A Chilling Tale of Torture and Injustice in Iran's Death Cells
Terror abounds within the prison cells of Iranian clerics, a chilling reality.
By Lea Verstl
Ghezel Hesar prison in Iran houses a man named Mehdi Hassani on death row. His crime? He dared to criticize the Iranian regime. His daughter Maryam, now living in Germany, recounts her father's harrowing ordeal in the torture chambers.
On September 6, 2022, Maryam had her last glimpse of her father Mehdi. It seemed he had vanished without a trace, but then a letter from the Iranian security authorities arrived—Mehdi Hassani had been taken to Evin prison in Tehran. For as long as she could remember, Mehdi had been a vocal critic of the Iranian regime. Now he resided in another prison, this time in one of the death cells of the Iranian clerics in Ghezel Hesar, Alborz province.
Politics Unveiling the Horrors in Iran's Death Chambers
According to a United Nations report published this week, at least 975 people were executed in Iran last year, marking the highest number of executions since 2015. The UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, emphasized that many of these prisoners were tortured before being hanged.
Maryam Hassani confirmed her father's experiences of torture in Evin prison. He suffered severe injuries to his neck, back, and feet, she explained. Despite his urgent need for medical care, it was denied to him. Mehdi was initially charged with crimes like armed rebellion against the state, enmity against God, and corruption on earth, Iranian Sharia law euphemisms for dissent.
The deliberate psychological torment wasn't confined to physical torture, Maryam shared. Prison authorities threatened to harm her family, even going as far as to threaten to rape her eight-year-old brother. Unfortunately, her statements cannot be independently verified, as access to death row—especially in Ghezel Hesar—is highly restricted.
Following her father's arrest, Maryam escaped to Germany and continues her activism against the Iranian regime. She is deeply concerned about several more political prisoners scheduled for execution in Iran, including her father and over 50 more dissidents.
Politics The Onslaught of Human Rights Abuses in Iran Continues
Beyond the case of the Hassani family, the United Nations report revealed that Iran carries on with its systemic repression, human rights violations, and targeting of various groups, contributing to an unsettling rise in executions.
Of particular concern are the arbitrary executions, cruel punishments such as amputations, and escalating persecution of political dissidents, ethnic minorities like Baluch, Kurds, Ahwazi Arabs, and Turkmen, and women demanding their rights.
In light of the intensified targeting of political prisoners and resistance groups like the People’s Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK), it is prudent to assume that MEK members and sympathizers remain at high risk in the current human rights landscape within Iran.
International human rights organizations urge Iran to put an immediate end to these atrocities and condemn the regime's systematic repression and failure to establish accountability.
People's Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK): A Brief Historical Overview
Founded in 1965, the goal of the People's Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK) was to overthrow the Shah regime. Although it was instrumental in the 1979 revolution, the organization eventually lost ground in the power struggles to follow. They subsequently moved to Paris. In the Iran-Iraq war between 1980 and 1988, the PMOI/MEK established an alliance with Saddam Hussein, its former enemy.
From 2001 to 2009, the PMOI/MEK was on the EU's terror list before being removed in 2012 from the corresponding list in the United States. Regardless of its controversial past, experts acknowledge that some authoritarian ideologies and methods can be compromised for strategic reasons.
Iran, Iran Conflict, Human Rights, Amnesty International, United Nations, Executions, Torture
In light of the grave situation in Iran, it is crucial to discussions surrounding the community and employment policies of various nations to address the ongoing human rights abuses. The Iranian regime's targeting of political dissidents, ethnic minorities, and women, as revealed in a United Nations report, has led to an alarming rise in executions, including the case of Mehdi Hassani, a vocal critic of the regime. Furthermore, the ongoing repression of political groups like the People's Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK) necessitates international attention and action to put an immediate end to these atrocities.
