New Amnesty International Report on November Protests: At Least 304 Deaths, Child Detention, Torture and Lack of Information

Amnesty International in its latest report has cited the number of deaths in the widespread November protests as 304 people, saying thousands, including children as young as 15, have been detained and in the absence of information, the threat of torture of detainees looms.

Amnesty International’s latest report was released at a time when the Islamic Republic’s official authorities continue to refuse to disclose the number of people killed by its security forces.

Human rights observers at Amnesty International say the Islamic Republic’s security forces “brutally suppressed” the November protests; and arrested thousands, including journalists, human rights activists and students, to silence anyone from speaking about the “oppressive” ongoing measures.

The organization says it compiled its latest report based on interviews and conversations with dozens of Iranian citizens. Citizens who spoke about silent and secret arrests, torture and other mistreatment of detainees.

Amnesty International meanwhile has raised the death toll to at least 304 people. In a previous estimate by the same organization, the number of deaths was reported to be close to a hundred fewer, at least 208 people.

The Kelme website has reported the number of people killed in the protests as at least 366 people. In a report in the New York Times, it was stated that some monitoring organizations say more than 400 people were killed. The U.S. President recently said in one or two speeches that he believes more than a thousand people were killed in the November protests.

The Islamic Republic cut off almost all citizens’ internet access hours after protests began in the last week of November. However, released videos and reports suggest that security personnel from the very first day directly shot military bullets at protesters.

Amnesty International also says videos and statements in its possession show that the Islamic Republic’s security forces have opened fire on unarmed protesters who posed no threat to the personnel.

Philip Luther, Director of Research for West Asia and North Africa at Amnesty International, says “disturbing statements from witnesses suggest that more or less immediately after the killing of protesters by security forces, they embarked on widespread and coordinated suppression to increase the intensity of fear and prevent anyone from speaking about what happened.”

The organization has referenced a recent UN report that states at least 12 children were among the killed.

Philip Luther says “the international community, including through the UN Human Rights Council, must act immediately” to allow the Islamic Republic to conduct investigations into the incidents.

Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, on December 6, in a statement called for greater transparency from Islamic Republic authorities and also an “independent and impartial investigation” into the incidents.

Islamic Republic authorities have not responded to the UN’s request. But the extent of violence, and unarmed citizens who were shot and killed, in recent days have been openly evident in some scattered statements by officials, even in statements by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic.

“Wave of Widespread Arrests” and “Torture and Abuse”

Amnesty International in its latest report has meanwhile spoken of the formation of a “wave of widespread arrests.” The organization has referenced some statements by Tehran officials about the detention of at least seven thousand people and recalled that responsible officials have not released official figures in this regard either.

Some sources told this human rights monitoring body that arrests continue throughout the country.

According to the organization, children as young as 15 are among the detainees held in prisons such as Fashafouyeh.

In early December, Ghasem Shale Saadi, a lawyer and former parliament representative who himself had the experience of being imprisoned in Fashafouyeh, described the prison’s conditions as “catastrophic.” Hassan Khalilabadi, head of Rey city’s Islamic council, also reported very difficult conditions for imprisoned protesters and said “Fashafouyeh prison lacks the necessary facilities.”

Amnesty International has warned about statements by Islamic Republic officials, including its leader, regarding protesters and describing them as “riff-raff” and similar language, as well as statements broadcast on state radio and television about possible issuance of death sentences for detainees.

The Islamic Republic’s state radio and television recently even broadcast statements from one of its “religious experts” who called for “tormenting” the detained protesters. Statements that received widespread coverage on social media and domestic and international outlets.

Amnesty International has also warned about the arrest of journalists, students, human rights activists, minority rights activists, workers and Iranian citizens of various ethnicities.

The organization meanwhile has reported on torture of some detainees, citing witnesses, visual documents and photographs. One witness says a family member of his, after being released on bail, returned home with a bruised and wounded face from cuts and bruising, and shocked by what he had experienced.

Amnesty International, citing other sources, says detainees, including children, were taken in trucks to Rajai Shahr prison with eyes and hands bound, and are subjected daily to beatings, kicks, strikes and abuse with batons.

“Attacks on Hospitals,” “Lack of Information on Detainees”

The organization has also spoken of attacks on hospitals and the arrest of the wounded.

One news source says security officials forced a hospital director in Khuzestan to provide them with a list of all people recently admitted to the facility.

Human rights observers have also warned about lack of information on some detainees, saying some individuals either have no contact with their families or very little information about them is available.

Some family members of detainees told Amnesty International that authorities are withholding information.

Philip Luther, Director of Research for West Asia and North Africa at Amnesty International, said “the world must not sit silent and be a spectator to the continued widespread human rights violations by Iranian authorities and their ruthless efforts to crush dissent.”

Source: Radio Farda