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WGEID supports international investigation into Iran’s 1988 massacre

September 6, 2022

The United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) has repeated its support for an international inquiry into the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran in its latest report to the UN Human Rights Council. WGEID’s report to the 51st session of the Human Rights Council, A/HRC/51/31, dated 12 August 2022, states: …

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UN Special Rapporteur’s report to UNGA 77 seeks accountability for Iran’s 1988 massacre

September 7, 2022

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Javaid Rehman, has released his report to the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, in which he once again calls for international accountability regarding the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran. The report, A/77/181, dated 18 …

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UNSG report to 47th session of Human Rights Council highlights ongoing violations related to Iran’s 1988 massacre

August 31, 2021

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres has highlighted ongoing human rights abuses related to the 1988 massacre in his report of 14 May 2021 on the Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran to the 47th session of the Human Rights Council. Paragraph 34 of the report (A/HRC/47/22) mentions the case of …

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Khamenei Defends Fatwa Ordering 1988 Massacre in Iran

February 1, 2021

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has published a book in which he defends the order given by his predecessor Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini leading to the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran. Khamenei’s remarks are included in a book called the ‘Leader’s Narrative’ (“Revayate Rahbari”), published in July 2019 by the Institute for Preserving …

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December 2020 UN General Assembly Resolution on the Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran

January 23, 2021

The United Nations General Assembly on 16 December 2020 adopted Resolution A/RES/75/191 on the Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The resolution highlights “long-standing violations involving the Iranian judiciary and security agencies, including enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions, and calls upon the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to end …

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European Parliament Resolution of 17 December 2020 on Iran

March 14, 2021

The European Parliament on 17 December 2020 adopted a resolution on Iran referring to the mass extrajudicial executions of the 1980s. The text stated that the European Parliament, “Calls on the Government of Iran to immediately and unconditionally release the hundreds of people arbitrarily detained for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of opinion and …

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December 2020: UN experts echo call for international investigation into Iran’s 1988 massacre

February 23, 2022

Seven United Nations experts have sent a letter to the Iranian authorities stating that the 1988 massacre of thousands of political prisoners could amount to “crimes against humanity” and vowing to call for an international investigation into the mass murders if the authorities continue to refuse to uphold their obligations under international human rights law. …

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November 2020: UN Third Committee Adopts Resolution on Iran

January 23, 2021

On 18 November 2020, the United Nations General Assembly’s Third Committee adopted a resolution on the Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, highlighting “long-standing violations involving the Iranian judiciary and security agencies, including enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions” and calling on Iran to “end impunity for such violations”. Draft resolution A/C.3/75/L.31/Rev.1, …

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Joint written statement on Iran's 1988 massacre

21 NGOs appeal to UN to investigate Iran’s 1988 massacre

February 25, 2021

Twenty-one NGOs have issued a joint appeal to the United Nations to launch an investigation into Iran’s 1988 massacre of thousands of political prisoners. The statement was submitted to the 45th session of the UN Human Rights Council. The following is the full text of the NGOs’ statement: Link to original source: https://undocs.org/A/HRC/45/NGO/139 A/HRC/45/NGO/139 Distr.: …

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NGOs urge UN to end impunity over Iran’s 1988 massacre

August 14, 2019

A group of seven NGOs have called on the United Nations Human Rights Council to end the impunity enjoyed by Iranian officials over the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners. In a joint written statement to the Human Rights Council’s 40th session, the NGOs urged High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to support the …

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Amnesty International has urged the United Nations Human Rights Council to address the "crisis of impunity" resulting from Iran's "ongoing crimes against humanity".

Amnesty International urges UN to investigate Iran’s 1988 massacre

August 14, 2019

Amnesty International has urged the United Nations Human Rights Council to address the “crisis of impunity” resulting from Iran’s “ongoing crimes against humanity”. In a written statement to the Human Rights Council’s 40th session, Amnesty International urged Member States to investigate Iran’s 1988 massacre of thousands of political prisoners with a view to ensuring that …

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NGO written statement

Nine NGOs urge UN to investigate Iran’s 1988 massacre of political prisoners

August 14, 2019

A group of nine non-governmental organisations submitted a joint written statement to the United Nations Human Rights Council’s 39th session, urging the global human rights body to launch an investigation into Iran’s 1988 massacre of some 30,000 political prisoners. Joint written statement “A/HRC/39/NGO/145” was circulated to UN Member States on 5 September 2018. The following …

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Victims of Iran's 1988 massacre of political prisoners

December 2018: Amnesty International’s report on the 1988 massacre

December 19, 2020

In December 2018, Amnesty International published a 201-page report “Blood-soaked secrets: Why Iran’s 1988 prison massacres are ongoing crimes against humanity” calling on the UN to set up an independent investigation to help bring those responsible for these abhorrent crimes to justice. The report said: “Amnesty International’s research leaves the organization in no doubt that, …

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March 2018: New report by UN Special Rapporteur on Iran reiterates need for investigation into 1988 massacre

December 19, 2020

The latest report to the United Nations Human Rights Council by the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran, the late Asma Jahangir, drew attention to the need for an investigation into the 1988 massacre. The report (A/HRC/37/68), presented to the 37th session of the Human Rights Council, included …

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October 2017: NEW JVMI REPORT – 1988 Massacre in Iran: Evidence of a Crime Against Humanity

April 19, 2021

The JVMI is today publishing a new report about Iran’s 1988 massacre of political prisoners, exposing the identities of dozens of members of the “Death Commissions”, some of who are current senior members of the Iranian administration including the government and the judiciary, enjoying total impunity. The JVMI’s 227-page report provides details, exact map coordinates …

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Asma Jahangir UN Special Rapporteur on Iran

August 2017: New report by UN Special Rapporteur draws attention to Iran’s 1988 massacre

December 19, 2020

The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran has in her latest report made numerous references to the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran, pointing out that the families of the victims have a right to know the truth about these events and the fate of their …

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June 2017: Letter by UN Special Procedures to Iran over the crackdown on individuals seeking justice for the 1988 massacre

December 19, 2020

Letter by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran; the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances; the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the Special Rapporteur …

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Book Inquiry into the 1988 mass execution in Iran

February 2017: JVMI report ‘Inquiry into the 1988 mass executions in Iran’

April 19, 2021

Justice for the Victims of the 1988 Massacre in Iran (JVMI) unveiled its report on Iran’s 1988 massacre at the 34th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on 15 March 2017. The 366-page report evidences the facts, the suspect perpetrators, the victims and the whereabouts of their mass graves. The report …

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Hossein-Ali Montazeri's letter to Ayatollah Khomeini about the execution of 13-year-old girls in Iran, 27 September 1981

Secret letter by Khomeini’s deputy acknowledges execution of 13-year-old girls in Iran

October 3, 2016

On 27 September 2016, a state-run website published the text and scan of a letter written exactly 35 years to the day by Iran’s former deputy supreme leader to the Ayatollah Khomeini, pointing out the Iranian judiciary was executing girls as young as 13 simply for supporting the Iranian Resistance and despite the fact that …

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Montazeri-Pourmohammadi

Audio transcript of Iran officials’ remarks about 1988 massacre

October 1, 2016

Partial Translation of the remarks by Grand Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri in a meeting with the members of the “death commission” in Tehran regarding the massacre of political prisoners in Iran August 15, 1988 Introduction:

The Sunday Telegraph: Khomeini fatwa ‘led to killing of 30,000 in Iran’

December 19, 2020

The Sunday Telegraph By Christina Lamb, Diplomatic Correspondent 4 February 2001 CHILDREN as young as 13 were hanged from cranes, six at a time, in a barbaric two-month purge of Iran’s prisons on the direct orders of Ayatollah Khomeini, according to a new book by his former deputy. More than 30,000 political prisoners were executed …

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Khomeini’s fatwa ordering the 1988 massacre in Iran’s prisons

October 1, 2016

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa (or religious decree) in July 1988 ordering the execution of members and supporters of the main opposition group PMOI (MEK) who remained loyal to the organization, including those who had already been tried and were serving their prison sentences. The following is the full translation of …

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Rafsanjani-Ettelaat

Rafsanjani: Cut off their arms and legs

September 26, 2016

Ettela’at, October 3, 1981 Referring to the grouplets’ operations, Hashemi Rafsanjani, speaker of the Islamic parliament and Tehran’s acting Friday prayer leader, said in his first sermon: