahman Calls the Massacre of Political Prisoners in the 1980s a 'Crime Against Humanity' and 'Genocide'

Javid Rahman, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, described the massacre of political prisoners in the 1980s by the Islamic Republic as 'horrific crimes against humanity' and 'genocide', calling for accountability from the Iranian government for these crimes. Speaking at a side event of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Wednesday, June 30, he urged the international community to take concrete steps to hold the perpetrators accountable and end their impunity by activating investigative mechanisms. Rahman referred to the 'arbitrary and extrajudicial executions' and the massacre of thousands of political prisoners in 1988 by the Islamic Republic as 'crimes against humanity'. He highlighted the Iranian government's history of concealing evidence of these massacres and called for clarity on the dimensions of these crimes and for the Islamic Republic to provide an honest account regarding them. The UN Special Rapporteur emphasized that the perpetrators of these crimes must be held accountable and that 'the impunity of the Islamic Republic must end'. This event was initiated by the 'Justice for Iran' organization and attended by former political prisoners, survivors of the executed from the 1980s, and some legal experts. Rahman noted that thousands of political prisoners from the 1980s in Iran were 'killed without access to fair trials'. He also referred to the 'widespread torture' of political prisoners as an example of crimes against humanity, attributing it to the Islamic Republic's 'hostility' towards these prisoners, stating that they were punished for their beliefs. The UN Special Rapporteur stressed the 'clandestine nature of the torture and executions of these prisoners' and pointed out that the Islamic Republic has refrained from any information dissemination regarding this matter, including providing details about the burial sites of the executed. According to Javid Rahman, many survivors of these executions continue to struggle with the consequences of losing their loved ones. Shadi Sadr, a director of 'Justice for Iran', welcomed Javid Rahman's report in an interview with the Persian section of Voice of America, stating that this is the first time a UN official has referred to the crimes of the 1980s as genocide. Shadi Sadr noted that the crimes of the 1980s in Iran have not received an appropriate response from the international community since their occurrence, and Javid Rahman's statements are a breakthrough for the Iranian community and survivors of the 1980s executions, allowing them to raise their quest for justice on a global level. Thousands of political prisoners in the 1980s, especially in the summer of 1988, were executed due to their support for or membership in groups and organizations such as the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran, the Tudeh Party of Iran, and the Fadaiyan Khalq (majority and minority). Reports indicate that the executions of the summer of 1988 were carried out under a fatwa and approval from Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, through a committee known as the 'Death Committee', whose members he appointed. Ebrahim Raisi, the President of the thirteenth government who recently died in a helicopter crash, and Mostafa Pourmohammadi, a current candidate for the 'Islamic Republic elections', were members of this committee. Widespread criticism of the release of Hamid Nouri: it is shameful and encourages the Islamic Republic to continue hostage-taking. Narges Mohammadi: Raisi's memorial at the UN honors the gallows and mass killings against the Iranian people. The government forces of the Islamic Republic prevented the families of the executed from the 1980s from attending in Khavaran. The meeting 'Justice for the Victims of the 1988 Massacre'; Javid Rahman's criticism of the 'complete lack of accountability' of human rights violators in Iran.