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