Iran Crime Watch Blog

Our brothers and sisters are being executed, assassinated, tortured and imprisoned for demanding their democratic rights in Iran. Meanwhile the U.S. government has made nuclear negotiations the centerpiece of its Iran policy, hoping to benefit from the illegitimacy of the theocratic regime through token concessions.
As Iranian-Americans we demand that our representatives in the U.S. congress and the White House shift their foreign policy towards Iran; the egregious violations of human rights by the illegal and illegitimate government of Iran should be made the centerpiece of its Iran policy.
The following is a list of our demands:
1 – We ask our representatives in the U.S. congress to pass a bill (Neda Agha Soltan Bill) providing material support for victims of torture and rape at the hands of Iranian security forces. This bill should also allow for them to be able to come to the U.S. to receive medical and psychological help that they badly deserve and need.
2 – We ask our representatives in the U.S. congress to establish funds to provide scholarships for Iranian student activists who have been expelled from universities for their role in the democratic movement.
3 – We ask our representatives in the U.S. congress to increase funding and support for organizations that provide humanitarian relief for Iranian refugees who have been stranded in Turkey with no other place to go and who fear returning to Iran due to the prospect of torture and imprisonment.
4 – We ask the U.S. administration and the State Department to play an active role in the international scene by confiscating and depositing the assets of Iran’s ruling criminals in an international fund. These assets should be returned to the legitimate government of Iran whenever it is established through democratic elections.
We ask all those who share these demands to come to a rally to be staged in San- Francisco on February 12 at the following locations from 12:00 to 2:00 PM:
LOCATION:
San Francisco, in front of Nancy Pelosi’s office: 90 7th Street

Since the presidential election in Iran on June 12th, thousands of young protestors have been arrested and brutally tortured while in custody. Some have lost their lives due to the extent of physical injuries while many others have been released with deep psychological scars. The nightmare of government sponsored killings on the streets and murders in prisons has become even more horrifying by reports of gang rapes of both male and female prisoners and mass burials in unmarked graves.

The security forces of the Islamic Republic have always used the tactic of rape to break political prisoners. Recent reports, however, indicate a dramatic escalation of this brutal and savage tactic. Information from Iran depicts a sadistic picture of government sponsored gang rape in prisons that one could never imagine to happen anywhere in the world. Babak Dad, an Iranian journalist that went into hiding shortly after the presidential election, has reported the condition of an 18 year-old young man named Mahdi. Mahdi was repeatedly raped by prison guards in front of other prisoners who had to go through the same ordeal. The purpose of gang rapes is to cause so much mental and physical damage such that the victims become immobilized for a long time after release. You can find the translation of parts of Babak’s blog at the following address:

http://keepingthechange.blogspot.com/2009/08/babak-dad-on-rapes-inside-irans-prisons.html

On August 28th, a video was posted on YouTube about the suicide of a 23 year-old man who was released from prison after repeated torture and gang rapes. His father had to post a heavy bail for the son’s release. The Ayatollah’s security forces – now more sensitive about their heinous crimes being exposed – decided to kidnap him again. Realizing he was being followed by security forces, the young man wanted to avoid going through the same nightmare and committed suicide by jumping from a high pedestrian bridge. In the following video you see the distraught father and the bloody body of his son on the street. WARNING – this is a very graphic video, please exercise discretion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySD8zDKR820

These are just samples of the sadistic crimes being committed against innocent Iranians. Many victims who have survived physically are so emotionally and psychologically distraught that they are unable to function with normal daily lives. Mr. Mehdi Karroubi, an Iranian presidential candidate who was the first prominent politician to shine some light on these inhumane crimes in Iranian prisons, was attacked at all levels of Iranian government for speaking out. He has been attempting to use “legal” venues to identify criminals who have subjected the prisoners to such physical and mental torture. To prevent further public outcry, a special Iranian congressional committee has grudgingly promised to investigate these reports. Many believe, however, that the victims of government sponsored rapes may be pressured to remain silent. Today, Mr. Karroubi’s office announced that one of the victims who testified as to the condition of his torture and rape in prison was threatened by the investigators – that victim has now gone into hiding for fear of his life.

It seems that hope has faded for the victims of torture and rape in Iran – victims who, without professional psychiatric help, may become mentally paralyzed for the rest of their lives. Our group is taking steps to help these victims who are badly in need of emotional and physical care. We would like to ask the US Congress to pass a resolution condemning the practice of rape in Iranian prisons and provide for the transfer of the victims to the United States for medical care. Should you have any feedback or suggestions, please post your thoughts

Additionally, please take a moment to sign a petition that is addressed to the UN Secretary General and the Security Council asking to confiscate any assets that have been stashed away outside of Iran by the leaders of the Iranian presidential coup:

http://www.petitioniran.com/?page=petition&pid=QBC29962