40 year legacy of the Islamic Republic of Iran –
Execution and death
Since grabbing power in 1979, the Islamic Republic of Iran
has executed, killed and tortured thousands of political dissidents and
ordinary Iranians who dared challenge its rule.
20th century
Execution of Iranian Kurds
Hundreds of Iranian Kurds were executed in 1981 on the direct
command of Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder and Supreme Leader
of the Islamic
Republic of Iran.
Most executions were carried out in public after the victims
were asked a few questions without the possibility to defend themselves.
Iran’s “hanging judge”, Sadegh Khalkhali was responsible for
the execution of more than 8,000 men and women including Iranian Kurds.
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First from right, Sadegh Khalkhali known as Iran’s “Hanging
Judge”. Third from the right, Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder and Supreme Leader
of Iran.
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“If my victims were to come back on earth, I would execute them again, without exceptions,” he said in an interview with the French Le Figaro newspaper.
Execution of political prisoners
From 1982 to 1986, more than 11,000 political prisoners and
prisoners of conscience were killed by the firing squad or under torture in
Iranian prisons.
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 massacre was carried out on the basis of a fatwa by
Khomeini. Those responsible for the 1988 massacre still hold positions of power
in the regime.
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Victims of the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran.
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Ayatollah Montazeri, Khomeini’s designated successor called the 1988 massacre “the biggest crime in the Islamic Republic for which history will condemn us.”
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“The Butcher of Evin Prison”, Assadollah Lajevardi
Ayatollah Montazeri, Khomeini’s successor, giving a speech
before being put aside by Khomeini due to his criticism of the 1988 massacre.
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The “butcher of Evin Prison”, Warden Assadollah Lajevardi, was notorious for torturing and systematically raping political prisoners in the early 80’s to force them to “repent”. He is said to have loved Evin Prison so much, that he lived there with his family.
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“The Butcher of Evin Prison”, Assadollah Lajevardi
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Crackdown on dissent
On June 20, 1981, security forces opened fire on the first
large gathering against the Islamic Republic held by PMOI supporters. 50
protesters were killed, 200 were injured while thousands more were detained,
many of whom were later executed.
In the aftermath of these incidents, more than seventy students disappeared. In addition to an estimated 1,200–1,400 detainees, the “whereabouts and condition” of five students named by Human Rights Watch who are believed to be detained by Iranian authorities remain unknown.
Ali Saremi, who spent 32 years of his life in the prisons of
the Shah and the Islamic Republic, was sentenced to “enmity with God” for ties
with the PMOI and was executed in Evin Prison in December 2010.
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Aftermath of the 1981 rally.
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On September 27, 1981, another anti-government protest was
met with lethal force. More than 1,142 protesters were killed and executed.
In 1999, a Tehran University student uprising was violently
suppressed by security forces. More than four students were killed while
hundreds were injured.
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Student carries an injured female student during the 1999
Tehran University student uprising.
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In the aftermath of these incidents, more than seventy students disappeared. In addition to an estimated 1,200–1,400 detainees, the “whereabouts and condition” of five students named by Human Rights Watch who are believed to be detained by Iranian authorities remain unknown.
Execution of religious minorities
Since the inception of the Islamic Republic in 1979, at least
202 Bahai’is have been executed for their beliefs including 18 year old Mona
Mahmoudnizhad, who was hanged in Shiraz along with nine other women in 1983.
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Mona Mahmoudnizhad
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21st century
Execution of political prisoners
The Iranian regime has executed hundreds of political
prisoners most notably:
Shirin Alam Holi, 29, was hanged in May 2010 along with four
other political prisoners, convicted based on forced confession under torture.
She was hanged without her family or her lawyer’s knowledge.
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Shirin Alam Holi
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Ali Saremi
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Ramin Hossein Panahi and cousins, Zaniar and Loghman Moradi
Death under torture
Dozens of protesters, activists and even environmentalists
have been killed in the prisons of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Some have been
killed under torture, while others have mysteriously passed away.
Zahra Kazemi, an Iranian-Canadian freelance photographer, was
raped, tortured and killed by Iranian officials following her arrest in Iran in
2003.
28 year old Taraneh Mousavi, arrested for protesting the 2009
election results, died after being sexually abused while in custody.
Amir Javadi Far, tortured to death in the notorious Kahrizak
Detention Center for protesting 2009 election results.
Sattar Beheshti, a blogger who killed in early November 2012
several days after being arrested by the Iranian Cyber Police unit for
criticizing the government on Facebook, and after making a signed complaint of
being tortured while in custody.
Crack down on public dissent
The millions strong 2009 protests were crushed by the Iranian
regime with more than 112 deaths.
The widespread 2017-2018 demonstrations in protest to poverty
and inflation led to the death of 50 protesters and more than 5,000 detainees.
Executions
Iran holds the record in the number of executions in the
world per capita and is known for executing minor offenders. Under the current
Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, more than 3,600 prisoners, including 86
women, were hanged.
Hand amputations
According to Boroumand Foundation, between 2007 and 2017, the
Islamic Republic of Iran issued at least 215 amputation sentences and carried
out 125 amputations, including at least six amputations in public.
The Iranian regime knows that the moment it stops its
systematic use of execution, torture and suppression, it will fall at the hands
of the people of Iran.
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