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Victims of rape and other tortures in Iran face danger again: Amnesty International

Iran Materials 11 September 2009 14:03 (UTC +04:00)
Victims of rape and other torture by Iranian security forces are facing renewed risk after documents detailing abuses against them were confiscated
Victims of rape and other tortures in Iran face danger again: Amnesty International

Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 11 / Trend , T.Konyayeva/

Victims of rape and other torture by Iranian security forces are facing renewed risk after documents detailing abuses against them were confiscated, Irene Khan, Amnesty International's Secretary General, said today. Khan called on Iran's Supreme Leader to ensure the victims' safety and hold the perpetrators to account.

"The Iranian authorities appear more intent on finding the identities of those who claim to have been tortured by security officials than in carrying out an impartial investigation so that the perpetrators can be brought to justice," said Irene Khan.

Earlier this week, Tehran's prosecutor office sealed the committee set up by Mehdi Karrubi, former Iranian presidential candidate, the Chief Secretary of the Party "Etimad Milli". The Committee was established to collect and process information on torture and other abuses against detainees in connection with protests against the official results of the June 12 presidential elections.


"The Supreme Leader must intervene and ensure that there is no cover up of the grave abuses committed against those who challenge the official election result," said Irene Khan. "In particular, he must ensure that victims of rape, torture and other abuses are fully protected against reprisals or further abuse at the hands of those who tortured them."

Amnesty International is continuing to urge Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to invite international experts such as the UN Special Rapporteurs on torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions to go to Iran to carry out an independent inquiry.

The committee, established by Karrubi and maintained by another ex-presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi, accused the security forces of the rape and torture of persons arrested during demonstrations against the official election results.

On Sept. 7, the prosecutors' officials raided the offices and seized documents, CD-drives, computers and videotapes, as well as forcibly closed committee, said the representative of the Etimad Milli party, Ismail Gerami Muqaddam. The Committee has recently presented information to the parliamentary committee, set up to investigate abuse.

According Muqaddam, Mohammad Dawari, editor of the official website of the Party - Saham News, was also arrested.

The seized records contain information which would enable the judicial authorities to identify the former detainees who were prepared to speak out on confidential basis due to their fear of reprisals and the shocking nature of their ordeal.

The law-enforcers also closed the office of the Association of the Prisoners Rights Protection, established by Emaddedin Baqi, an activist fighting for human rights, who also collected information on torture and other abuses against detainees.

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