Iranian-American lawyer Ana Sami urges UN to hold Iran's officials accountable for the 1988 massacre
Channel: Justice for Victims of 1988 Massacre in Iran
Date: 2023-10-31

Human rights experts, including the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Iran and a member of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID), joined Justice for the Victims of the 1988 Massacre in Iran (JVMI) at a side event on the sidelines of the 78th UN General Assembly in New York on 27 October 2023, urging UN Member States to oppose impunity in Iran and to support accountability for the perpetrators of the 1988 extrajudicial executions and enforced disappearances of political prisoners.

Speakers at the side event, held at 777 UN Plaza, included Prof. Javaid Rehman, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran; Dr. Grazyna Baranowska, Member of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID); Amb. Stephen Rapp, former US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice; Prof. Melanie O'Brien, President of the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS); and Ana Sami, US Representative of JVMI. Representatives of several Permanent Missions and the New York City Bar were present at the event.

Iranian-American lawyer Ana Sami, representing the JVMI and moderating the event, said the culture of impunity existing in Iran today stems from the “failure to hold Iranian officials accountable for committing crimes against their own citizenry, chief among them the 1988 extrajudicial executions and enforced disappearances of political prisoners”.

“We are concerned that the lack of accountability for the perpetrators of the 1988 massacre by the international community emboldens the Iranian authorities to commit further atrocities against dissident protesters and political prisoners, as was witnessed during the deadly crackdown of the nationwide protests of 2022 after the death of Mahsa Jina Amini. The lack of accountability not only perpetuates a climate of fear and repression, but also undermines the very principles of justice and the rule of law,” she said.

“The 1988 massacre is not an insulated event, the effects are apparent and visible to this day. In reality, many families are currently being harassed for seeking justice for their loved ones who were taken from them in 1988. It is high time that the UN Member States urgently establish an inquiry into the 1988 mass executions and enforced disappearances in Iran. States should also support the pursuit of accountability for Iranian officials who have committed major crimes that violate international law, such as the 1988 massacre and the brutal crackdowns on previous and current protests.”

“The culture of impunity within the Iranian government, exemplified by the 1988 executions and many other instances of human rights abuses, is a stain on our collective conscience. We cannot stand idly by while injustice and suffering persist. JVMI believes it is our moral obligation to demand accountability, to support the victims and their families, and to work towards a future where human rights are upheld, and justice prevails. Only by doing so can we hope for a brighter and more just future for the people of Iran.”