Public Announcement
5 September 2012
Court Hearings on Crimes against Humanity
Against Islamic Republic of Iran
The Hague, 25-27 October 2012
In Pursuit of Justice and Accountability
For The Massacre of Iran’s Political Prisoners during 1980s
For the first time in the world history, the oppressed and supressed people of Iran who have endured one of the most horrific crimes in human history by witnessing the mass execution of a generation of political prisoners are raising their outcry against the atrocities of the Islamic Republic Regime in Iran. Albeit, in the face of total disregard to these atrocities by the international law and judicial system.
The justice seeking campaign of “Iran Tribunal” was initiated in September 2007 by a group of the families and relatives of the victims along with an abundance of the survivors of the mass executions of Iran’s political prisoners of 1980s. With the collaboration of many political, social and human rights activists, as well as sympathisers to the cause, many challenges; some unforeseen, had to be overcome in order to establish the righteous outcome of this movement. Right from the outset, it was clearly evident that holding the perpetrators of these ghastly crimes accountable before the eyes of the international community would not be an easily achievable task.
Starting from the ground up and through sheer determination and the will power of all involved in this campaign, while maintaining the total independence of this movement, we are now ready to launch the International Peoples’ Court to investigate the state crimes committed by the Islamic Republic of Iran on more than 20,000 Iranian political prisoners during 1980s.
After four years of indefatigable and diligent grassroots efforts, the International Peoples’ Court organised by “Iran Tribunal” campaign is now ready to be investigating the crimes perpetrated by the heads of State of the Islamic Republic of Iran; which marked its infamous beginning towards the end of June 1981 and escalated to horrific heights during the summer of 1988. The mass genocide of Iran’s political prisoners during 1980s is synonymous with Crime against Humanity.
None of the tens of thousands of political prisoners, either those executed or otherwise the survivors, had either a fair trial, or access to any legal rights during the mass genocide of 1980s. Each and every one of the political prisoner’s fate was decided in minutes following a few interrogatory questions prior to being sentenced to death. According to the international criminal laws, the magnitude of the crimes, plus the geographical spread of the locations and across a wide cross section of dissidents with diverse political beliefs, the atrocities committed by the Islamic Republic of Iran against its own people constitutes Crime against Humanity.
In the light of the undeniable evidences presently available and according to the statistical facts, the Islamic Republic of Iran executed approximately 15000 political prisoners between 1981 and 1984. This means that on average one prisoner was executed every 2 hours within the first three years of the atrocities. Between June 1988 and March 1989, approximately 5000 political prisoners faced the death sentence by execution behind closed doors and were buried in unknown mass graves. Again, on average, one political prisoner was executed every 2 hours during this period.
The court hearings to hold the Islamic Republic of Iran accountable for its crimes against humanity will be held in two distinct sessions. The proceedings of the Truth Commission took place in London at Amnesty International’s Human Rights Action Centre from 18-22 June 2012. Six commissioners, composed of Professor Maurice Copithorne (Chairman), Louise Asmal, Anne Burley, Professor Eric David, Professor William Schabas and Professor Daniel Turp heard the evidence of 80 witnesses during the one week hearing.
The second session will be held for three days in The Hague from 25th to 27th October 2012.
The Legal Steering Committee behind this event is composed of a team of internationally renowned and distinguished law experts which includes Professor John Cooper, Professor Richard Falk, Sir Geoffrey Nice QC, Professor Eric David, Professor Payam Akhavan, Dr Nancy Hormachea, Dr Hedayat Matin Daftari, Hamid Sabi and Professor Kader Asmal, who unfortunately passed away in July 2011. This team of law experts has selected a number of prominent international judges along with notable legal and social personalities who will be accompanying a team of eight Iranian and non-Iranian prosecutors lead by Professor Payam Akhavan, Sir Geoffrey Nice QC and Professor John Cooper QC.
The Peoples’ Court to uphold humanity and human values organised by “Iran Tribunal”, is a unique project of its own kind. It will facilitate peoples’ arbitration against a criminal regime in the recent history of mankind which shall be hearing the live statements and testimonies of in excess of 100 witnesses of crimes perpetrated by a currently ruling state power.
This tribunal is an integral part of Iranian peoples’ struggle against one of the most despotic regimes in the recent history. As well as investigating the mass genocide of Iran’s political prisoners, this court also aims to expose and put on the record this human tragedy before the eyes of the international community.
Attending the court hearings is open and free to the public. However, it will require your registration in advance. To register, please contact info@irantribunal.com stating your full name and the country of your residence.
Iran Tribunal Campaign