In this episode, we will probe into a haunting chapter of history, the 1988 massacre in Iran, which claimed the lives of 30,000 political prisoners. We’ll pay homage to their unwavering courage and explore the quest for justice that continues to this day.
The clerical regime aimed to execute anyone with ties to the Iranian Opposition Movement, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI).
It’s a sad reminder of the sacrifices made by brave souls for the ideals of freedom and justice. As we enter the month of August, we’re reminded of the brutal summer of 1988 when the clerical regime in Iran committed an unspeakable atrocity. The goal of this episode is to remember and amplify the voices of those silenced victims who stood their ground for the cause of freedom.
The level of brutality during that time is deeply unsettling. The victims were hanged in groups, transported in dump trucks, and buried in unmarked mass graves. Even young girls and pregnant women were not spared. It’s a chilling testament to the regime’s cruelty.
The events of that bloody summer remain a stark reminder of the Iranian regime’s complete disregard for human life and dignity. It was a calculated effort to eliminate those who resisted the oppressive regime. The haste with which the regime carried out these executions is shocking. The preparations for the massacre started months before, with prisoners being classified and relocated without a clear understanding of their fate.
Now, I’d like to focus on the profound impact of the massacre on women. As we reflect on the 1988 massacre, it’s important to recognize that women bore a heavy burden during those dark days. Reports indicate that a significant number of women, especially those affiliated with the PMOI, were among the victims of this brutal massacre.
Indeed. The massacre began on July 19 and reached its peak between July 27 and August 16. This grim event extended for several months. Tragic accounts from different prisons paint a grim picture of the brutality inflicted upon women prisoners.
Reports from various prisons indicate that most women’s wards saw no survivors. The stories shared by witnesses who managed to survive reveal that many women were executed in the initial wave, and it’s heartbreaking to learn that few, if any, survived these executions.
A staggering 80 percent of PMOI women imprisoned in women’s ward 3 of Evin Prison were executed by September. The story of the five women transferred from the Prison of Ilam and executed by firing squads is deeply disturbing.
The sheer scale of the massacre is truly chilling. The available information about the number and identities of the women who were executed during the 1988 massacre is limited, but it’s important to acknowledge their sacrifices and the courage they displayed.
Crime against humanity started in the early years of the regime’s rule, reached a peak during the 1988 massacre, and has continued to date. Over the past 44 years, all the clerical regime’s leaders have been involved in crimes against humanity. Therefore, the independent international fact-finding mission, formed last year to investigate the execution of protesters during the 2022-2023 protests, should also examine the regime’s dossier of crimes against humanity.
And let’s not forget the role of Ebrahim Raisi, the current president of Iran, who was a member of the “Death Commission.” His direct involvement in the massacre cannot be denied, and he must be held accountable for his actions. It’s a travesty that those responsible for such heinous crimes have not faced justice.
The attempt to erase evidence of the 1988 massacre by closing down Gohardasht Prison is deeply concerning.
The Iranian regime has tried over the years to erase the evidence of the 1988 massacre. They have razed the mass graves and built highways and shopping centers on them.
They have even tried several times to relocate the cemetery of Bahais in Tehran to Khavaran cemetery where the mass graves of political prisoners massacred in Tehran exist.
Now, the regime’s latest move has been to erase the evidence by destroying the prisons where the massacre took place. In addition to the closure of Gohardasht, the central prisons in the cities of Mashhad, Zanjan, Tabriz, Kermanshah, Yazd, and Bijar in Kurdistan province will also be transferred outside the cities.
