Conclusion

As the rulers of the Islamic Republic commemorate the 31st anniversary of the overthrow of the Shah, they confront the results of their continuing efforts to suppress the extensive peaceful protests provoked by alleged official vote-rigging in the June 12 presidential election. Their attacks have left scores dead, untold hundreds injured, and thousands arbitrarily arrested. Show trials of ordinary protestors and prominent reformist figures have displayed to Iranians and the world a flagrant disregard for the rule of law. Nearly 9 months after the disputed election, the government has not acted to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for ordering or carrying out these serious human rights abuses. Instead, authorities continue their campaigns of intimidating, arresting, and convicting individuals for peacefully exercising their opposition to the government and protesting its policies.

Recommendations to the Government of Iran

• Establish an independent and impartial fact-finding commission to identify those who ordered the crackdown on post-election protesters and those responsible for serious human rights violations.
• Investigate promptly and impartially all allegations of torture or ill-treatment in detention.
• Ensure that victims of torture or ill-treatment receive appropriate compensation from the government.
• In accordance with the findings of the Special Parliamentary Committee to Investigate the Status of Post-Election Arrestees, prosecute former Tehran Prosecutor General Saeed Mortazavi for abuses at Kahrizak prison, including the deaths of three detainees.
• Investigate and hold accountable all persons implicated in abuses in prisons and detention facilities, including Evin and Kahrizak prisons and police detention centers.
• Re-open investigations into allegations of rape and sexual abuse at Kahrizak detention center.
• Close down all illegal detention centers, including ward 209 of Evin prison.
• Release all detainees held for exercising their right to free expression, assembly, and association.

Recommendations to members of the United Nations including the Human Rights Council

• Urge the Iranian government to carry out transparent and comprehensive investigations into the killings of peaceful protestors and arbitrary detentions of thousands of demonstrators and civil society advocates following the disputed June 12 presidential election.
• Call on the Iranian government to investigate, prosecute, and punish government and security officials as well as Basij members implicated in unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests and detention, and other serious human rights abuses in connection with events since the disputed presidential election.
• Call on the Iranian government to release immediately persons who have not been charged with a recognizable criminal offense, and provide due process protections for persons charged with recognizable crimes.
• Urge the Iranian government to fulfill its previous invitations to the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights and special rapporteurs to visit Iran.