International People’s Court of November Convened in London to Investigate ‘Crimes’ of 1398

The first session of the International People’s Court of November to investigate ‘crimes’ committed by the Iranian government in 1398 concluded on Wednesday, November 19, in London, following testimonies from 32 witnesses.

The next session of the court will begin tomorrow (Thursday) at 10 a.m. London time.

This court, organized by three organizations—”Iran Human Rights,” “Justice for Iran,” and “Together Against Execution”—will continue until November 23, with 45 witnesses testifying in court. According to the organizers, written statements from 120 people have been submitted to the court.

The first witness in Wednesday’s session was the father of Farzad Ansarifar, who appeared via video link. Farzad Ansarifar was killed on November 25, 1398, during protests in Behbahan when he was shot in the head. His family’s complaint file to identify those responsible for his death, like other families of November victims, remains unresolved.

Nahid Shirpisheh, mother of Poya Bakhtiari, one of the victims of the November 1398 protests in Mehrshar, Alborz Province, also testified as a witness in this court, saying: “We were the first family to bring the shameful actions of the Islamic Republic in killing protesters to the world’s attention, and we were not afraid of the consequences. As a result, we have been continuously threatened and arrested, and Poya’s father is now imprisoned.”

Mrs. Shirpisheh emphasized: “We Iranians are under occupation; our country is occupied. I feel like a hostage.”

She added: “The enemy is closer than the jugular vein and intends to take our lives, whether by bullets and nooses, or by not purchasing the coronavirus vaccine.”

Poya Bakhtiari, born in 1371, went to a protest on the second day of demonstrations against sudden gas price increases with his mother and sister, when according to his father, his skull was shot and he died before reaching the hospital.

Some witnesses appeared online in masked form to protect their security.

One such witness, who wished to remain anonymous, appeared as “Witness 32” and in part of his testimony referred to the families’ unsuccessful complaints to identify those responsible for the murder of his 25-year-old brother.

Witness 32, stating that security forces had delayed handing over his brother’s body for seven days after his death, said: “In court they told my father he was shot by Basij forces and you have no right to pursue this. In other words, we killed him, we killed him!”

Another anonymous witness, identified as “Witness 185,” introduced himself as “one of the close associates and confidants of the Friday prayer leader” of his city and said he was a close observer of the November 1398 protests.

Witness 185, who appeared at the court session with a voice modulator and masked face, added: “In our city, more than 120 people were killed and… the Security Council ordered the medical examiner to write the cause of death as something else.”

He claimed the city’s Friday prayer leader had told security forces: “Settle these cases. Even if blood was spilled, I take responsibility. The Supreme Leader is displeased.”

On Tuesday, November 18, the court organizers stated in a statement that this “court will examine whether crimes committed by Islamic Republic officials, including Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, and Ibrahim Raisi, the current president and former head of the judiciary, in connection with the November 1398 protests constituted crimes against humanity.”

According to this statement, the International People’s Court of November “is composed of legal experts from the United Kingdom, the United States, Indonesia, South Africa, and Libya who specialize in human rights and international relations.”

One witness, who appeared in public court sessions wearing a headscarf, mask, and sunglasses to prevent her identity from being revealed, is a mother whose son, an innocent passerby, was killed during the November protests when a bullet hit his eye. He died on the way to the hospital, and authorities refused to provide a medical report to his family and withheld his body for an entire week.

Another witness, a surgeon, appeared at the court wearing a mask, hat, and sunglasses to speak about a young man who fell to the ground after being shot in the head by security forces.

According to the court organizers’ statement, during the protests and two months after, this surgeon secretly treated people who had been wounded during the protests in his home.

On September 15 of this year, the court organizers announced that this court would be held based on “testimony from hundreds” with the aim of “determining the nature of crimes that occurred during the November 1398 protests and holding those responsible accountable at the international level.”

The November 1398 protests, which initially were a reaction to the sudden increase in gas prices, quickly shifted direction and targeted the Islamic Republic government and Ali Khamenei at its head. However, these protests were met with severe suppression, with hundreds of men, women, and even children killed over five days.

Iran’s interior minister stated that 200 to 225 people were killed in these protests, but Amnesty International, by announcing the details of at least 304 victims, emphasized that the death toll could be much higher.

However, Reuters reported at the time that at least 1,500 people were killed in the November 1398 protests, quoting “three sources close to Khamenei’s inner circle” and “a fourth official,” who reported that the Islamic Republic’s leader told senior government officials to “do whatever is necessary to stop” the protests.

Sessions of the International Court of November will be broadcast live from November 19 to 23 of this year through the court’s Instagram account (Abantribunal).

Source: Radio Farda