The monthly report of Human Rights violations in Iran- September 2018

Iran Human Rights Monitor released its monthly report on Monday, detailing the regime’s human rights violations in the month of September. The month was a bloody one for the regime, as the mullahs struggle to control the people of Iran with violence and brutality. Punishments have become increasingly harsh since the widespread uprising among the Iranian people began last December. The MEK condemns these acts of brutality.

Death Penalty for Corruption

The report was released one day after the regime sentenced three people to death for corruption charges. The businessman were not named, nor were specific details of their cases or the charges against them released, and their punishment will not be final until it is ratified by the Iranian regime’s highest court. Nevertheless, the regime hopes that the sentences will send a message to others who may take advantage of the country’s snowballing economic crisis. U.S. oil sanctions are set to take effect on November 4th, which will almost certainly exacerbate the situation.

The rial has been in free fall this year, losing 80% of its value. Some of this plunge is due to U.S. sanctions, but the devaluation of the rial began well before U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in March. Every attempt by the regime to stabilize the currency and end the economic crisis has failed and led to more corruption.

On Saturday, one day before the sentences were handed down, the regime gave Iran’s central bank additional authority to manipulate the currency market in an attempt to prevent further devaluation of the rial. The Central Bank has attempted this strategy before, without success.

Executions

According to the report by Iran Human Rights Monitor, the regime executed a total of 33 people in the month of September. Of these:

• nine were Kurdish and Balouch political prisoners, who were hanged for “Moharebeh” (waging war against God) and disturbing the security of the state;
• three were Iranian Kurds—Zaniar Moradi, Loghman Moradi, and Ramin Hossein Panahi—who were executed despite international condemnation from human rights groups and calls to halt their executions;
• eight were executed as a group on a single day;
• one prisoner was hanged in public.

Regime Murders and Deaths in Custody

Seven arbitrary murders and nine deaths while in custody were recorded in the Human Rights Monitor report. They included:

• a father of five who was shot for selling two gallons of gas to sell at the border;
• a 17-year-old boy who was shot by IRGC forces;
• a Kurdish father of an eight-year-old child who was shot after being arrested;
• three men who died after being denied medical care;
• one man who committed suicide while in custody due to his treatment there;
• one man who died of torture a day after his arrest.

Floggings

Two flogging sentences were carried out, according to the report, one of which was public. Another six activists were sentenced to flogging this month.

Arrests

A total of 197 arrests were recorded by Iran Human Rights Monitor. A number of those arrested were participants in the protests against the executions of the three Kurdish activists on September 8th, and many others were striking truck drivers taking part in recent protests. Of those arrests:

• 153 were politically motivated;
• 22 were made on religious or ethnic grounds; and
• 22 were arbitrary.

Persecution of Religious Minorities

The Iranian regime takes a number of measures to suppress religious minorities. These actions are ones that do not also fall under another category (arrest, murder, execution).

The regime denied college entrance to at least 57 Baha’i students and began a campaign to arrest those of the Baha’i faith.

• At least 50 Baha’i students who had passed the national college entrance exams logged onto their accounts and found a message saying they had “deficient records” in the Evaluation Organization (Sanjesh). “Deficient records” is an option used to block (Baha’i) students from accessing their records and prevent them from continuing their education.
• At least 20 Baha’is were arrested.

Staff Writer