Iran

Relatives of victims of Iran's 1988 massacre forcibly dispersed from Khavaran Cemetery in Tehran - 28 August 2020

Iranian authorities forcibly disperse grieving relatives of 1988 massacre victims from cemetery

Grieving mothers of the victims of Iran’s 1988 massacre gathered on 28 August 2020 at the site of a known mass grave in Tehran to commemorate and mourn their loved ones who were executed in what is known as Iran’s greatest ‘crime against humanity.’ Relatives of the victims of the 1988 massacre gathered in Khavaran …

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US State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

US: Enforced disappearances related to 1988 massacre continue unabated in Iran

The enforced disappearances of thousands of political dissidents perpetrated by the government of Iran, in what became known as the 1988 massacre, continue unabated, as Iran continues to conceal the fate and the whereabouts of the victims, the United States State Department announced on August 30, 2020. The US State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human …

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Tahar Boumedra

Tahar Boumedra tells global summit it’s time for UN to probe the 1988 massacre

Tahar Boumedra of Justice for the Victims of the 1988 Massacre in Iran (JVMI) told an online global summit about the 1988 massacre that it is high time for the United Nations to launch an independent investigation into this unpunished crime against humanity. Boumedra, a former head of the UN human rights office in Iraq, …

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Media coverage of Iran’s 1988 massacre this past week

Numerous articles have been published in the international media in the past week about the need for a United Nations investigation into the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran. The articles were written by survivors of the 1988 massacre, relatives of the victims and international lawmakers. The human rights group Amnesty International also tweeted …

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Morgan Ortagus

US State Department calls for international investigation into Iran’s 1988 massacre

United States State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus on 15 July 2020 called on the international community to conduct independent investigations into the 1988 massacre and to provide accountability and justice. She said: “July 19th marks the anniversary of the start of Iran’s so-called ‘Death Commissions.’ On the orders of Ayatollah Khomeini, these commissions reportedly forcibly …

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

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

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

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

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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Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi's interview with Iran’s state-run Mosalas magazine - July 24, 2019

Excerpts of Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi’s interview with Iran’s Mosalas magazine – July 24, 2019

The following is an English translation of Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi’s remarks to Iran’s state-run weekly magazine Mosalas about the 1988 massacre: Question: A major accusation against the Islamic Republic, which is usually picked up by foreign news organizations, relates to the issue of the ‘Hypocrites’ (the regime’s derogatory phrase used to describe the People’s Mojahedin, PMOI or …

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Iranian authorities destroy mass grave of victims of the 1988 massacre in Ahvaz

On 20 July 2018, the families of the victims of the 1988 massacre and eyewitnesses who had gone to visit the graves of members of the People’s Mojahedin (PMOI) in Padadshahr District, situated behind Behesht-Abad Cemetery, found that the graves of their loved ones had been destroyed, according to information received by Justice for the …

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1988 Massacre in Iran - UN Document A/HRC/38/NGO/122

NGOs urge UN to investigate 1988 massacre in Iran

Several non-governmental organisations with consultative status at the United Nations have once again urged High Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein to support an international investigation into the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran. The text of the NGOs’ joint written statement to the 38th session of the UN Human Rights Council was published and …

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UN must act on new report detailing destruction of mass graves related to the 1988 massacre in Iran

JVMI welcomes the new joint report today by Amnesty International and Justice For Iran highlighting the Iranian authorities’ deliberate desecration and destruction of mass graves related to the 1988 massacre of thousands of political prisoners. JVMI urges UN High Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein to support the launch of an independent inquiry to bring justice …

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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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United Nations

30,000 Iranians sign UN petition seeking inquiry into 1988 massacre

More than 30,000 Iranians of all walks of life have signed a petition addressed to United Nations Secretary General António Guterres calling for an independent investigation into the 1988 massacre of thousands of political prisoners in Iran.

António Guterres highlights ongoing calls for truth over Iran’s 1988 massacre

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres has in a new report highlighted the ongoing calls for truth and justice over the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran. A new report by the Secretary-General to the UN General Assembly about the “Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran”, dated 31 October 2017, …

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

Eye-witnesses and victims’ relatives should present testimony to UN over Iran’s 1988 massacre

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran on 14 August 2017 drew international attention to the 1988 massacre that was carried out by people who currently hold senior positions within the Government of Iran. Her report, (A/72/322), stated: “73. Between July and August 1988, thousands of political prisoners, men, women …

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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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Amnesty warns against desecration of mass grave in Iran that would destroy crucial forensic evidence of 1988 massacre

On 1 June 2017, Amnesty International published a news item on its website warning that the Iranian authorities may be attempting to desecrate a mass grave site in Ahvaz, southern Iran, that would destroy vital forensic evidence and scupper opportunities for justice for the mass killings of political prisoners that took place across the country …

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