Visual Identification of “Rauf”, Revolutionary Guards Intelligence Interrogator
In recent days, the identification and testimony of several victims of Revolutionary Guards Intelligence operations has led to the visual identification of an infamous interrogator. This interrogator, known by various names, particularly “Rauf”, has been identified by victims among photographs of individuals present in the front row of Ayatollah Khamenei’s speech ceremony. Detention Block 2-A, which belongs to Revolutionary Guards Intelligence and is located in Evin Prison, is a place where numerous political-civil activists have been detained, interrogated, and sometimes subjected to mistreatment after arrest. Hrana has conducted interviews with numerous former political prisoners to confirm the identity and role of this security agent.
According to Hrana news agency, the news organ of the Network of Iranian Human Rights Defenders, in recent days the identification and testimony of several political and civil activists who were victims of Revolutionary Guards Intelligence operations has led to the visual identification of an infamous interrogator.
The photograph of this interrogator, who is known by various names but is most commonly known among victims as “Rauf”, has been identified by victims among photographs of individuals present in the front row of Ayatollah Khamenei’s speech ceremony in 2015. Detention Block 2-A, which belongs to Revolutionary Guards Intelligence and is located in Evin Prison, is an infamous location where numerous political-civil activists have been detained, interrogated, and sometimes subjected to mistreatment and torture after arrest.
Although it is believed that this interrogator’s primary workplace is in Block 2-A of Evin Prison, several political-civil activists or families of prisoners have encountered and been interrogated by him in other locations such as offices affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards throughout Tehran.
Hrana has conducted interviews with numerous former political prisoners to confirm the identity and role of this security agent. Among those whom “Rauf” was involved in interrogating are Arash Sadeghi, Golrokh Iraee, Mahdieh Golrou, Atena Daemi, and many civil, political, and student activists whose names cannot be mentioned for security reasons.
One former political prisoner who requested anonymity told Hrana about what he experienced during his interrogation by Rauf: “During my interrogation, Rauf would slap me so hard that twice after returning to my cell I experienced nosebleeds. He kicked me with the heel of his shoe in a way that broke one of my bones. Rauf had a leather belt that he would always use to beat me with. Without reason and like a madman, he would sometimes continue this for ten minutes and then start beating me while cursing me and my family with obscene language.”
Another former political prisoner who spent six months in Block 2-A told Hrana, noting that Rauf played a role in forcing him to make a confession: “After days of constant beating and humiliation during interrogation, they brought me to a room to make a televised confession. Rauf would write the texts and hand them to the filming team. Throughout all stages of filming and extracting my confession, which involved two teams from Ofogh and the 20:30 news program, Rauf was the main director of my forced and tortured confessions project.”
A human rights activist who spent time in Evin Prison said, noting that he has not forgotten Rauf’s face since the end of his interrogations: “Throughout my detention and interrogation, he harassed my family and told my wife’s family to tell my children to divorce me. He was present throughout my trial in the Revolutionary Court and repeatedly threatened me and my other friends with new legal charges. I still remember his repugnant face. I still remember when I think about how he harassed my wife…”
Mahdieh Golrou, a former student activist, while confirming Rauf’s role in interrogating her during her detention, stated in a note published on her personal page: “The locations where he summoned activists were Sabounchi Street, Niayesh Highway near Ooj Institute, and a safe house on Afsarieh Highway. Some of his victims are currently in prison. Due to his recent threats, I have filed a complaint against him in Sweden with my name, phone number, and photo; the outcome is not important—exposing interrogators and those who destroy many people’s lives is a duty regardless of the outcome.”
Hrana news agency is working to complete information about this human rights violator and is calling on victims and those knowledgeable about this person to contact them to help complete this investigation.
Source: Hrana
