Mass Murder of 1988 in Iran:Iranian Killing Fields

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Diba
by Diba
02-Jul-2011
 

This is a piece from my recent book (Bahman Aghai Diba, Problems of the Islamic Republic of Iran: How not to govern a country, published in the USA by CreateSpace, June 2011, page 183) .

Mass murder of 1988 in Iran: Iranian killing fields

Bahman Aghai Diba

It was the end of Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988) and I was sent to Evin Prison for an indefinite time. The agent of the Intelligence Ministry who was escorting me to the prison let me lift my eye-cover and look around. He said: you are not going to leave this place alive, so have a look.

In those days, eye-cover was an essential part of the prison attire and no prisoner was allowed to be without it. The Evin Prison was a beautiful place in the foothills of Alborz Mountain in north Tehran. It had been turned into a security prison at the time of the Shah, but the Islamic Government had turned it into an independent unit. Evin had everything inside it: the revolutionary court, office of the revolutionary prosecutor, the solitary cells, public prison, and office of the Intelligence Ministry, women’ section, execution chambers and even the clergies’ ward.

I was thinking that the prison must be overcrowded because so many people were arrested those days and taken there. However, I came to know that the prison was almost empty. The few prisoners who had remained acted as zombies. They did not show any interest in talking to anyone. It took a while to know that the judicial and prison officials had killed several thousand prisoners within a few days. During the several years that I spent there, I came to know many parts of this issue little by little, but I was always surprised why the people and organizations outside of prison, inside and outside of Iran, did not at all talk about such a horrible mass murder. Later, when I had a meeting with the Representative of the UN Human Rights Commission (Dr. Galindo Pohl), as one of the prisoners who had been interviewed by the UN Delegation, I was surprised that even he did not ask me or any other prisoner (as far as I know after talking to the persons that I knew) about this case.

What happened was that at the end of Iran-Iraq war, while Iran had accepted the UNSC 598 Resolution to end the war, the forces of the MKOs (Mujahedin Khalgh Organization) were staging an attack from the Iraqi borders. The Iranian army was pushed back by Iraqis who were using chemical weapons on a large scale and the tactic of human waves of the Iranian military leaders had failed. Khomeini had “drunk the chalice of poison” and if the Americans did not stop the Iraqi army, Saddam intended to recapture all territories that he had got at the beginning of the 8 year war. Out of the fear of the collapse of the regime, the so called Founder of the Islamic Republic, Mullah Khomeini, ordered all prisoners in Evin and a couple of other security prisons (like Kachoi Prison in Karaj) to be asked one question: “do you insist on your positions?” Whoever answered in a way that indicated that he or she had not repented was sentenced to immediate execution.

The mass killings were conducted under the supervision of several persons: Lajevardi, the Head of Evin Prison, Mullah Naieri in the revolutionary court, Mullah Niazi in the office of the prosecutor. They were highly rewarded later: Lajevardi (the Bucher of Evin) became the Head of the Prisons Organization of Iran; Mullah Nairi became the Head of Center for Execution of Imam’s Instructions (this is one of the less known organizations in Iran which controls most of the properties of the wealthy people from the time of Shah that have been confiscated. It has huge assets all over Iran and it makes considerable contributions to Mullahs that follow the orders of the so-called Supreme Leader), and Mullah Niazi became the Head of the State Inspectorate Organization.

The Mullahs that were issuing death sentences were flying by helicopter from one prison to another every day and asking the only question that was on the table. I heard between 3 and 8 thousand prisoners were mass murdered. Most of the prisoners that were killed belonged to the MKOs. The majority of the rest belonged to the leftist organizations like Paykar, the Fadayian (Minority), and Rahe-Kargar. I think the fact that the majority of the prisoners killed were MKOs and leftist groups played an important role in ignoring the Iranian version of the Killing Fields.

The prisoners that were chosen for the immediate execution were in different stages of their judicial proceedings or sentences. There were people who had served their sentences or those who had never been to a court. The executioners had a hard time handling the huge killing spree. The prisoners were executed by hanging in the chambers where tens of ropes were fastened to several pipes in the ceiling (I saw personally the inside of an execution chamber).

They used also firing squads. The murdered prisoners were carried by big trucks and dumped in a place outside of Tehran in an area called Khavaran, in the mass graves that were unmarked. The relatives of the prisoners were left uniformed and those who somehow came to know the reality were not allowed to have any public mourning ceremony.

This issue is one of the most obvious cases of crimes against humanity, violation of human rights, and criminal acts of the Islamic regime of Iran and on the anniversary of the mass killings, it deserves to be mentioned extensively.

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Raoul1955

For the author:

by Raoul1955 on

Here are some issues that you may want to address vis-à-vis the 'story' printed above:

It was the end of Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988) and I was sent to Evin Prison for an indefinite time. The agent of the Intelligence Ministry who was escorting me to the prison let me lift my eye-cover and look around. He said: you are not going to leave this place alive, so have a look.

1) Should we assume that you were sent to prison in 1988?
2) You indicate the indefinite time, however since you were freed later you may amend that to the actual length of your incarceration.  Here is an online article dated September 2002 under your name:
//www.payvand.com/news/02/sep/1060.html
3) Since you removed the blindfold, should we assume that you were NOT in handcuffs while being transferred?

In those days, eye-cover was an essential part of the prison attire and no prisoner was allowed to be without it.

4) You need to elaborate on how the prison officials enforced this code?

I was thinking that the prison must be overcrowded because so many people were arrested those days and taken there. However, I came to know that the prison was almost empty.

5) How did you discover the above?  Did they give you a comprehensive tour of the facility with your blindfold removed, or was it through interaction with other prisoners, prison guards?  Even in a fiction you may want to elaborate on this.

The few prisoners who had remained acted as zombies. They did not show any interest in talking to anyone. It took a while to know that the judicial and prison officials had killed several thousand prisoners within a few days.

6) Did you SEE them acting like zombies with your own eyes?  Were they wearing their blindfolds while walking around the ward?  You need to elaborate on this part of the story even if this is a fiction.

Later, when I had a meeting with the Representative of the UN Human Rights Commission (Dr. Galindo Pohl), as one of the prisoners who had been interviewed by the UN Delegation, I was surprised that even he did not ask me or any other prisoner (as far as I know after talking to the persons that I knew) about this case.

7) These 'persons' that you knew, were they also in that prison?

the forces of the MKOs (Mujahedin Khalgh Organization) were staging an attack from the Iraqi borders.

8) Have someone with the knowledge of the English language read and edit your writing. 

The mass killings were conducted under the supervision of several persons: Lajevardi, the Head of Evin Prison, Mullah Naieri in the revolutionary court, Mullah Niazi in the office of the prosecutor.

9) Here you need references to the actual documents supporting your claim.

The Mullahs that were issuing death sentences were flying by helicopter from one prison to another every day and asking the only question that was on the table. I heard between 3 and 8 thousand prisoners were mass murdered.

10) See number 9 for supporting documents.  Did you hear the story from other inmates or other folks?

This issue is one of the most obvious cases of crimes against humanity, violation of human rights, and criminal acts of the Islamic regime of Iran and on the anniversary of the mass killings, it deserves to be mentioned extensively.
 11) Mentioning, talking about, or discussing events, imagined or factual are wonderful acts, but unless one has a clearly outlined objective pursuing a long range goal, it is just that, telling stories.  :-)


Reality-Bites

Raoul1955

by Reality-Bites on

Just wanted to congratulate you on this statement you made:

"...I see why those charged with maintaining the [internal] security of Iran had to carry out mass purging [if they in fact did such] of the subversive elements.  The ayatollahs were [and are] obviously pragmatic men and realized that they had to kill those who could cause problems for Iran...."

It's always instructive to see some people justifying mass murder under the pretext of getting rid of "trouble makers/subversives", and defending the Mullahs and their henchmen in doing so.

Pat yourself on the back, you've earned it. 


Bavafa

It is not clear if this is fictional story or not

by Bavafa on

How did the author got out of this alive, considering the claims he makes.

I hope not as it betrays the blood of those who lost their life in that process. But the details of the story written here seem a bit of some imagination or at least exaggeration, one that was seen the Iraqi informant right before the illegal invasion of Iraq in 2003

Mehrdad


Shazde Asdola Mirza

A horrible death to everyone and their loved ones, who deny 1988

by Shazde Asdola Mirza on

May their homes be razed to the ground, their loved ones killed one by one in front of their own eyes, and their future cast in the cursed cement of fear and fire. May their parents live long and their children die young. Perhaps then ... they can remember 1988.

Bad Stories for Bad Kids


Raoul1955

Simorgh et al

by Raoul1955 on

I began reading about various islamic nations post 9/11 muslim invasion.  Many folks claim all sorts of killings, rapes, tortures, etc., happening under the Islamic regime of Iran.  Based on my readings similar claims were made under the secular regime of the late king [Shah] of Iran which turned out to be [mostly] fictional.The author seems to be after making money using fictional or exaggerated accounts of what happened to him while in prison.  Actually in the opening he claims that a guard told him that he would not be leaving the prison alive, but apparently he did!

Here is an article by the above author begging for an attack on Iran:

//www.sitnews.us/0305Viewpoints/030205_bahman_aghai_diba.html 

I certainly hope that he would be in Iran when ‘his proposed’ military attack on Iran materializes.  LOL


Simorgh5555

Raeoul

by Simorgh5555 on

Are you justifying the prison purges and mass executions of 1988? 

 Perhaps if some of those so-called Iranians stopped causing problems for the Iranian society some of these strong arm tactics would diminish.

That seems like a miserable excuse for justifying genocide of Iranians. Clarify your position. You sound like a Hezbollahi.  


پندارنیک

Psssst

by پندارنیک on

Can you elaborate on your political inkling/tendencies/ideology a bit? Who are you?


Raoul1955

The above

by Raoul1955 on

Does not explain why you were detained.  I assume that you posed a danger to the national security of Iran, in which case you were prepared to face the consequences of your actions.  Also, what were your immediate objectives and long term goals for the Iranian society?
Based on your brief description I see why those charged with maintaining the [internal] security of Iran had to carry out mass purging [if they in fact did such] of the subversive elements.  The ayatollahs were [and are] obviously pragmatic men and realized that they had to kill those who could cause problems for Iran. You also claim that the detained subversives [including yourself] had to wear blindfolds during their incarceration.  I assume that they also had handcuffs on 24/7 otherwise they could have removed their blindfolds.   Your claim seems too nonsensical just based on the logistics of keeping the blindfolds on.
Perhaps if some of those so-called Iranians stopped causing problems for the Iranian society some of these strong arm tactics would diminish. 

This could be a nice fiction to get the BP a bit high for some folks.  :-)