May 1990, Page 44

Human Rights

By Sally Clark Nyhan

State Department Faults Iran on Human Rights

The 1990 State Department human rights report cites Iran as a "major violator" of human rights for its continued mass executions, torture, and persecution of religious minorities.

The report cited Iran's practice of "summary executions of political opponents; widespread torture; repression of the freedoms of speech, press, assembly and association; arbitrary detentions; lack of fair trials; continuing repression of the Baha'i religious community; denial of the rights of citizens to change their government; and severe restrictions on women's and worker's rights."

In the absence of a US diplomatic mission in Iran, the State Department report drew heavily on such outside sources as Amnesty International (AI) and the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Iran. Both organizations cited numerous severe human rights violations during 1999.

Suppressing Political Opposition With Brutal Means

With 50 percent inflation and 40 percent unemployment in Iran, the State Department charges the government with suppressing political opposition through "arrests, summary trials and executions, and other forms of intimidation implemented by an extensive internal security system." Although Iran's 1980 constitution calls for multiparty candidates and universal suffrage, much power is held by the revolutionary guards, also known as Komitehs, who roam the country making political arrests, often operating outside government control, particularly in rural areas.

Because human rights groups have not been allowed into Iran, it is uncertain how many political killings took place in 1989. The mass public executions (AI counted some 900) that began in the summer of 1988 subsided, but Iranian officials continue to mask political executions under the title of drug offenses. Amnesty reported in August 1989 that 851 people had been executed for drug-related offenses. Many were hanged in public executions across the country. Amnesty also charged that secret executions of political prisoners were common.

Prevalence of Torture

Torture continued to be prevalent in Iranian prisons. Human rights organizations and eyewitnesses testified that "floggings, mock executions. and suspension from the ceiling are common methods of torture, as are threats of sexual abuse of female prisoners and female relatives of male prisoners ... Relatives or other prisoners have occasionally been forced to watch torture. A number of prisoners, including young children, have been raped by revolutionary guards ... One eyewitness reported the torture of woman prisoners immediately after giving birth."

In addition, "prisoners are flogged on the soles of their feet until they can no longer walk. Brutal common criminals have reportedly been introduced among political prisoners and incited to torture and rape the other prisoners."

The UN reported that torture methods have become more sophisticated and designed to erase the physical traces of torture, "including the use of new types of cables to beat prisoners, and the physical separation of tortured prisoners from other inmates until all marks of torture have disappeared. A machine is reportedly used to perforate the soles of feet after they have been flogged to reduce the swelling."

Arbitrary arrests have been common practice in Iran, although it is unknown how many arrests were made in 1989. Many political prisoners face false criminal charges or vague charges such as "corruption on earth" or "crimes against God."

In February 1989, the Iranian government announced an amnesty for imprisoned members of banned opposition groups. The government claimed that all 2,600 prisoners eligible under the amnesty were released but there was no independent confirmation, and opposition members say that few of those released have returned home.

Civilian vs. Revolutionary Courts

There are two court systems in Iran. Civilian courts try criminal offenses and the revolutionary courts try political offenses. The revolutionary courts, established in 1979, have considerable power. Largely outside the review authority of the Supreme Court. the revolutionary courts can consider cases under the jurisdiction of civil courts. Revolutionary courts can also overturn decisions handed down by civilian courts.

"No trial by a revolutionary court can be called fair or public," the State Department concludes. "If the trial is staged publicly, it is generally because the prisoner has already been forced to confess to a crime. Individuals tried for political offenses enjoy virtually no procedural or substantive safeguards."

The UN has documented many complaints regarding the lack of basic judicial guarantees. There is reportedly no access to defense lawyers, defendants are not able to call witnesses in their behalf, and they are unable to appeal their sentences.

"Amnesty International has reported that many convictions are based on confessions extractedunder torture during incommunicado pretrial detention. Some ... have been imprisoned beyond the limit of their sentence and even executed after the formal expiration of their prison term.

Religious Discrimination

Virtually all of Iran's top officials and nearly half of its parliament are mullahs (clerics), and political influence for minorities is very limited. Official statistics list 90 percent of Iranians as Shi'i Muslims, 9 percent as Sunni Muslims, and the remaining one percent as Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians and Baha'is.

Widespread discrimination continues against the Baha'is, Iran's largest nonMuslim minority. The State Department reports that Baha'i is "considered a misguided sect by the authorities and is not officially recognized. Between 1979 and 1988 the Baha'is suffered severe persecution, mainly government directed and aimed at the religious leadership."

A 1983 order from the Prosecutor General banned Baha'i religious activity and provided the legal foundation to charge the Baha'i community with virtually any crime. Property was confiscated and shrines demolished. Baha'is were denied employment and forbidden to participate in welfare organizations. Baha'i marriages were not recognized. Although some Baha'i businesses have been allowed to reopen and children have returned to school, the Baha'i are still the objects of discrimination and persecution.

Iran has been uncooperative in responding to foreign human rights organizations and there are no internal human rights watchdogs. Amnesty has repeatedly been denied permission to send delegates to Iran. The UN Special Rapporteur has concluded that "acts are being committed in Iran that are incompatible with international human rights instruments that are binding on the Iranian government."

Sally Clark Nyhan is the human rights editor ofr the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs and the manager of the AET Book Club.