In a recent unanimous resolution, the House of Representatives of the United States has strongly condemned the Islamic Republic of Iran for its long-standing human rights abuses, focusing particularly on the massacre of political prisoners in 1988 and the repression of uprisings in 2018, 2019, and 2022. The resolution reaffirms the United States’ commitment to justice for the victims.
“Previously, in the 115th Congress, the House had already called upon the United States to denounce Iranian human rights abuses, including the 1988 massacre and the suppression of political demonstrations,” read a portion of the resolution.
In the spotlight is the 1988 massacre, prompted by a religious decree, or fatwa, from then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, which targeted the People’s Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK). As many as 30,000 political prisoners were executed under this fatwa.
“The families of the executed were denied information about their loved ones and were prohibited from mourning them in public,” the resolution notes, adding that Amnesty International has urged for an impartial investigation into the 1988 executions and justice for the responsible parties.
Amnesty International has urged for an impartial investigation into the 1988 executions and justice for the responsible parties. This culminated in a series of violent anti- government protests in 2022 following the death of a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini, at the hands of the morality police.
According to a report by Amnesty International in December 2022, “Iran’s security forces have killed with absolute impunity more than 40 children and injured many more in a bid to crush the spirit of resistance among the country’s youth.”
“In November 2021, the Swedish Judiciary moved the whole court in Stockholm to Albania to facilitate hearing testimonies of seven former Iranian political prisoners,” the resolution states.
Finally, the resolution urges the United States and its allies to pressurize Iran to provide detailed information about the victims to their families and to assist in prosecuting the perpetrators.
In a statement issued by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken on April 24, 2023, “The United States condemns Iran’s continued human rights abuses and remains committed to supporting the people of Iran as they face the brutality of the Iranian regime.”
MEK Iran (follow us on Twitter and Facebook), Maryam Rajavi’s on her site, Twitter & Facebook, NCRI (Twitter & Facebook), and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTu
