Poya Bakhtiari’s Father Appeals to UN: Investigate Bloody Crackdown

Manouchehr Bakhtiari, in a letter addressed to the United Nations, called for an independent international investigation into the bloody suppression of protests in Iran. Poya Bakhtiari’s father reported the presence of 144 bodies of protesters alone at the coroner’s office in the city of Karaj.

The Iran Human Rights Campaign website on Monday, the 9th of Tir (June 29), republished a letter that Manouchehr Bakhtiari, father of Poya Bakhtiari, one of those killed in last November’s protests, had written some time ago to Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, as well as to Javaid Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran.

Manouchehr Bakhtiari, who lost his son Poya Bakhtiari in the brutal suppression of November 1398 (2019) protests, called in this letter for independent investigations by international bodies, including the UN human rights institution, into “the lethal violence of the Iranian government against protesters.”

Manouchehr Bakhtiari’s letter was sent before the start of the 44th session of the UN Human Rights Council to a number of human rights activists around the world, including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The text of this letter has now been published by the Iran Human Rights Campaign website. In this three-page letter, Manouchehr Bakhtiari referenced the law-breaking actions of Islamic Republic officials.

Referring to the Iranian government’s lack of accountability and failure to provide accurate information about the brutal suppression of last November’s protests, Manouchehr Bakhtiari requested that the United Nations appoint a group to investigate the suppression of these protests.

Key points of Manouchehr Bakhtiari’s letter

Poya Bakhtiari’s father addressed his personal experience in this letter as a “bereaved father.” He stated that he has no confidence in Iran’s judicial system.

Manouchehr Bakhtiari said that when he went to the coroner’s office in the city of Karaj to receive his son’s body, he became aware of the extent of violence that had been used against protesters. Mr. Bakhtiari also referred to officials’ prevention of the handover of his son’s body and stated that 144 bodies were mentioned at the Karaj coroner’s office.

According to Poya Bakhtiari’s father, the coroner’s office avoided handing over the bodies of those killed in the crackdown to their families. He referred to an order from Iran’s Interior Ministry to transfer the bodies to Tehran and bury them in that city.

Manouchehr Bakhtiari also referenced the Islamic Republic officials’ prevention of public mourning ceremonies and stated that his legal pursuit to obtain clarification about his son’s death has caused considerable difficulties for him and other family members.

In his letter to Michelle Bachelet and other human rights officials, he wrote about the holding of a memorial service for Poya’s fortieth day, during which all members of his family and “including me, Poya’s mother, his sister and his sister’s husband, two uncles and even his 11-year-old cousin were handcuffed, blindfolded and taken in separate cars to Rajaei Shahr Prison in Karaj and held in detention for two days to one month.”

Manouchehr Bakhtiari emphasized that “critical dialogue” with the Islamic Republic government has so far not resulted in the government’s accountability. He called on international bodies to force the Iranian government to be accountable and, through independent investigation into the deadly suppressions of protests, pave the way for future prosecution of those who ordered and carried out such actions.

Source: DW