By Sofia Rojas, 10th Grade

Prominent U.N. workers have called the United Nations human rights boss, Michele Bachelet, to investigate the 1988 massacre of political offenders in Iran. 

Ebrahim Raisi was born on December 14, 1960. He has served as the Supreme Court’s vice president since 2004 and is currently Iran’s president. The international community has attacked Raisi for the majority of the authoritarian policies in the country; these policies have subjected sex workers, homosexuals, political offenders, and atheists to systematic oppression. Raisi carried out the 1988 mass murders of socialists and served as the Tehran Revolutionary Court’s deputy prosecutor the same year.

The 1988 massacre indicated an extremely violent past for many Iranian citizens. In this systematic atrocity, more than 3,800 people died because they believed in an economic doctrine. Survivors of the massacre described being blindfolded, seeing prisoners before execution, and witnessing torture among other inmates. Human Rights Watch said, “In October 1988, when authorities began to restore prison visits, they also started to inform families about the death of their loved ones. According to Amnesty International, many of these notices were oral; authorities summoned families to prisons and government offices and did not provide death certificates. Many families received a bag containing the personal belongings of their dead relatives and were ordered not to hold a memorial service.”

The Tehran death committee interrogated inmates in Evin and Gohardasht prisons about their political and religious affiliations. The Tehran committee specifically targeted members of the MEK, an Islamic in-group that participated in the Iranian revolution. The MEK is also responsible for a series of bombings that killed and threatened the life of senior Iranian officials. During the committee’s investigations, detainees who admitted any association with the MEK suffered a painful death. On the other hand, those who profaned the MEK did not receive any punishment. 

There is no documentation of Ebrahim’s involvement. However, there is confirmation that his responsibilities relied on overseeing issues regarding family visitations and the possible participation in interrogations. Nonetheless, other government representatives attempt to justify Ebrahim Raisi’s measures in the 1988 massacre. Overmuch of these officials argue that the execution was necessary to carry “God’s Message”. Raisi argues his actions by stating: “If a judge, a prosecutor has defended the security of the people, he should receive praise”. 

The 1988 massacre was an extremely inhumane act in Iran. Therefore, no active participant should be part of the organ that should protect people. Raisi’s involvement permitted a homicidal and hostile environment for the Iranian population. 

References:  

• Raisi: Role in 1988 Massacre. (2021, August 4). The Iran Primer. Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://iranprimer.usip.org/blog/2021/jul/21/raisi-role-1988-massacre
• Nebehay, S. (2022, January 27). UN urged to open query into Iran’s 1988 killings and Raisi’s role. Reuters. Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/un-urged-open-query-into-irans-1988-killings-raisi-role-2022-01-27/
• Iran’s 1988 Mass Executions. (2022, June 8). Human Rights Watch. Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/06/08/irans-1988-mass-executions
• Amnesty International. (2021, August 17). Iran still seeks to erase the ‘1988 prison massacre’ from memories, 25 years on. Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2013/08/iran-still-seeks-erase-prison-massacre-memories-years/