1988 Massacre Documents

United Nations

UN raises concern over destruction of graves of political prisoners of the 1980s in Iran

On 29 September 2025, five United Nations Special Procedures wrote to the Iranian authorities raising concern over the destruction and desecration of the mass grave site in Section 41 of Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery in Tehran. This grave site holds the remains of thousands of political prisoners executed during the 1980s, most likely including those of

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July 2024: Landmark ‘Atrocity Crimes’ Report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran

London, 22 July 2024: The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Javaid Rehman, has published his final findings before his mandate ends on 31 July, stating that the “atrocity crimes” of summary, arbitrary and extra-judicial executions during 1981-1982 and in 1988 amounted to crimes against

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Khamenei Defends Fatwa Ordering 1988 Massacre in Iran

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 experts echo call for international investigation into Iran’s 1988 massacre

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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Victims of Iran's 1988 massacre of political prisoners

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

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

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

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

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

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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Asma Jahangir highlights clampdown on dissidents calling for justice over #Iran’s #1988massacre

March 2017: Asma Jahangir highlights clampdown on dissidents calling for justice over Iran’s 1988 massacre

Asma Jahangir, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran, has in her latest report to the Human Rights Council included references to Iran’s 1988 massacre of political prisoners and human rights abuses towards campaigners demanding justice over the massacre.

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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’

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

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

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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Montazeri first letter to Khomeini

Montazeri’s first letter to Khomeini in protest to mass executions

On July 31, 1988, Iran’s former Deputy Supreme Leader Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri wrote to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to express his grave concern over the mass executions of political prisoners in Iran, namely members of the PMOI, which he said could not be justified in any way. While trying to convince Khomeini to withdraw

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Montazeri’s second letter to Khomeini in protest to mass executions

In his second letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on August 2, 1988, after failing to receive a response to his earlier appeal, Iran’s former Deputy Supreme Leader Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri once again notified him of the way his death decree was being carried out and taking the lives of thousands of political

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Montazeri letter to Death Commission

Montazeri’s letter addressed to members of the Death Commission in Tehran

Iran’s former Deputy Supreme Leader Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri, who was shocked by the mass execution of political prisoners in Iran in the summer of 1988, expressed his dismay in a letter to members of the ‘Death Commission’ in Tehran on August 15, 1988. While criticizing members of the Commission, he clearly stated that their conducts

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Khomeini letter dismissing Montazeri

Khomeini’s Letter Dismissing Montazeri Over His Criticism of 1988 Massacre

Iran’s former Deputy Supreme Leader Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri criticized on a number of occasions the practices of the Iranian regime’s officials and the decrees by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini which had led to the massacre of political prisoners in Iran. He described the massacre as being contrary to the Islamic Shari’at that the leaders

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Text of letter sent to Khomeini by the religious judge of Islamic Revolutionary Courts in Khuzistan

  Text of letter sent to Khomeini by the religious judge of Islamic Revolutionary Courts in Khuzistan on the manner of implementation of His Eminence’s decree on the Monafeqin [Mojahedin] In the Name of God, the Most High, His Eminence Imam Khomeini, With greetings, I would like to bring to Your Eminence’s attention some points

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Letter of Ahamd Khomeini to his father and the latter’s response

Letter of Ahmad Khomeini to his father and the latter’s response

In 1988, Ahmad Khomeini, son of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, conveyed a message to his father on behalf of Iran’s then-Chief Justice, Ayatollah Abdul-Karim Mousavi Ardebili, who raised some ambiguities about Khomeini’s death decree and how it should be carried out. Khomeini’s answer was that his decree must be carried out as quickly

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