Arrests, torture and executions: Report monitors human rights violations in Iran during March

Ali Ragab

A report from the Iranian opposition has revealed the continuation of human rights violations by the regime of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei by depriving many political prisoners and opposition parties from taking temporary leave on Nowruz, and they were subjected to additional pressure, including the continuation of physical and psychological torture, as well as the deprivation of food.

The Iranian judicial authorities, while exerting more pressure on prisoners, are seeking to remove opponents from their homes and families to prevent them from practicing their peaceful activities, according to the report by the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI).

The report documented several violations by the mullah regime against political prisoners who had been sent into exile in recent months. On March 22, civil activist Saeed Eghbal was transferred from Evin prison to Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj, west of the capital, Tehran.

The Iranian authorities sent the majority of political prisoners, including human rights activists, to remote prisons as an additional punishment in the middle of their prison terms.

Sending prisoners into exile is illegal and violates Article 513, paragraph 3, of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which stipulates that prisoners spend their sentences in prisons near their place of residence.

Political prisoner Atina Daimi was suddenly exiled to Lakan Prison in Rasht on March 16 and forcibly transferred to Atina Daimi on the eve of the Persian New Year on March 20.

By implementing this punishment, the authorities in Tehran want to put pressure on the prisoners’ families, as 18 prisoners inside Rajai Shahr prison protested in an open letter on March 21 against the exile of political prisoners and the opening of new cases against them.

The letter, a copy of which was sent to the Observatory for Human Rights in Iran, stated, “Over the past months, despite all the allegations made by the highest judicial authorities about compliance with the rights of political prisoners, what actually happens on a daily basis is not seeing a bit of improvement, but rather they have intensified the repression by making prisoners’ conditions more inhumane.”

“Their goal is to intimidate the Iranian people and political activists into conforming to their repressive policies by making their prison conditions worse,” the letter added.

On March 9, political prisoner Maryam Akbari Monfared was suddenly transferred from the women’s wing of Evin Prison, north of Tehran, and exiled 110 miles east to the central prison in Semnan.

On January 24, political prisoner Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee was transferred from Qarchak prison to the central prison in Amol, Mazandaran province, away from her parents.

Executions and arrests

At least 16 executions were carried out last March inside Iran, and two of those executed were women, while 12 prisoners were executed for premeditated murder and four for rape.

In the same month, Iranian security services arrested at least 400 people for various reasons, including peaceful activities, attending a private party, fashion show, participating in Nowruz celebrations, participating in protest rallies, or taking a tour.

There were political arrests on accusations such as participating in protests over the killing of fuel dealers in Saravan or cooperating with Kurdish opposition groups.

The Iranian judicial system continued to pressure the detainees by denying them adequate medical treatment despite the deterioration of their health status.

Political prisoners Mohammad Nourizad, Mostafa Fallah Kheirandish Nasser Fahimi, Afshin Baymani, Fatima Muthanna, Hamzeh Darvish, Abolhassan Montazer and Omid Amjadkhah were among those who were denied medical treatment despite their serious health conditions.

Dozens of prisoners also began a hunger strike last month to protest repressive practices such as exile and harassment of political prisoners, as well as the violation of prisoners’ basic rights.

A group of 34 political prisoners declared a three-day hunger strike starting March 21, coinciding with the Persian New Year, to protest the crackdown on dissidents in Iran, the killing of protesters and the execution of minorities.

The striking prisoners expressed solidarity with workers, teachers and retirees who have been protesting for months against the government’s handling of their demands amid the economic malaise and mounting inflation.

Indiscriminate murders

The report documents the killing of at least eight civilians last March at the hands of the Iranian regime’s armed forces, including the navy, police, Basij, security and intelligence forces who wear civilian clothes.

Indiscriminate firing by government military forces injured at least 17 civilians last month in various Iranian cities.