Oppositionists condemn murderous Iran regime

In the 25 years since the revolution against the Shah thousands of political prisoners have been massacred by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Since 1989 many men, women and children, whose only crime was to say no to the Islamic state, have been killed.

In trials lasting only a few minutes prisoners, without legal representation, were sentenced to death on charges of ‘waging war against God’.

After being executed they were buried in mass graves. Their bodies were not handed over to their relatives – only a few pieces of clothing were delivered to them.

Eventually, some of the families of those executed discovered the location of the mass graves near Tehran.

One of these graves is at Khavaran. Families of those executed keep their memory alive by taking flowers to the grave each year.

As Islamic Republic Day (1 April) was being celebrated there were threats of violence, beatings and arrests, to prevent families coming to the grave.

The regime believed this behaviour would hide their crimes but the government did not succeed. Iranian activists, including families of those executed, and human rights lawyers organised an Iran Tribunal in London in 2012, and again in 2013.

The Tribunal condemned the Islamic government, including Ayatollah Khomeini and others who were implicated in these crimes against humanity.

The families of those executed demanded the opening of the files but the government denied the murders had taken place.

Others, who were imprisoned instead of being executed, were secretly executed at the end of their prison term. The killings continue, including public executions in the streets.

Socialists in Europe need to show solidarity with the gathering movement of opposition in Iran.

Iranian socialists in Manchester