This is an abridged article written by Struan Stevenson, the coordinator of the Campaign for Iran Change. He first mentioned Amnesty International’s report in early September that outlined the extent of the torture and treatment of Iran’s political prisoners. He mentioned that many of those currently being tortured in Iran’s prisons are from last November’s protests. The reason for the protest was the outrageous price hikes on gas prices.
Reporting by #PMOI/#MEK Amnesty International’s new report about human rights abuses in Iran’s prisons has sent shockwaves across the world. “Trampling Humanity,” the report, was published on September 2, is one a harrowing account of the regime's crimes against protesters2019. pic.twitter.com/e0oQ1hrweU
— MEK Iran (Mujahedin-e Khalq) (@MEK_Iran) September 3, 2020
When reacting to this protest the ‘’fascist, theocratic dictatorship’’ got its ‘’Gestapo’’ into action, namely, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, and the notorious Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS). The clear aim was to crush the uprising. Snipers were put on surrounding government rooftops and they shot at the protestors with the aim to kill. The resultant casualties included 1,500 dead and 8,000 injured. Anyone who escaped death was rounded up by armored vehicles and helicopters and 12,000 were subsequently detained.
Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook: “The @Reuters report on the massacre ordered by @khamenei_ir underscores the urgency for the international community to punish the perpetrators and isolate the regime for the murder of 1,500 Iranian citizens.” https://t.co/TpUncLjDcv
— Department of State (@StateDept) December 23, 2019
From then on, the mullahs tortured and executed those protesters who were arrested. The aim was to frighten the rest of the Iranians into submission. They openly admitted that the crackdown was issuing a warning to the people to remain silent.
Mostafa Salehi has already been executed, while five other detainees have been issued with the death penalty. This includes Navid Afkari, a wrestling champion, who was sentenced to death, as well as sentenced to serve 6 years and 6 months in prison with 74 lashes. Navid has suffered many weeks of terrible torture. In a letter that was smuggled out of prison, he described beatings and torture that were inflicted on him for 50 days. He even had a plastic bag tied over his head with the aim of suffocating him.
In addition, Navid’s brothers, Vahid and Habib, who were also part of the peaceful protests, were sentenced by the Shiraz Criminal Court. Vahid received 74 lashes and a whopping 54 years and six months in jail while Habib received 74 lashes and 27 years and 3 months in prison.
#Iran Will Not Remain Silent in the Face of Navid's Hanging and Will Rise To Protest His Unjust Execution
The UN, the Security Council, the European Union, and all human rights defenders urged to take effective action#NoImpunity4Mullahs #NavidAfkari #UNSChttps://t.co/T5LB8YkvOG pic.twitter.com/Uy4IoOqhj2— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) September 12, 2020
What has been so predictable about the mullah’s response is that the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and President Hassan Rouhani, have publicly congratulated all those involved in this crackdown, involving literally “thousands of young, unarmed protesters.”
Amnesty International listed the following in their report:
- waterboarding,
- torture,
- stress positions,
- sexual violence,
- mock executions,
- forced administration of chemical substances
- floggings,
- electric shocks,
- deprivation of medical care,
Also, Amnesty International pointed to the use of unfair trials based on no real charges and that death sentences were imposed after torture was used to get false confessions.
#Iran Coronavirus Update
More than 102,200 people have died of the novel #coronavirus in 427 cities checkered across all of Iran's 31 provinces, according to the Iranian opposition PMOI/MEK.
Full Reporthttps://t.co/fgh5HMS3nY pic.twitter.com/WdEeEfoHJ4
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) September 12, 2020
Covid-19 has made matters worse and has claimed hundreds of detainees’ lives
This is not the only time peaceful protesters have been badly treated. Back in 1988 they ruthlessly took the lovers of more than 30,000 supporters of the People’s Mojahedin of Iran (MEK Iran / PMOI), the main democratic opposition movement. Anyone who admitted to supporting the MEK was tried and executed. This was all conducted by “death commissions” set up by order from the ruthless Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who issued a fatwa.
Mr. Stevenson is calling on the U.N. General Assembly’s 75th session which will begin in New York on Sept. 22nd, to hold Iran accountable for the genocide in 1988 committed against its people.
