In recent months, behind the smoke of the war regional conflicts, Iran has witnessed a disturbing escalation in state-sanctioned executions, exacerbating an already dire human rights situation. The crisis has intensified following the election of Masoud Pezeshkian as President. Under his leadership, more than 200 executions have been carried out, reflecting a harsh crackdown on dissent and a disregard for basic human rights.
Even though it is obvious that the surge in executions is to prevent an extremely outraged population, from another fresh uprising, the daily protests by retires, nurses, farmers, and various sectors of the society, as well as a heroic resistance within prisons by political prisoners proves that the regime has failed in its goals to intimidate the public. The “Tuesdays Against Execution” campaign, now in its 35th week, is a powerful response to these brutal practices. The campaign, which includes hunger strikes 21 prisons across the country, calls for the abolition of the death penalty. Prisoners and activists demand accountability for the deaths of individuals like Mohsen Shekari and Majidreza Rahnavard, who were executed following the 2022 uprising. Their deaths have become symbols of a regime intent on silencing opposition through fear and violence. The situation of political prisoners such as Mohammad Javad Vafaie Sani has drawn international condemnation. Vafaie, a supporter of the People’s Mojahadin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and boxing champion, has been sentenced to death three times despite widespread criticism. His case, along with those of other MEK supporters like Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hasani, highlights the regime’s use of the judiciary to crush political dissent.
“Ever since the 1979 Revolution in Iran, those who ordered and perpetuated the “atrocity crimes” of crimes against humanity as well as genocide, particularly during 1980–1981 and 1988 have remained in government.” explains Javaid Rehmen, the special rapporteur for human rights in Iran until July 2024. Therefore, the roots of the current wave of executions are deeply entrenched in the atrocities committed during the 1988 massacre. This dark chapter in Iran’s history saw the extrajudicial killings of approximately 30,000 political prisoners, predominantly members of the MEK. Rehman characterizes these events as ‘Crimes Against Humanity’ and ‘Genocide’, highlighting that the systematic targeting of individuals based on their political beliefs laid the foundation for the culture of impunity and repression that persists in Iran today. The Iranian regime’s refusal to acknowledge the 1988 massacre has perpetuated a cycle of denial and unaccountability. Many officials implicated in the massacre have not only evaded justice but have also risen to prominent positions within Iran’s government and judiciary. This continuity of power has enabled the ongoing use of state violence and extrajudicial killings against political dissidents and protesters to this day. Addressing a conference at the UK Parliament in Defense of Human Rights in Iran, on September 9, 2024, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), highlighted the gravity of the situation: “Since Masoud Pezeshkian assumed office, 150 individuals have been executed, underscoring the regime’s reliance on fear and repression.” Rajavi reiterated the NCRI’s commitment to abolishing the death penalty in a free Iran, advocating for a future where human rights and justice prevail.
The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, in his final report to the UN Human Rights Council at the end of his term, dated July 17, calls for a robust international response to these human rights violations. He advocates for the establishment of an international investigative and accountability mechanism to conduct comprehensive and impartial investigations into the crimes committed in 1988 and other atrocities. Such a mechanism would not only seek justice for the victims but also serve as a deterrent to future human rights abuses by holding perpetrators accountable. Given the surge in executions, and heavy repressive measures undertaken by Pezeshkian against the youth and particularly women in Iran, it is time for the international community to end its silence, and to blacklist the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the main repressive force in Iran, and the engine behind the regime’s terrorism and warmonger abroad, as a terrorist organization. It is also relevant to recognize the right of the Iranian people and their resistance to defend themselves against the oppressive actions of the regime. By taking these steps, the global community can help dismantle the legacy of violence and impunity rooted in the 1988 genocide and contribute to a future where justice and human rights are upheld in Iran.
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