Three Individuals File Lawsuit Against Parviz Sabati, Deputy of SAVAK, Demanding $225 Million in Damages

Three individuals claiming to have been "tortured" by SAVAK during the Pahlavi monarchy have filed a lawsuit against Parviz Sabati, the head of SAVAK's Third Department, in a court in Orlando, Florida, seeking $225 million in damages. According to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by Radio Farda on Tuesday, March 7, Sabati is accused by the plaintiffs of "designing and implementing systematic torture" against political prisoners in the late years of the Pahlavi regime. The three plaintiffs stated that Sabati, as the deputy of SAVAK, the country's intelligence and security organization, was not only "directly responsible for their harassment but also established a legacy of repression that has cast a shadow over the lives of the Iranian people to this day under the Islamic Republic." They claim that "their goal is not just to receive compensation but to prevent the normalization of past crimes and to expose the role of individuals like Sabati in contemporary Iranian history." The plaintiffs assert that the "legacy of SAVAK's repression" has been transferred to the Islamic Republic, and victims of both regimes have been denied justice. Meanwhile, an "informed source" told the British newspaper "The Independent" that the plaintiffs, fearing retaliation from Sabati or a network that may still be connected to him, do not wish to disclose their names. One notable allegation in this case is the "possible connection of Sabati with networks associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)." The plaintiffs claim that "he maintained his relationships with some security agents after the revolution, and this network is still active in threatening opponents." The IRGC is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States. This military organization was established after the February 1979 revolution, tasked with protecting the clergy's institution in the Islamic Republic, internal repression, countering the movements of opposition militias, and supporting proxy groups abroad. Part of SAVAK's responsibilities has been transferred to the IRGC's intelligence organization. Radio Farda contacted Mr. Sabati's daughter regarding this lawsuit but did not receive a response by the time this report was prepared. The National Intelligence and Security Organization, known as SAVAK, was established in 1957 and has always been accused by human rights groups of torturing opponents of the Shah's regime. In a 1977 interview with the Washington Post, Mr. Sabati claimed that Iranians who fear SAVAK are influenced by foreign journalists' narratives, adding, "Some foreign journalists who come here... see SAVAK behind every tree." This former SAVAK official stated in a 2012 interview with Voice of America that he is against torture. He added, "Since I have studied law, I have always opposed anything that leads to torture." According to this former Pahlavi regime official, during his tenure at SAVAK, the organization used "standard interrogation methods" and denied any allegations of torture. Parviz Sabati, now 88 years old, has been out of the public eye for several decades. He moved to Florida after the 1979 revolution and started a business in real estate. This former SAVAK official re-emerged in public in February 2023, participating in an anti-Islamic Republic rally in California. According to the Independent source, "One of the goals of the lawsuit is to pave the way for a new wave of litigation against human rights violators who have sought refuge in the United States." The plaintiffs, who have been introduced under pseudonyms "John Doe 1," "John Doe 2," and "John Doe 3" for security reasons, claim that this high-ranking SAVAK official played a central role in "institutionalizing torture in Iran." In their lawsuit, the plaintiffs describe Parviz Sabati as the "architect" of a system that "used methods such as beatings, electric shocks, sleep deprivation, and threats of death to force opponents into coerced confessions and silence them." These methods, the plaintiffs allege, were later expanded by the Islamic Republic of Iran and became part of the repressive structure of this regime. The lawsuit against Parviz Sabati, filed on February 10 in the federal court of Orlando, adds that the head of SAVAK's Third Department "not only escaped justice but also remains a potential threat to opponents through a network of connections." The plaintiffs have not provided any evidence regarding Sabati's "communication network" and their claim of "threatening opponents" through it. The three plaintiffs, aged 68, 72, and 85, now living in California, have detailed their experiences of "torture and prolonged imprisonment" during Sabati's presidency over SAVAK's Third Department. "John Doe 1," 72 years old, claims that Mr. Sabati was personally present during his interrogations and issued "orders for beatings" that "resulted in the loss of hearing in one ear and chronic gastrointestinal and permanent psychological issues: I still have nightmares of crowded prison cells and am terrified of being in large groups." "John Doe 2," 85 years old, shared a similar experience, stating that he fears retaliation from Sabati or his associated network, even in America, and "John Doe 3," 68 years old, emphasized that "living in the United States has not protected him from threats from Iran-related agents." These plaintiffs claim that the tortures overseen by Parviz Sabati not only inflicted physical harm on them but also affected their family and social lives. This lawsuit has been filed under the "Torture Victim Protection Act" in the United States, which allows victims to sue torturers, even for actions that occurred outside the country. The plaintiffs' lawyers argue that Mr. Sabati, as a citizen and resident of the United States, falls under this law. Their lawyers have provided documents including "historical records, testimonies from former prisoners, and human rights reports" showing that "SAVAK, under Parviz Sabati's management, created an organized system for repressing opponents." According to the mentioned individuals, "This lawsuit is not only a legal case but could also be part of a broader effort by the Iranian exile community to achieve justice and accountability for human rights violators." Meanwhile, Raha Bahreini, a lawyer and spokesperson for Amnesty International, told Radio Farda that "at the heart of this case lies the enduring suffering of torture survivors who continue to seek justice, truth, and accountability." She added, "This lawsuit reminds us of the long-standing crisis of impunity and the lack of accountability for serious human rights violations and international crimes in Iran. The consequences of this situation have been devastating not only for the countless victims and their families but also for the culture of respect for fundamental human rights in Iran." Ms. Bahreini, referring to the documentation of the history of repression in Iran, stated: "Victims of SAVAK's crimes, which Amnesty International documented in the 1970s, have long been deprived of their right to know the truth and achieve justice in fair trials; partly because those suspected of connections to SAVAK were among the thousands of victims of arbitrary, hasty, and illegal executions that the Islamic Republic officials carried out with complete impunity after the 1979 revolution." According to this lawyer, "This entrenched impunity has facilitated the continuation and expansion of the epidemic of systematic torture and arbitrary executions in Iran." The spokesperson for Amnesty International further stated: "This case is not only an effort to achieve accountability for past human rights violations in Iran's history but also paints a picture of a future Iran where torture is criminalized and punished under any circumstances, regardless of the political affiliations of the victim or the accused; accountability and justice are fundamental pillars of the legal system, no one is above the law, and human dignity is unconditionally respected." Ms. Bahreini emphasized that Amnesty International stands with survivors and the families of victims in their pursuit of truth, justice, and reparations for past and ongoing human rights violations.