Curse of death committees chases Raisi: Activists abroad call for trial of Iranian president

Activities rejecting the practices of the Iranian regime in relation to the human rights file continue, especially the condemnation of the repressions against the opposition and members of non-Persian nationalities in Iran, as well as the continuation of activities organized by the Iranian opposition abroad. A conference was held on Monday, February 28, coinciding with the 49th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC).

International human rights experts have expressed solidarity with the demands of the Iranian opposition abroad, calling on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to conduct an investigation into the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran, especially in light of the continuation of the same approach with opponents and prisoners and the escalation of repression, arrests and executions under formal trials.

Massacre victims

The massacre of 1988 by what are known as the “death committees”, one of whose members was current Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, is considered one of the worst crimes committed by the Iranian regime, and none of the members involved in it have been prosecuted. The families of the victims of the 1988 massacre held a photo exhibition in front of the headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva to reveal the ugliness of the massacre and demand the rights of the victims.

The families of the victims organized demonstrations in front of the UN headquarters, calling for the need to listen to the demands of the people and the Iranian resistance to bring those involved to justice and prosecuting the perpetrators, executors and commanders of this massacre, especially Raisi.

In his latest report on the human rights situation in Iran, which will be discussed at the HRC on March 17, Special Rapporteur Javaid Rehman referred to the ongoing campaign against family members of the victims of the 1988 massacre and the mass and deliberate destruction and vandalism of the cemeteries of the massacre victims.

The report made an appeal to the international community to seek justice in connection with the 1988 massacre. Professor Jeremy Sarkin, Chair and former Special Rapporteur of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, said the UN was slow to respond to the 1988 massacre, which claimed the lives of 30,000 political prisoners, calling on the HRC to achieve justice.

In his speech during a conference held by the Iranian opposition in Geneva, French National Assembly Representative Hervé Saulignac stressed, “France must hold the Iranian regime accountable for committing a crime against humanity in 1988 against political prisoners. Silence is not the solution.”

Eric David, professor of International Criminal Law at the Free University of Brussels, also stressed the need to hold the Iranian regime's leaders accountable for the myriad of human rights violations.

Continuing trumped-up charges

These events coincide with the continuation of the trial of an Ahvazi dissident with Swedish citizenship who was kidnapped more than a year ago in Istanbul before he appeared in forced confessions broadcast on Iranian state television.

AFP reported, quoting official Iranian TV, that the trial of Habib Farajallah Kaab, nicknamed Habib Asyoud, comes under suspicion of “terrorism” and “corruption on earth” and other accusations, adding that the conviction may reach the death penalty.

Asyoud appeared before the revolutionary court in Tehran, which deals with political and security issues. He is a member of the political bureau of the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of al-Ahvaz, which is active in southwestern Iran and is among the most prominent Arab opposition factions in the country.

Asyoud, who was residing in Sweden, went missing in October 2020 after he went to Istanbul, before he appeared after about a month in detention in Iran, according to a video broadcast by Iranian state television at the time. Later, Turkey, which neighbors Iran, arrested 11 people whom it accused of involvement in his kidnapping and smuggling to Iran.