The Intelligence and Security Organization of the Country, AKA by its Persian abbreviation of SAVAK, was founded on March 20, 1957, as Shah’s secret police. SAVAK was Shah’s security “achievement” following the 1953 coup against the nationalist government of Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh.
While torture, oppression, and secret police were commonplace before SAVAK’s creation, even under Shah’s father, Reza Khan, the emergence of SAVAK institutionalized and organized torture and oppression in Iran.
Despite Iranians chanting the slogan “Down with the oppressor, be it Shah or [Supreme] Leader,” Tehran and some other beneficiaries have been attempting to resuscitate the Pahlavi dictatorship by promoting Shah’s son, Reza Pahlavi, in rather perverted ways.
This was seen on February 11 when a pro-Pahlavi protest was formed in Los Angeles, organized by an organization known as the “LA Protests.” Although the demonstration was supposed to be in solidarity with the Iranian people on the anniversary of the 1979 anti-monarchial revolution, the organization dedicated the podium to Pahlavi’s supporters and showed large banners of Reza Pahlavi and his ousted father.
On February 19, the remnants of the deposed former dictator of Iran carried a large picture of Sabeti at a protest held simultaneous with the Munich Security Conference. Atop the poster of Sabeti was written, “Nightmare of future terrorists,” referencing Sabeti’s statement in 1978 that SAVAK should not be dissolved; otherwise, there would be havoc in the country.
SAVAK’s brutal tortures and countless crimes even caused some regime insiders to consider this organization one of the reasons people hated the Shah and his regime. International human rights organizations like Amnesty International repeatedly condemned SAVAK’s human rights abuses many times. In 1975, Martin Ennals, then Amnesty International’s Secretary General, described Shah’s human rights record as the “worst globally.”
The ongoing nationwide uprising in Iran has demonstrated the Iranian people’s will to achieve democracy after over a century of dictatorship. However, the ruling clerics have been trying to cling to power by promoting the deposed monarchy and its criminals. Despite the attempts to resuscitate the Pahlavi dictatorship, Iranians remain steadfast in their demand for freedom and democracy.
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 – YouTub
