TORTURE: A Main Instrument of Iran's Rulers to Terrorize Restive Population

USAlliance for Democratic Iran ^ | May 11, 2004

[nuconvert]

Torture: A Main Instrument of Iran's Rulers to Terrorize Restive Population

May 06, 2004

The US Alliance for Democratic Iran USADI

For those concerned about the abysmal human rights situation in Iran, but unfamiliar with its ruling tyrants’ double-talk and deception, recent news headline from Iran may have appeared comforting. Alas, the reality on the ground demands continued disgust with the way Iran rulers deal with the citizens and political dissidents.

Besieged by a barrage of questions from frustrated students, President Mohammad Khatami acknowledged last week that the country had many political prisoners. A day later, Judiciary Chief Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi issued a statement purportedly banning “any kind of torture to obtain confessions.”

Human rights organizations wasted no time in dismissing this proclamation as a non-starter, pointing out that Shahroudi’s statement was in fact an official admission of systemic use of torture in Iran and that it was a rehash of the long-ignored provisions already in the mullahs’ Constitution. What is more, Iran has not yet joined the Convention Against Torture, because, among other things, Tehran has sanctioned the very conduct the world community has condemned as torture, as a divine punishment.

Some of the punishments under the Iranian regime’s penal code are flogging, eye gouging, limb amputation and stoning, just to name a few. On any given day, a religious judge could issue an order for “Tazir”, a religious term for physical punishment of the detainee that ranges form lashing the victim for hours to solitary confinement and electric shock, etc.

Many religious loopholes are used to justify the abuse. When the mullahs’ officials ban torture, they are not talking about these Sharia-based forms of punishment. Torture and ill-treatment of political prisoners are a main component of Iran’s highly elaborate and institutionalized suppression designed specifically to terrorize and subdue an increasingly restive population.

A few days after Khatami’s remarks, the Judiciary spokesman even disputed the definition of “political prisoner”, saying that Iranian law did not recognize the status of political prisoners. "This word has no legal definition, but some people consider actions against national security as a political crime," he said.

In the past quarter century, Iran’s leaders have used spin and double-talk in dealing with the international community. In negotiations over suspending uranium enrichment program, the term “suspension” has a totally different meaning for the mullahs. The same goes for the meaning of “torture” and “political prisoner”. The plight of thousands of Iranians who paid the price of trusting the mullahs for their words should serve as examples to those who still believe the mullahs really mean what they say.

Suppression of political and social dissent is a main pillar of Iran’s theocracy. The mullahs shield their tyrannical house of cards behind tall, thick and ubiquitous walls of suppression. Therefore, defending the human rights of Iranians and all Iranian dissidents must be a main component of any policy to support Iran’s democracy movement.

[SusanTK]

My husband's cousin is a twenty-something kid who lives in Iran. About a year ago, he was caught with a girl in his car(not his wife). The Pasdaran (religious, torture police) caught him and had him lashed eighty times. They nearly killed the poor boy. He is the sweetest person, he just wanted to spend some time with a girl. He feels such hate now for the religious authorities. He told us that he wished he had a gun so he could kill them.(all guns have been confiscated in Iran).

An interesting side-note: there were reports that "The Passion of the Christ" was being shown in Iran. Undoubtedly the idiot mullahs had heard all the anti-semitic accusations and let it be shown because they thought it would make Jews look bad. My husband and I went to see it and as we were leaving he said that the movie didn't make him angry at Jews at all- but reminded him of those backwards monsters in Iran that are lashing kids like his cousin. Wanna bet that people still living with those monsters in Iran have the same reaction. The irony.

[McGavin999]

I've had about all the barbarism I can stand for today. Honestly nuconvert, I am totally sick to my stomach.

I think all the good people on this earth need to get on their knees, no matter what their religion, and ask God to help us in this fight. We can not defeat this much evil without Him.

[nuconvert]

I know. I debated posting this article. But people need to know that this brutal, barbaric, inhuman crap goes on every day in other places.

[Looking4Truth]

Just another Islamic lie for the infidels.

[nuconvert]

I'm sorry to hear about your husband's cousin. That poor guy. He isn't the only one who wishes he could kill them.

I think you're right-on regarding the movie.

[nuconvert]

Yes, they're lying. (to "the infidels", as you put it). But these are muslims torturing other muslims, not infidels. The Iranian regime are "equal opportunity" B&s#&*ds.

[SusanTK]

I've posted before on other Iran threads that we actually went to Iran a while back and I discovered that there was a huge Christian underground thing going on over there. Converting to Christianity is a capital offense, but, I saw kids wearing crosses openly in huge numbers and talked to people who had recently converted and met in private homes to study the Bible. The message of Christ must seem like radical revolution to young people growing up in post-Khomeini Iran. The mullahs made a huge mistake letting "The Passion" into the country. In their zeal to defame Jews, the mullahs have let the light shine in on their dingy, little terror state- the love and transcendent power of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. They inadvertently gave the thirsty a little drink. I just pray it becomes a tidal wave that engulfs them.