1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners
A series of mass executions of political prisoners ordered by Ayatollah Khomeini and carried out by Iranian officials took place across Iran, starting on 19 July 1988 and continuing for approximately five months. The killings took place in at least 32 cities across the country, and estimates of the number killed range from 2,500 to 30,000, many of whom were also subject to torture.
Ebrahim Raisi (right) and Mostafa Pourmohammadi (left), two members of "Judges of Death" committee. | |
| Date | July–December 1988 (some sources say July–September) |
|---|---|
| Location | Iran |
| Type | Mass execution |
| Target | Political opposition groups, most notably the MEK |
| Deaths | At least 2,500 to 30,000 (exact number unknown) |
The majority of those who were killed were supporters of the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MeK), but supporters of other leftist factions, including the Fedaian and the Tudeh Party of Iran (Communist Party), were also executed.: 209–228
The killings operated outside legislation and trials were not concerned with establishing the guilt or innocence of defendants. Great care was taken to conceal the killings, and the government of Iran currently denies their occurrence. The massacres have been called "Iran’s greatest crime against humanity", without precedent in the modern Iranian history both in terms of scope and cover-up,: 201 and have been denounced by deputy Supreme Leader of Iran at the time Ayatollah Montazeri, the United Nations Human Rights Council, and number of countries such as Sweden, Canada, and Italy.
Various motives have been offered for the executions of the victims, including that the victims were executed in retaliation for the 1988 attack on the western borders of Iran by the MeK, (although members of other leftist groups which never supported or took part in the Mujahedin's invasion were also targeted for execution).: 218 Survivors of the massacre have made numerous calls for redress and they have also called for the prosecution of those who perpetrated the massacre.