On that occasion Amnesty International stated the following:
"That Ebrahim Raisi has risen to the presidency instead of being investigated for the crimes against humanity of murder, enforced disappearance and torture, is a grim reminder that impunity reigns supreme in Iran. In 2018, our organization documented how Ebrahim Raisi had been a member of the 'death commission' which forcibly disappeared and extrajudicially executed in secret thousands of political dissidents in Evin and Gohardasht prisons near Tehran in 1988. The circumstances surrounding the fate of the victims and the whereabouts of their bodies are, to this day, systematically concealed by the Iranian authorities, amounting to ongoing crimes against humanity.
As Head of the Iranian Judiciary, Ebrahim Raisi has presided over a spiralling crackdown on human rights which has seen hundreds of peaceful dissidents, human rights defenders and members of persecuted minority groups arbitrarily detained. Under his watch, the judiciary has also granted blanket impunity to government officials and security forces responsible for unlawfully killing hundreds of men, women and children and subjecting thousands of protesters to mass arrests and at least hundreds to enforced disappearance, and torture and other ill-treatment during and in the aftermath of the nationwide protests of November 2019.
Ebrahim Raisi's rise to the presidency follows an electoral process that was conducted in a highly repressive environment and barred women, members of religious minorities and candidates with opposing views from running for office." (1)
"That Ebrahim Raisi has risen to the presidency instead of being investigated for the crimes against humanity of murder, enforced disappearance and torture, is a grim reminder that impunity reigns supreme in Iran. In 2018, our organization documented how Ebrahim Raisi had been a member of the 'death commission' which forcibly disappeared and extrajudicially executed in secret thousands of political dissidents in Evin and Gohardasht prisons near Tehran in 1988. The circumstances surrounding the fate of the victims and the whereabouts of their bodies are, to this day, systematically concealed by the Iranian authorities, amounting to ongoing crimes against humanity.
As Head of the Iranian Judiciary, Ebrahim Raisi has presided over a spiralling crackdown on human rights which has seen hundreds of peaceful dissidents, human rights defenders and members of persecuted minority groups arbitrarily detained. Under his watch, the judiciary has also granted blanket impunity to government officials and security forces responsible for unlawfully killing hundreds of men, women and children and subjecting thousands of protesters to mass arrests and at least hundreds to enforced disappearance, and torture and other ill-treatment during and in the aftermath of the nationwide protests of November 2019.
Ebrahim Raisi's rise to the presidency follows an electoral process that was conducted in a highly repressive environment and barred women, members of religious minorities and candidates with opposing views from running for office." (1)
Prominent former U.N. judges and investigators have called on U.N. human rights boss Michelle Bachelet to investigate the 1988 'massacre' of political prisoners in Iran, including the alleged role of its current president, Ebrahim Raisi, at that time.
They did that in an open letter signed by some 460 people, including a former president of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Sang-Hyun Song, and Stephen Rapp, a former U.S. ambassador for global criminal justice. (2)
Raisi is under U.S. sanctions over a past that includes what the United States and activists say was his involvement as one of four judges who oversaw the 1988 killings. Amnesty International has put the number executed at some 5,000, saying in a 2018 report that the real number could be higher. (3)
Regarding the November 2019 uprising, when Raisi was head of the Iranian judiciary, Amnesty International stated the following:
"Amnesty International has released details of the deaths of 304 men, women and children killed by Iran's security forces during last November’s ruthless crackdown, six months after the protests.
The organization found that more than 220 of the recorded deaths took place over just two days on 16 and 17 November. New and extensive research has again concluded that the security forces' use of lethal force against the vast majority of those killed was unlawful.
In almost all protests that took place between 15 and 19 November, there is no evidence that people were in possession of firearms or that they posed an imminent threat to life that would have warranted the use of lethal force, according to research, including video analysis, conducted by Amnesty International. The organization is aware of two exceptions in one city on 18 November where gunfire was exchanged between protesters and security forces.
"The fact that so many people were shot while posing no threat whatsoever shows the sheer ruthlessness of the security forces' unlawful killing spree," said Philip Luther, Amnesty International's Research and Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa.
"Six months later, the devastated families of victims continue their struggle for truth and justice while facing intense harassment and intimidation from the authorities."
"The prevailing impunity afforded to the security forces allows the recurrence of lethal force to crush dissent. In the absence of any meaningful prospect for accountability at the national level, we reiterate our call to members of the UN Human Rights Council to mandate an inquiry into the killings, and identify pathways for truth, justice and reparations," he added.
According to information gathered by Amnesty International, in all but four cases the victims were shot dead by Iranian security forces - including members of the Revolutionary Guards, paramilitary Basij forces and the police - firing live ammunition, often at the head or torso, indicating that they were shooting to kill. Of the remaining four victims, two reportedly suffered fatal head injuries after being beaten by members of the security forces. Another two were recorded as having suffocated from tear gas." (4)
According to Reuters about 1,500 people were killed during less than two weeks of unrest that started on 15 November. The toll, provided to Reuters by three Iranian interior ministry officials, included at least 17 teenagers and about 400 women as well as some members of the security forces and police. (5)
The cabinet of Ebrahim Raisi, represents the culmination of a decades-long political project by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to promote ultra-hardline elites to key leadership positions.
Raisi’s cabinet consists of 12 sanctioned individuals, which is more than any other in the history of the Islamic Republic. As such almost 40 percent of the cabinet are subject to sanctions.
These persons are subject to overlapping international penalties imposed by the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, and United Nations due to their role in Khamenei's networks, support for Iran's nuclear program, ties to terrorist groups, and human rights abuses. These 12 also hold some of the most important positions, including the ministries of defense, interior, and petroleum as well as two vice presidencies.
Furthermore, two members of Raisi's cabinet are subject to Interpol Red Notices - requests to locate wanted criminals - for their involvement in the 1994 terror attack against the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which killed 85 people. They are both affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
At least three members of Raisi's cabinet have attained the rank of general in the IRGC, and multiple others have worked with or retain ties to the IRGC, which the United States has designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. (6)
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(1)
Iran: Ebrahim Raisi must be investigated for crimes against humanity
Amnesty International June 19, 2021
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/06/iran-ebrahim-raisi-must-be-investigated-for-crimes-against-humanity/
(2)
UN urged to open query into Iran's 1988 killings and Raisi role
Stephanie Nebehay
Reuters January 27, 2022
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/un-urged-open-query-into-irans-1988-killings-raisi-role-2022-01-27/
(3)
EXCLUSIVE U.N. expert backs probe into Iran's 1988 killings, Raisi's role
Stephanie Nebehay
Reuters June 29, 2021
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/exclusive-un-expert-backs-probe-into-irans-1988-killings-raisis-role-2021-06-29/
Iran committing crimes against humanity by concealing fate of thousands of slaughtered political dissidents
Amnesty International December 4, 2018
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/12/iran-committing-crimes-against-humanity-by-concealing-fate-of-thousands-of-slaughtered-political-dissidents/?utm_source=Eye+on+Iran%3A+U.S.+Sends+Aircraft+Carrier+To+Persian+Gulf+In+Show+Of+Force+Agains&utm_campaign=eye-on-iran&utm_medium=email
(4)
Iran: Details released of 304 deaths during protests six months after security forces' killing spree
Amnesty International May 20, 2020
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/05/iran-details-released-of-304-deaths-during-protests-six-months-after-security-forces-killing-spree/
(5)
Special Report: Iran's leader ordered crackdown on unrest - 'Do whatever it takes to end it'
Reuters December 23, 2019
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-protests-specialreport-idUSKBN1YR0QR
(6)
The Sanctioned Cabinet of Ebrahim Raisi
Behnam Ben Taleblu
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) September 30, 2021
https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2021/09/30/the-sanctioned-cabinet-of-ebrahim-raisi/
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Iran: Ebrahim Raisi must be investigated for crimes against humanity
Amnesty International June 19, 2021
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/06/iran-ebrahim-raisi-must-be-investigated-for-crimes-against-humanity/
(2)
UN urged to open query into Iran's 1988 killings and Raisi role
Stephanie Nebehay
Reuters January 27, 2022
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/un-urged-open-query-into-irans-1988-killings-raisi-role-2022-01-27/
(3)
EXCLUSIVE U.N. expert backs probe into Iran's 1988 killings, Raisi's role
Stephanie Nebehay
Reuters June 29, 2021
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/exclusive-un-expert-backs-probe-into-irans-1988-killings-raisis-role-2021-06-29/
Iran committing crimes against humanity by concealing fate of thousands of slaughtered political dissidents
Amnesty International December 4, 2018
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/12/iran-committing-crimes-against-humanity-by-concealing-fate-of-thousands-of-slaughtered-political-dissidents/?utm_source=Eye+on+Iran%3A+U.S.+Sends+Aircraft+Carrier+To+Persian+Gulf+In+Show+Of+Force+Agains&utm_campaign=eye-on-iran&utm_medium=email
(4)
Iran: Details released of 304 deaths during protests six months after security forces' killing spree
Amnesty International May 20, 2020
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/05/iran-details-released-of-304-deaths-during-protests-six-months-after-security-forces-killing-spree/
(5)
Special Report: Iran's leader ordered crackdown on unrest - 'Do whatever it takes to end it'
Reuters December 23, 2019
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-protests-specialreport-idUSKBN1YR0QR
(6)
The Sanctioned Cabinet of Ebrahim Raisi
Behnam Ben Taleblu
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) September 30, 2021
https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2021/09/30/the-sanctioned-cabinet-of-ebrahim-raisi/
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