WUNRN
IRAN - UN EXPERT BREAKS SILENCE ON
RAPE OF YOUNG VIRGIN GIRLS IN IRAN PRISONS
Justice for
Iran (JFI), London (28 October 2013) – On 24 October, UN Special
Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Professor Rashida Manjoo, introduced a
comprehensive report, entitled Pathways
to, conditions and consequences of incarceration of women. The report was
officially presented at the UN General Assembly session and was followed by
efforts highlighting the need to improve knowledge and skills pertaining to
rights of women in the criminal justice system.
The
report highlights the causal relationship between acts of violence against
women and cases involving incarceration. It further illustrates how human
rights abuses and violence prior to, during, and after imprisonment affects
women of all ages and cultures. In her report, Ms. Manjoo refers to the
standards set by the UN Bangkok Rules that are designed to protect women from
victimization, upholding adequate care and facilities during incarceration, and
proper post-prison rehabilitation mechanisms.
By referring
to the JFI report entitled Crime and Impunity: Sexual Torture of Women Prisoners in
Islamic Republic Professor Manjoo’s report acts as a landmark in
highlighting the plight of women in Iranian prisons. It identifies Crime and
Impunity as a source that has “uncovered cases of rape of female political
prisoners in the Islamic Republic of Iran throughout the 1980s, including the
rape of young virgin girls before execution, forced marriages and other forms
of sexual violence, some of which continues today.”
Ms. Manjoo’s
report further identifies JFI’s research pointing to various forms of political
activism among Iranian women which Islamic Republic authorities use as means of
harassment, arrest and detention. It also highlights JFI’s series of interviews
and witness statements revealing the Islamic Republic’s unprecedented policy of
reported rape of virgins prior to execution, in addition to forced marriages
and other forms of sexual, physical and mental violence as part of state policy
and prison regulation affecting thousands of women in Islamic Republic prisons
since 1979 and continuing to this day. Finally it refers to JFI’s work
identifying the use of psychological abuse as a means of branding and
humiliating the dignity of the prisoners, extracting private details of their
sex life and as a means of obtaining false confessions.
Following
the official announcement of this report by the United Nations Press this
morning, JFI Co-Director, Shadi Amin, stated: “This report marks the first time
that the issue of raping virgin girls in Iranian prisons is formally
acknowledged at the UN level. The report also shows various ways in which
Islamic Republic authorities have subjected women to discriminatory, abusive
and violent treatment as part of state policies designed to mistreat Iranian
citizens and prisoners.”
She added:
“JFI will continue its efforts to seek justice and reparation for women who
have suffered in Islamic Republic prisons through its investigative reports,
appeals to relevant UN authorities and demanding Islamic Republic officials to
live up to their responsibility of refining national codes that reflect
universal human rights and protect the dignity and persons of Iranian women.
The main aim of JFI in these efforts lies in the all-important process of holding
perpetrators of such crimes against women prisoners accountable for their
decisions and actions.”
__________________________________________________________
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Subject: Iran - Stop Denial of Rapes of Prison Virgin Girls before
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IRAN - STOP DENIAL OF RAPES OF
VIRGIN GIRLS IN PRISON BEFORE EXECUTION
http://justiceforiran.org/?lang=en -
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IRAN - END FURTHER DENIAL
OF RAPES OF VIRGIN GIRLS PRIOR TO EXECUTION IN PRISON
9/24/2013
- After years of silence, official organs of the Islamic Republic, including an
organisation representing the Supreme Leader in Iranian Universities, have
refuted claims of rape prior to execution. This is the first time that official
state organs have declared their position with regards to this matter.
The
aforementioned organisation–whose members are appointed by the Supreme Leader
at all universities and operate as his representatives–published a statement on
his web site last week stating: “One of the anti-revolutionary claims is that
since the execution of virgins is forbidden by the teachings of Islam, virgin
girls who have been executed were first subjected to temporary marriage to
revolutionary guards and raped so they lost their virginity prior to death.
Assuming the reason for execution was Islamic (based on which virgin girls
could not be executed), then, likewise according to Islam, a girl cannot be
forced into temporary marriage. Therefore, the falsity of this claim is proven.”
In
another section of the response which is widely disseminated through official
and semi-official media in Iran, reference has been made to the memoirs of
Ayotollah Montazeri, the former successor to Ayotollah Khomeini: “when the
subject of executions was discussed, I objected that in prisons women were also
being executed. Executing women in Islam is discouraged and virgins cannot be
executed. The Imam confirmed by saying ‘tell the official to not execute girl.’
Then some claimed Montazeri has said ‘do not execute girls but perform
temporary marriage first and then execute them.’”
JFI
is the first human rights organisation to publicise this section of the memoirs
of Ayotollah Montazeri. In its research ‘Crime without Punishment’ on
torture–sexual and otherwise–of female political prisoners, it found numerous
documents and uncontested witnesses with regards to statements by prison
officials on the matter of rape prior to execution. Also included in this
research were references to Islamic sacred scripture used by prison officials
for Islamic judicial justification of this practice.
The
results were published in a book entitled “Crimes with Impunity” and highlighted in a recent
documentary film “Final Moments“. Both demonstrate the rape of virgin girls
who were executed for their political activities during the 1980s through the
means of temporary marriage in at least a few cities during specific periods
were part of an organised process and carried out with the knowledge of senior
officials. “Crimes with Impunity” also demonstrates that judicial
officials during the 1980s were directly responsible for issuing and overseeing
execution of female prisoners, all of whom have enjoyed impunity. Not only have
authorities of the Islamic Republic failed to conduct any official
investigations into the matter, but some of the responsible officials are now
in senior positions within the state apparatus. For example, Mostafa Poor
Mohammadi was the Chief Revolutionary Prosecutor of Khorasan during the winter
of 1982 when the first group of young women were executed–some of whom, repots
indicated–were raped. In the current Rohani administration, Mohammadi is the
Minister of Justice.
In
another example, Ali Razini, who was the religious judge of Mahshad in the
1980s and isssued all his death sentences during court sessions lasting just
minutes without the presence of defense counsel, is now the Deputy Legal
Counsel of the Chief of the Judiciary.
Copies
of “Crimes and Impunity” have been sent to the Supreme Leader,
President, Chair of the Parliament and numerous Islamic Republic officials.
Furthermore, the documentary “Final Moments”
has had 86,000 viewings since its release two months ago. The latest statement
on behalf of the Supreme Leader suggests the Islamic Republic has reached the
conclusion it cannot remain silent about the rape of virgin girls prior to
execution.
JFI
highlights the body of evidence and published documents that contradict these
official statements. It will continue to raise awareness on this issue until
such time that an independent investigation is carried out by international
organisations in order to deliver justice.
About Crime without Punishment: Justice for Iran
"Crime
without Punishment: Justice for Iran" project was established in July 2010
with the aim of addressing and eradicating the practice of impunity prevalent
among Iranian state officials and their use of systematic sexual abuse of women
as a method of torture in order to extract confession. It is a London based
project, hosted by Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) uses methods such as
documentation of human rights violations, collection of information, and
research about authority figures who play a role in serious and widespread
violations of human rights in Iran; as well as use of judicial, political and
international mechanisms in place, to execute justice, remove impunity and
bring about accountability to the actors and agents of human rights violations
in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
__________________________________________________________
Justice for Iran - http://justiceforiran.org/?lang=en
Iran Prison Rape of Virgins Before Execution, Sexual Torture
- Film
Documentary Film Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyXasfj-ihk&feature=youtu.be-
June 25, 2013 - In
anticipation of 26 June, the UN International Day in Support of Victims of
Torture, JFI is announcing the on-line release of its documentary Final Moments. In
this groundbreaking production victims and witnesses recall experiences
involving rape of virgin girls prior to execution and sexual torture at the
hands of Islamic Republic prison authorities since 1979.
The film was premiered at JFI’s recent international
symposium on 8 June in
Almost two hundred victims voluntarily provided testimonies pertaining
to horrific details of various forms of torture they were subjected to while in
custody. In addition to Crimes and Impunity JFI
produced a policy brief Raped Out of Paradise outlining
illegal Islamic Republic policies tantamount to crimes against humanity, and
steps foreign policy makers, the international community including the European
Union and the United Nations, must take to end the culture of impunity
prevalent among Islamic Republic authorities and agencies.
Through the on-line release of Final Moments JFI calls on
the Islamic Republic of Iran, a signatory of the International Bill of Human
Rights, to live up to its state responsibilities by both protecting the rights
of Iranians who have been subjected to torture in Islamic Republic prisons and
preventing future violations.
To mark this UN international day a number of independent experts have
highlighted the practice of torture throughout the globe, the need for a
victim-centric approach to its elimination and the steps necessary to not only
seek reparation but to prevent future violations. The call for action to mark
this important day is available at: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/Acallforactioninsupportofvictimsoftorture.aspx