Addressing the United Nations Human Rights Council’s 35th Session in Geneva on 16 June 2017, a representative of the Women’s Human Rights International Association called for a UN Commission of Inquiry into the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran.

Partial text of remarks:

“Women’s Human Rights International Association requests the attention of this Council and the Special Rapporteur on the following:

In the summer of 1988 the Iranian regime summarily and extra-judicially executed tens of thousands of political prisoners held in jails across Iran. The Iranian regime has never acknowledged these executions or provided any information as to know how many prisoners were killed. The majority of those executed were either serving prison sentences for their political activities or had already finished their sentences but were still kept in prison. Some of them had previously been imprisoned and released but were again arrested and executed during the massacre.

In a joint statement on 24 May 2017, eight human rights groups recommended:

First, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Human Rights Council place the massacre on their agenda and as a first step appoint an international Commission of Inquiry to investigate this atrocious crime.

Second, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran, Ms. Asma Jahangir, carry out an inquiry into the 1988 massacre as part of her mandate.

Third, the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion of Truth, Pablo de Greiff, to include the case of Iran’s 1988 massacre in his subsequent report to the Human Rights Council.”

Watch the intervention here: