On the 35th anniversary of the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran, the British Parliament held a significant conference on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, bringing global attention back to this heinous crime against humanity that has been systematically concealed by Iran’s theocratic regime.
The bloody massacre, ordered by Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the mullahs’ regime, targeted affiliates of the People’s Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK), resulting in the execution of more than 30,000 political prisoners. However, the attempted annihilation of the opposition sparked a global justice-seeking movement that continues to this day.
The conference in the British Parliament featured representatives from both the House of Commons and the Lords, UN Special Rapporteur on Iran affairs, Javaid Rehman, and members of the victims’ families. The representatives fervently condemned the ongoing impunity enjoyed by Iran’s leaders and the state’s refusal to acknowledge the massacre, demanding an international investigation into the mass killings.
Professor Rehman underscored the extent of Iran’s systemic cover-up, highlighting state authorities’ repeated attempts to distort historical data, suppress families of the victims, and destroy any evidence, including mass graves.
MP Bob Blackman echoed this sentiment, stating, “The fact that one of the notorious and documented perpetrators of the 1988 massacre is now president of Iran underscores the urgency of securing accountability.
The conference also paid homage to the memory of countless victims whose identities and resting places remain unknown, their sacrifices continuing to fuel the spirit of rebellion in Iran.
Dr. Tahar Boumedra, director of the organization Justice for the Victims of the 1988 Massacre in Iran (JVMI), stressed that Khomeini’s 1988 fatwa, which initiated the massacre, has never been rescinded. He added that, according to the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID), the 1988 massacre also qualifies as “enforced disappearance,” and as such, it is an ongoing crime.
Khomeini’s crimes continue to reverberate today, serving as a catalyst for justice and accountability and driving the Iranian resistance in their ongoing fight for freedom and democracy.
Echoing this sentiment, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the Iranian opposition President-elect Maryam Rajavi of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), during the Free Iran World Summit 2023, said, “The spirit of countless victims continues to cultivate the seeds of rebellion and revolt because of their sacrifice.
The Call for Justice Movement advances the struggle anchored in the indomitable spirit of ‘standing one’s ground,’ the key to resisting oppression and advancing the revolution.”
The conference marks a crucial milestone in the global campaign for justice, a strong testament to the indomitable spirit of the victims and the ongoing fight against oppression in Iran.
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
