Dear Mr. Ahmed Shaheed

Your recent report on human rights condition in Iran was published on March 2012. We are aware that in a situation in which the tensions between Iran and the international community are escalating and with all restriction that have been imposed by the Islamic Republic of Iran and limited resources, it was not be easy to fulfill the task. We know that the Islamic Republic officials did not allow you to visit Iran and by doing so, they have deprived you from meeting with a major part of the witnesses and victims or even Government officials. However, despite all limitations, you were able to visit many of the victims of the recent oppression, who fled the country, and recorded their testimonies which has been extensively noted in your reports. In our opinion, your report is successful to provide a truthful perspective of the oppression and human rights abuses that occurred after the June 2009 disputed election. This is a step forward in fighting the gross and systematic human right violations in Iran.

But unfortunately your report is silent about the political prisoners’ massacre of 1988, one of the blatant examples of crimes against humanity in Iran .We testify that some of the survivors and victims’ families of the massacres and extra-judicial executions of the 80s visited you and your colleagues and their stories were heard and recorded. These witnesses gave you important documents and exhibitions, some of which have never before been presented to any judicial institution. There is no sign of these testimonies and documents in your report.

It is not acceptable that you, as the special rapporteur of the most prominent international institution to protect and promote human rights and justice, stays silent about extra judicial executions in the 80s and the 1988 massacre, which is the greatest mass killing of political prisoners in Iran’s contemporary history, censors the evidence, and ignores the most vulnerable victims of human rights violations in Iran.

In the last thirty years, our families have continuously and silently been summoned and detained by the security forces and tried by revolutionary tribunals because they have not agreed to comply with the authorities’ orders to stay silent about the atrocities or because they have refused to not visit the graves of their loved ones in ruined Khavaran cemetery. We testify that these are not isolated cases and many families of the victims of the 80s massacres are facing the same brutality.

We object to silence and amnesia and as victims and claimants would ask you to explain why your report is silent about these atrocities and what has happened to the families of the victims. We remind you that the silence and censorship of this part of the victims and survivors not only does not help to the promotion of human rights in Iran instead is used as one of the most violent and repressive policies. We remind you that this silence does not help the struggle against impunity which is one of the most important factors in the continuation of oppressive policy and atrocities by the Islamic republic of Iran

Truly Yours

Jafar Behkish

Reza Moini

Victim’s families of the 80s executions