AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PUBLIC STATEMENT
14 November 2019 MDE 13/1406/2019
IRAN: MOMENTOUS STEPS TOWARDS
JUSTICE FOR 1988 PRISON MASSACRES
JUSTICE FOR 1988 PRISON MASSACRES
Unprecedented steps towards justice for the victims
of the 1988 prison massacres have been taken by
the governments of Sweden, Belgium and
Liechtenstein in recent weeks, sending a message
to the Iranian authorities that those responsible for
crimes against humanity will not escape justice,
Amnesty International said today. The developments
should prompt the international community to establish
a long overdue UN investigation.
of the 1988 prison massacres have been taken by
the governments of Sweden, Belgium and
Liechtenstein in recent weeks, sending a message
to the Iranian authorities that those responsible for
crimes against humanity will not escape justice,
Amnesty International said today. The developments
should prompt the international community to establish
a long overdue UN investigation.
In a historic move, Swedish authorities arrested an
Iranian man on 9 November on suspicion of “crime
in Iran against international law, gross crime, and murder
during the period of 28 July – 31 August 1988 in Tehran,
Iran”. This is a period during which the Iranian authorities
forcibly disappeared several thousand political dissidents
in prisons in Tehran and many other cities across the
country and extrajudicially executed them in secret.
On 13 November, the Swedish Prosecution
Authorityannounced that the prosecutor needs to
decide by 11 December 2019 whether to indict the
person in question.
Iranian man on 9 November on suspicion of “crime
in Iran against international law, gross crime, and murder
during the period of 28 July – 31 August 1988 in Tehran,
Iran”. This is a period during which the Iranian authorities
forcibly disappeared several thousand political dissidents
in prisons in Tehran and many other cities across the
country and extrajudicially executed them in secret.
On 13 November, the Swedish Prosecution
Authorityannounced that the prosecutor needs to
decide by 11 December 2019 whether to indict the
person in question.
In another significant development, at the UN Human
Rights Council, the governments of Belgium and
Lichtenstein submitted questions to Iran for the first
time about the fate of the victims and the whereabouts
of their remains, in advance of Iran’s Universal Periodic
Review (UPR) session on 8 November 2019.
Rights Council, the governments of Belgium and
Lichtenstein submitted questions to Iran for the first
time about the fate of the victims and the whereabouts
of their remains, in advance of Iran’s Universal Periodic
Review (UPR) session on 8 November 2019.
Belgium asked whether the Iranian government is
“planning to disclose the truth regarding the ongoing
enforced disappearances resulting from the secret
extrajudicial executions of political dissidents in 1988,
including the number and identities of those killed, the
date, location, cause and circumstances of each
disappearance and extrajudicial execution, and the
location of their remains, and facilitate the return of
the remains to family members”.
“planning to disclose the truth regarding the ongoing
enforced disappearances resulting from the secret
extrajudicial executions of political dissidents in 1988,
including the number and identities of those killed, the
date, location, cause and circumstances of each
disappearance and extrajudicial execution, and the
location of their remains, and facilitate the return of
the remains to family members”.
Lichtenstein asked “what steps... Iran [has] taken to
investigate the extrajudicial killings of 1988, and to
bring perpetrators, including current officials of Iran,
to justice” and “to guarantee the right to truth, justice
and reparation to the families of those extra-judicially
executed during the summer of 1988”.
investigate the extrajudicial killings of 1988, and to
bring perpetrators, including current officials of Iran,
to justice” and “to guarantee the right to truth, justice
and reparation to the families of those extra-judicially
executed during the summer of 1988”.
These developments are major contributions to the
fight against impunity for the past and ongoing crimes
against humanity relating to the 1988 prison massacres,
including murder, enforced disappearance, persecution,
torture and other inhumane acts. They are also a
testament to the long struggle for truth and justice
by survivors and victims’ families, who have been
languishing in a cruel limbo for over three decades,
not knowing where, why and how their loved ones
were killed and where their bodies are buried.
fight against impunity for the past and ongoing crimes
against humanity relating to the 1988 prison massacres,
including murder, enforced disappearance, persecution,
torture and other inhumane acts. They are also a
testament to the long struggle for truth and justice
by survivors and victims’ families, who have been
languishing in a cruel limbo for over three decades,
not knowing where, why and how their loved ones
were killed and where their bodies are buried.
Amnesty International welcomes the increased
attention brought by these governments on the
extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearance
of several thousand political dissidents in Iran’s
prisons between late July and early September 1988
and renews its calls on them and other states to take
further concrete steps towards accountability. Such
steps must include states exercising extraterritorial
jurisdiction, including universal jurisdiction, to conduct
independent and effective investigations and
prosecutions whenever anyone reasonably suspected
of criminal responsibility for these crimes travels to their
territory, as now seen Sweden. In addition, all efforts
must be taken towards establishing an independent
UN investigation into the ongoing enforced disappearances
resulting from the secret extrajudicial executions of 1988,
including the situation of thousands of missing bodies
buried in mass graves across the country.
attention brought by these governments on the
extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearance
of several thousand political dissidents in Iran’s
prisons between late July and early September 1988
and renews its calls on them and other states to take
further concrete steps towards accountability. Such
steps must include states exercising extraterritorial
jurisdiction, including universal jurisdiction, to conduct
independent and effective investigations and
prosecutions whenever anyone reasonably suspected
of criminal responsibility for these crimes travels to their
territory, as now seen Sweden. In addition, all efforts
must be taken towards establishing an independent
UN investigation into the ongoing enforced disappearances
resulting from the secret extrajudicial executions of 1988,
including the situation of thousands of missing bodies
buried in mass graves across the country.
BACKGROUND
In 2018, Amnesty International published a
comprehensive report, entitled
Blood-soaked secrets:
Why Iran's 1988 prison massacres are ongoing
crimes against humanity.[1] The report concluded that
by continuing to systematically conceal the fate and
whereabouts of victims of the mass secret extrajudicial
killings of 1988 in Iran the Iranian authorities are
committing the ongoing crime against humanity of
enforced disappearance. This is in addition to the
crimes against humanity of murder, extermination,
persecution, torture and other inhumane acts which,
according to the findings of the organization, were
committed in Iran in 1988.[2] Amnesty International
considers that the suffering inflicted on victims’ families
also violates the absolute prohibition on torture
and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment under international law.[3]
comprehensive report, entitled
Blood-soaked secrets:
Why Iran's 1988 prison massacres are ongoing
crimes against humanity.[1] The report concluded that
by continuing to systematically conceal the fate and
whereabouts of victims of the mass secret extrajudicial
killings of 1988 in Iran the Iranian authorities are
committing the ongoing crime against humanity of
enforced disappearance. This is in addition to the
crimes against humanity of murder, extermination,
persecution, torture and other inhumane acts which,
according to the findings of the organization, were
committed in Iran in 1988.[2] Amnesty International
considers that the suffering inflicted on victims’ families
also violates the absolute prohibition on torture
and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment under international law.[3]
To date, no official in Iran has been brought to justice
for the past and ongoing crimes against humanity
related to the 1988 prison massacres. In fact, many
of the officials involved continue to hold positions
of power, including in key judicial, prosecutorial and
government bodies responsible for ensuring that
victims receive justice.[4]
for the past and ongoing crimes against humanity
related to the 1988 prison massacres. In fact, many
of the officials involved continue to hold positions
of power, including in key judicial, prosecutorial and
government bodies responsible for ensuring that
victims receive justice.[4]
The failure of the UN political bodies to act has had a
devastating impact not only on survivors and
victims’ families but also on the rule of law and respect
for human rights in the country. It has emboldened the
Iranian authorities to continue the concealment of the
fate of the victims and the location of their remains
and maintain a strategy of deflection and denial
regarding the enforced disappearances and
extrajudicial executions that continues to this day.
devastating impact not only on survivors and
victims’ families but also on the rule of law and respect
for human rights in the country. It has emboldened the
Iranian authorities to continue the concealment of the
fate of the victims and the location of their remains
and maintain a strategy of deflection and denial
regarding the enforced disappearances and
extrajudicial executions that continues to this day.
[1] Amnesty International, Blood-soaked secrets: Why Iran’s 1988 prison
massacres
[2] Amnesty International, Blood-soaked secrets, pp. 115-119.
[3] See also Amnesty International, Iran’s 1988 massacres: Authorities
violating torture prohibition through cruel treatment of victims’ families,
26 June 2019
26 June 2019
[4] Amnesty International, Blood-soaked secrets, pp. 127-128.
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6:28 AM
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