Iran Focus

London, 19 Sep – The Iranian Regime is responsible for one of the most horrific crimes against humanity of the 20th Century but the international community has largely met this with silence.

In 1988, the Iranian Regime slaughtered around 30,000 political prisoners, mainly members and supporters of the leading Iranian opposition movement, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran.

Yet no one has ever been brought to justice.

Nasser Sharif, president of the California Society for Democracy in Iran, wrote an op-ed for the Orange County Register explaining why the international community cannot allow the Iranian mullahs to get away with their crimes any longer.

Iran Focus

London, 18 Sep – As the international community seeks legal justice for the perpetrators of the massacre of members and sympathizers of PMOI/MEK in 1988, the government in Tehran seeks to destroy the graves of MEK martyrs killed in this criminal act.

Signs of this MEK genocide are being eliminated in several cities, including Ahvaz (southwestern Iran), Mashhad (northeast), Isfahan (center of Iran), Tabriz and Ardabil (northwestern), and others. Mass graves of MEK members are being destroyed, and family members are unable to pay tribute to their loved ones. In previous years, the families have shown respect by cementing the graves and removing the garbage.

By Pooya Stone

Last week, during a conference held at the headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, politicians from all across Europe, well-known jurists, and defenders of human rights called on the UN to urgently set-up an independent commission to look into the so-called 1988 massacre in Iran.

Speakers included Tahar Boumedra, former director of the UN Human Rights Office in Iraq (UNAMI) and expert rapporteur of JVMI (Justice for victims of 1988 massacre in Iran); Alejo Vidal-Quadras, Vice-President of the European Parliament (1999-2014) and President of the International Committee in Search of Justice (ISJ); Alfred Zayas, a United Nations Special Rapporteur; Kirsty Brimelow, Chairwoman of Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales; and Rama Yade, former French Secretary of state for Human Rights.

Iran Focus

London, 18 Sep – The Iranian regime has a history of detaining foreigners in its prisons. At the minute, there are said to be three Americans in the notorious Evin prison in the country’s capital. There is Siamak and Baquer Namazi, an Iranian-American businessman and his elderly father – both charged with espionage. The third one is Xiyue Wang.

Wang travelled to Iran between January and March 2016, returning a few months later in May. Two months after that, Wang’s passport was taken from him and he was arrested not long later. Like the Namazis, Wang was charged with espionage.

Princeton University hired a lawyer for him when he was charged in February this year, and convicted in April. He has been sentenced to ten years in prison.