Why Is the World So Silent in the Face of Iran’s Appalling Human Rights Record?
independent.co.uk
As much of the world’s attention is focused on Iran’s nuclear program, the
regime’s leaders have continued their reign of terror on Iranian dissidents.
Iran has achieved the dubious status of ranking only second to China for the number of people it has executed. Now it has issued a death sentence on Gholamreza Khosravi Savajani, a supporter of the principal opposition resistance group, the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).
According to Amnesty International, Khoshravi is scheduled to be executed on 10 September. This sentence not only continues Iran’s policy of bloody repression, but as unlikely and ironic as it might first appear, it is legitimated by the United States and their misguided policy towards the PMOI.
The case of Gholamreza Khosravi is a very telling story of justice, the mullahs’ style.
A political prisoner in the 1980’s, he was arrested in Kerman Province (in Southern Iran) in 2008 by the Ministry of Intelligence and was sentenced to six years’ of imprisonment, three years of which were suspended. He has reportedly spent over 40 months in solitary confinement.
He was charged with allegedly providing support to Simay Azadi, a pro-PMOI TV outside of Iran.
Following an appeal by the Ministry of Intelligence, the three-year suspended sentence was implemented, bringing his total sentence to six years actual imprisonment. During this period Khosravi was reportedly subject to torture and extreme duress while kept in solitary confinement. The regime were determined to illicit a televised, self-incriminating confession. However, he steadfastly refused to cooperate with authorities in this manner.
As is typical of Iran’s farcical judicial system, Khosravi was denied due process or any semblance of a fair trial. Following two retrials, Khosravi was sentenced to death after the conviction of a fresh charge of “enmity against God” ( moharebeh), for his alleged ties to the PMOI, which the Supreme Court confirmed on April 21st, 2012.
According to Amnesty International, Gholamreza Khosravi, aged 50, was told in July 2012 that his death sentence will be implemented on 10 September. That is about two weeks before the mullahs’ firebrand President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is about to address the UN General Assembly.
