September saw a continuation in the widespread repression of the Iranian people, particularly women and minorities, that we have seen an increase over the past year in correlation with the Iranian uprising.
Iran HRM said that the crackdown on women’s rights since the start of the Regime was a deliberate measure and as a prelude to absolute suppression of the freedom of all Iranians.
The report said that at least 14 people, including two women, were executed in September, but as with all statistics in this report, it’s important to remember that the real numbers may be much higher because of the Regime’s secrecy around their human rights abuses.
One of these prisoners was lashed before the Regime executed him on September 26, which brings us onto the Regime’s torture of prisoners.
At least 129 people, including 91 protesters, were sentenced to flogging in September, while at least one was flogged. The Regime does not consider this to be cruel and unusual punishment.
Also during September, at least one person – Javad Khosravanian – died under torture in Fars Province, southwest Iran. Khosravanian had been picked up by state security forces at his home in Khorrambid on August 30. After his death in detention, his body was taken to a local hospital.
While a group of Sunni prisoners of conscience, who had protested prison conditions and denial of medical treatment, were beaten with electric shock and truncheons by Raja’i Shahr Prison guards in Karaj and left in solitary confinement despite their injuries.
At least one prisoner died because they were denied medical treatment, but three more political prisoners are still being prevented from receiving medical care.
Arash Sadeghi, who has bone cancer and a paralyzed right arm, needs to undergo tests to see if cancer has spread and have several rounds of chemotherapy, but the refusal was described by Amnesty International as “torture as defined in international law”.
Majid Assadi, who suffers from a rheumatism disease called Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and also has ulcers, digestive problems, and inflammation in his vision network, also need to see an outside doctor.
Saeed Shirzad was due to be taken to hospital on September 15 for a scheduled eye operation paid for by his family, but prison officials did not allow the transfer. In fact, his requests for hospitalization have been denied several times in the past few months.
While Iranian political prisoner Mehdi Farahi Shandiz was tortured until he lost consciousness and Zahra Mohammadi, director of Nojin Social and Cultural Association in Sanandaj, is still essentially missing in detention.
