AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL - PUBLIC STATEMENT
20 January 2009
Iran: Preserve the Khavaran grave site for investigation into mass killings
Amnesty International calls on the Iranian authorities to immediately
stop the destruction of hundreds of individual and mass, unmarked graves
in Khavaran, south Tehran, to ensure that the site is preserved and to
initiate a forensic investigation at the site as part of a long-overdue
thorough, independent and impartial investigation into mass executions
which began in 1988, often referred to in Iran as the “prison
massacres”. The organization fears that these actions of the Iranian
authorities are aimed at destroying evidence of human rights violations
and depriving the families of the victims of the 1988 killings of their
right to truth, justice and reparation.
Reports indicate that between 9-16 January 2009, the numerous ad hoc
grave markings made by the families of some of those executed in
previous years were destroyed by bulldozer. The site was at least
partially covered by soil and trees were planted.
Amnesty International additionally calls on the Iranian government to
act on its standing invitation to UN mechanisms and to facilitate the
visit to the country of the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial,
summary or arbitrary executions. In his visit he should be allowed to
have an unhindered access to the Khavaran site with a view to indicating
how best to conduct an investigation into the events of 1988, including
in relation to the unmarked graves at Khavaran.
The Iranian authorities have the obligation to conduct an impartial
investigation into the events and bring to justice those responsible for
the “prison massacres” in fair proceedings and without recourse to the
death penalty. Destruction of the site would impede any such future
investigation and would violate the right of victims, including the
families, to an effective remedy.
The Iranian authorities also have a responsibility to ensure that the
body of anyone secretly buried who was not the victim of a crime is
returned to his or her relatives. Destruction of the grave site would
prevent this from happening and inflict further suffering on the
families of the victims of the “prison massacres” who have been yearly
commemorating the killing of their loved ones by gathering in Khavaran.
Background
Between August 1988 and February 1989, the Iranian authorities carried
out a massive wave of executions of political prisoners – the largest
since those carried out in the first and second year after the Iranian
revolution in 1979. In all, between 4,500 and 10,000 prisoners are
believed to have been killed.
Amnesty International has repeatedly called for those responsible for
the “prison massacre” to be brought to justice in a fair trial without
the death penalty.
For further information, see Iran: The 20th anniversary of 1988 "Prison
Massacre", AI Index: MDE 13/118/2008, 19 August 2008,
http://www.amnesty.org/en/
International’s report, Iran: Violations of human rights 1987-1990 (AI
Index MDE 13/21/90).
Public Document
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For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in
London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566 or email: press@amnesty.org
International Secretariat, Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London
WC1X 0DW, UK www.amnesty.org
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