BAHAI INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
886 UNITED NATIONS PLAZA • NEW YORK, N. V. 10017.U.S.A.
Cable: BAHAINTCOM NEWYORK - Telex: 666363 BICNY
(212) 486-0560
Representative
to the United Nations
Dr Victor de Araujo
Alternate Representative
Mr. Geald Knight
UN SPECIAI- REPRESENTATIVE TO INVESTIGATE
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN IRAN
United Nations, New York, 24 May 1984
Today, the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), meeting
in New York, decided that a Special Representative should be appointed to
make a thorough study of the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic
of Iran. The decision was adopted by 29 votes in favour, 2 against, with
14 abstentions.
In making this decision, ECOSOC was endorsing the recommendation submitted
to it by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights which, in its
resolution 1984/54 of 14 March 1984, had expressed its “deep concern at
the continuing serious violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms
in the Islamic Republic of Iran ... and particularly at the evidence of
summary and arbitrary executions, torture, detention without trial,
religious intolerance and persecution, in particular of the Bahd'is, and
the lack of an independent judiciary and other recognized safeguards for
a fair trial”. In view of the gravity of the situation in Iran, the
Commission had requested its Chairman to appoint a Special Representative
to carry out an investigation. The ECOSOC decision provided the necessary
approval for the appointment.
BP000195
Accredited in consuttatise status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
Associjted with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI)
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UN Special Representative to Investigate
Human Rights Violations in Iran
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died for their religion. Since the start of the Islamic Revolution, 125
Bahá'is had been summarily executed, 7 had died in prison in mysterious
circumstanceS, 4 had been assassinated by revolutionary guards, 22 had
been beaten, stoned or burned to death by fanatical mobs and 15 had
disappeared without trace. Countless Bahd'is had been deprived of their
jobs, homes and possessions, and their children were denied education
unless they recanted their faith.
One of the two Bahá'is executed in Teheran on 15 May was Mr. Jahangir
Hidayati, a member of the now—dissolved national governing body of the
Bahá'i Faith in Iran who was kidnapped in June 1983 and disappeared
without trace. The fact that he was confined, tortured and finally
executed in a State prison belies the assertions of the Iranian authorities
who had insisted that they were not responsible for his abduction and that
they had no knowledge of his whereabouts. “His execution”, said Knight,
“leads us to the assumption that the other 15 disappeared Bahd'is may well
have shared his fate and that the true figure of dead probably stands at
over 170.
The persecution of the Bahá'fs is motivated by fanatical religious prejudice.
The Bahá'f Faith, an independent world religion founded in Iran in 1844, is
not recognized in the land of its birth. Iran's fundamentalist religious
leaders are unwilling to tolerate the existence of any religion that appeared
after Islam and are conducting a ruthless campaign to eradicate the Bahá'f
community and destroy all traces of the Bahá'i Faith in Iran.
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UN Special Representative to Investigate
Human Rights Violations in Iran
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For further information Gerald Knight
Bahá' International Community
United Nations Office
866 United Nations Plaza
New York, New York 10017
Telephone: (212) 486—0560 (Office)
(914) 997—7571 (Home)
S.'
E
UNITED
NATIONS
Economic and
.
Distr.
GENERAL
E/l984/NGO/S
.
15 May 1984
ORIGINALt EN
GLISH
First regular session of 1984
Agenda item 10
HUMAN RIGB.TS
Statement submitted by the Bahá'f International Comniunifl ,
a non _ governmental organization in consultative status,
categoryj
The SecretarY_ fleral has received the following stateitierit, which is
circulated in accordance with paragraphs 23 an 24 of Economic and Social Council
resolution 1296 (XLIV) of 23 May 1968.
The Bah '1 International CommunitY wishes to submit the following information
with regard to the practice of torture in the contemPOrarY world. This information
is based. on reports received by the Bah ' International ConununitY concerning the
treatment of Bahá'I prisoners in Evin Prison, Teheran.
Typically, the prisoner is awakened at 4.00 a.in. and taken to the
interrogation chamber to await the interrogators who arrive at 7.00 a.m. and work
uninterruptedly on their victim until 4.00 p.m. The prisoner — man or woman — is
punched and kicked, then tied to a specially designed table and beaten mercilesslY
on all parts of the body, but particularly on the soles of the feet with a metal
cable, rubber hose or similar object while other interrogators administer repeated
severe blows to the head. The interrogators periodically check to see whether the
prisoner's will has been broken and whether he is willing to comply with the
demands of the prison authorities. The treatment continues for hours or days,
depending on the victim's ability to withstand the torture. A doctor is sometimes
summoned to administer superficial medical treatment in order to keep the prisoner
alive. In between beatings, the prisoner is forced to mark time on his lacerated
feet. The prisoner experiences extreme thirst as a result of the torture and is
goaded to walk unaided on his grossly swollen legs to slake his thirst with a glass
of water alluringly displayed some distance away. The severe beatings cause
internal injuries and the prisoner inevitably passes blood in his urine.
I. .
84—12634 4198e (E)
E/ 1984/NGO/5
English
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After undergoing torture, the prisoner is taken to an interrogation room.
nterrogatiOfl normally takes place with the prisoner blindfolded or facing a wall,
so that he cannot identify his interrogators. 1n cases where both the husband and
wife are prisoners, one will be shown the damaged body of the other during the
course of the interrogation. The prisoner is given a questionnaire and ordered to
complete it according to the wishes of the interrogators. Enfeebled and in a state
of shock, the prisoner is subjected to blows and abuse if he fails to comply with
the interrogators' demands. As the post—torture numbness of his body subsides, the
prisoner is overwhelmed by pain even more excruciating than the agony he suffered
in the torture chamber. The pattern of then resumes,
lessening or increasing in intensity according to the resistance of the victim.
In order to increase the psychological pressure on prisonerS some are
transferred from Evin prison to Gawhar—DaSht prison in Raraj, a small town on the
outskirts of Teheran. They are kept there for weeks or months in solitary
confinement in isolated cells measuring approximately 1.7 metres by 2 metres.
Apart from the guards who bring their food, and who curse and beat them, the
prisoners see no one and speak to no one. The only sounds they hear are the
screams and moans of their fellow prisoners who are undergoing torture. The
purpose of the torture is to extract false confessions which will implicate the
prisoner and also those who share his beliefs.
10. Human rights situation in the Islamic Renublin
of Iran /
The Economic and Social Council, noting Commission on Human Right!
resolutiOn 1984/54 of 14 March 1984, endorses the Commission's decision
to request its chairman to appoint, after consultation within the Bureau,
a special representative of the Commission, whose mandate will be to
establish contacts with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran
and to make a thorough study of the human rights situation in that country
based on such information as he may deem relevant, including comments and
materials provided by the Government, containing conclusions and appropriate
suggestions, to be presented to the. Commission at its forty—first session.
The Council further endorses the Commission's request to the SecretaryGentral
to give all necessary assistance to the special representative of the -
Commission.
See chap. II, sect. A, resolution 1984/54, and chap. XII.
1984154. Human rights situation in the Islamic Reoublic of' Iran 147/
The CommissiOn on Human Right.s,
Guided bl the principles embodied in the Charter of the United Nations,
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenants on
Human Rights,
Reaffirmir1 that all Member States have an obligation to promote and protect
human rights and fundamental freedoms and to fulfil the obligations they have
undertaken under the various international instruments in this field,
Recallip , its resolutionS 1982/27 of' 11 March 1982 and 1983134 of'
8 March 1983, in which, inter alia , the Commission expressed concern about the
human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran,
Taking into account the information on the human rights situation in the
Islamic Republic of' Iran contained in the report of the Secretary—General, l/ 8I
Rezrettin& the refusal of' the Government of' the Islamic Republic of Iran
to receive the mission arranged by the Secretary—General in agreement with the
Government,
Encouragiflg the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to co—operate
with the Commission Ofl Human Rights in the future,
Mindful of' resolution 1983/14 of' 5 September 1983 of the Sub—Commission
on Prevention of' Discrimination and Protection of' Minorities,
1. Expresses its deep concern at the continuing serious violations of'
human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Islamic Republic of' Iran as
reflected in the report of' the Secretary_General,-afld particularly at the evidence
of suniznary 'and arbitrary executions, torture, detention without trial, religious
intolerance and persecution, in particular of the Baha'is, and the lack of an
independent judiciary and other recognized safeguards for a fair trial;
2. Urges once more the Government of the Islamic Republic of' Iran, as a
State party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to
respect and ensure to all individuals within its territory and subject to its
jurisdiction the rights recognized in that Covenant;
3. Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary—General for the efforts
deployed by him in the framework of his ongoing direct contacts 149/ with the
Government of' the Islamic Republic of Iran;
147/ Adopted at the 58th meeting, on 14 March 1984, by a roll—call vote of'
21 to 6, with 15 abstentions. See chap. XII.
148/ E/CN.4119 8 4/2 8 .
149/ See E/CN.4/1984132.
)
4. Requests the Chairman to appoint, after consultation within the Bureau,
a special representative of the Commission whose mandate will be to establish
contacts with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and to make a
thorough study of the human rights situation in that country based on such
information as he nay deem relevant, including comments and materials provided by
the Government, containing conclusions and appropriate suggestions, to be
presented to the Commission at its forty—first session;
5. Reauests the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to extend its
co—operation to the Special Representative of the CommissiOn
6. Requests the Secretary—General to give all necessary assistance to the
Special Representative of the Cominissiofl
7. Decides to continue its consideration of the situation of human rights
and fundamental freedoms in the Islamic Republic of Iran at its forty—first session.
