In an appeal to the UN Human Rights Council, Narges Mohammadi, a prominent political prisoner and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has called for sustained efforts in addressing human rights abuses in Iran.
Mohammadi's message emphasized the urgent need for international pressure on the Iranian regime, notorious for its violations of fundamental rights and perpetration of crimes against humanity.
Mohammadi, speaking from her incarceration, highlighted the nature of the Iranian regime's actions over the past four and a half decades. She underscored the importance of continued scrutiny by international bodies such as the UN fact-finding mission and the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights to reveal the multifaceted dimensions of oppression and gender apartheid perpetrated by the regime.
Formed by the UN Human Rights Council in November 2022 in the wake of widespread protests under the banner of Woman, Life, Freedom that swept across Iran, the fact-finding mission focuses primarily on investigating the nationwide protests that occurred from 2022 to 2023. Despite repeated appeals for cooperation, the mission's experts have expressed disappointment at the Iranian authorities' failure to provide substantial information.
"The despotic religious regime, which violates human rights and commits crimes against humanity, must be systematically and comprehensively pressured by the United Nations and human rights institutions worldwide," Mohammadi declared.
Her plea comes amidst ongoing protests and activism within Iran, including the Women, Life, Freedom movement, which has galvanized public outcry against the regime's repressive tactics. Mohammadi's call resonates with the growing chorus of voices demanding accountability and justice for victims of state-sponsored violence and discrimination.
As Mohammadi continues to endure persecution for her advocacy, her words serve as a reminder of the imperative to stand in solidarity with those fighting for democracy and human rights in Iran.
In a statement released on Sunday, Hossein Mozaffar, appointed as the head of a committee investigating violence during the protests by President Ebrahim Raisi, claimed that the committee's findings suggest that "certain elements" instigated violence amidst what were otherwise peaceful protests. Mozaffar further stated that security forces were responsible for only "a few" isolated incidents of violence against protesters.
Mozaffar claimed such violations are in no way the result of a policy of the government and should be attributed to individual agents who have been legally dealt with.
UN, NGOs hold regime accountable for atrocities
Contrary to the regime’s narrative of events, a United Nations fact-finding mission established in November 2022 has found that authorities committed “crimes against humanity” – and that “security forces used unnecessary and disproportionate force which resulted in the unlawful killing and injuries of protestors”. The preliminary report, released on March 8, also noted a pattern of extensive injuries to protesters’ eyes that caused the blinding of scores of women, men and children including bystanders.
The full 400-page report is scheduled to be published this week.
In a report released March 6, the London-based Justice for Iran, a human rights NGO, contended that authorities deployed special combat forces and armed security forces to suppress the protests, resulting in "crimes against humanity.”
Scores of protesters were blinded with pellet guns aimed directly at their faces, and many of the tens of thousands who were arrested were tortured. Many of the victims have also claimed they were sexually assaulted during interrogations and in prison.
The protests that spread across Iran were sparked by the death of the 22-year-old Mahsa (Jina) Amini in the custody of the morality police hijab watchers on September 16, 2022 and lasted for several months.
Based on a coroner’s report in October 2022, the statement stressed that Amini’s death was not caused by blows to the head and limbs and instead attributed it to “underlying medical conditions”.
Last week, the UN fact-finding mission said it has "established the existence of evidence of trauma to Ms Amini's body, inflicted while in the custody of the morality police". This along with the "patterns of violence by the morality police" satisfied the mission that Amini was subjected to physical violence that led to her death.
Regime labels protesters as ‘rioters’
While the UN report, and other NGO’s, have often characterized Iranian protesters as peaceful – Mozaffar’s statement instead, refers to protesters as “rioters”.
The country’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has also consistently dismissed the characterization of the uprising as peaceful, instead arbitrarily labeling them as "rioters" and accusing them of engaging in "terrorist acts."
In the first official figure, issued by the authorities in Iran, Mozaffar said a total of 202 civilians were killed during the protests. In addition, he accused “rioters and terrorists” of killing 54 of the security forces as well as 25 civilians during such operations.
Mozaffar also alleged that 90 of the other citizens killed during the protests were carrying melee weapons or firearms and were killed “during terrorist operations, combat, or attack against military and law enforcement bases and vital infrastructures and law enforcement agents.”
Human rights organizations have compiled the names of at least 551 protesters, including 68 children, who were killed by security forces.
Fazeli, responding to a hypothetical scenario during an interview with Khabar Online website in Tehran regarding a potential US attack on Iran's infrastructure, estimated a loss of roughly $60 billion specifically in the area of power generation. The question stemmed from alleged suggestions by some Iranian opposition figures urging US officials, particularly during the Trump Administration before 2020, to target Iran's infrastructure.
The sociologist expressed skepticism about whether the Iranian people would welcome such an attack. "I would not readily embrace such a notion. Do those proposing such actions believe that the world will rebuild power plants for Iranians after an attack?" questioned Fazeli.
Most among Iranian opposition groups and individuals demand regime change in Iran and demand that sanctions be maintained and strengthened against the Islamic Republic. A few might have even suggested in the past that military strikes may hasten the regime’s fall.
Fazeli went on to remark, "I cannot claim that my own over 150,000 followers represent the entirety of the Iranian populace." He emphasized, "Advocating for strikes on Iran and speaking in such terms normalizes malevolence. An attack on Iran is unequivocally evil. History shows that attacks on countries have never brought happiness to their people."
"If such an attack were to occur on any country, it would regress to the Stone Age; without electricity, there would be no water, internet, television, refrigeration, or anything," the sociologist remarked, continuing, "America attacked Iraq 20 years ago. Inquire with those who pilgrimage to Iraq. Ask them if Iraq is a developed country. Also, consider Libya. Even after 30 years since the war with Iraq, Khoramshahr and Abadan in Iran have yet to be rebuilt." Fazeli reiterated, "In the 21st century, the destruction of infrastructure signifies eternal ruin." Additionally, he suggested that reforming the system and rectifying the status quo without further fatalities and destruction is less costly than a destructive attack that leads to foreign humiliation. "We should not transition from a dire situation to absolute evil."
Moreover, Fazeli had previously drawn parallels between Iran's current state and the pre-revolution period of 1979, noting a high demand for political participation coupled with limited opportunities, which he believes could lead to instability.
Transitioning from hypothetical scenarios to real-world negotiations, former Iranian influential lawmaker Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh asserted that US-Iran talks primarily served to assuage President Biden's concerns about the upcoming election. Falahatpisheh disclosed that the discussions in Oman aimed to address Biden's electoral worries, with the US agenda dictating the terms while Iran had minimal input.
Falahatpisheh lamented missed opportunities for détente between Iran and the US, suggesting that Tehran sacrificed potential reconciliations with America over its involvement in conflicts like Ukraine. Despite ongoing talks in Oman facilitated by Omani intermediaries to curb Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, Falahatpisheh observed that Iran had made few gains.
The prospects for Iran remain bleak, with scant progress made in negotiations. However, amidst these discussions, Iraq secured approval from Washington to pay in hard currency for Iranian electricity and natural gas it imports.