Parents of the Murdered in Kahrizak: We Want Justice for Our Children!

“Tabnak” reports that in addition to the interviews conducted with Dr. Abd Al Housein Rohalamini Najaf Abadi, Mr. Ali Javadifar and Mr. Ali Kamrani, whom are grieving parents of victims, two other anonymous parents provided their feedback in the form of notes and short letters. Below is a summary of these notes and interviews:

 

Ali Javadifar, the father of deceased Amir Javadifar (a victim murdered while being held in custody at Kahrizah Prison), writes the following:

 

“In Response to (People's) Request for Justice”

A short while ago, I had a meeting with the warden of the Kahrizak Prison. This meeting resulted in verbal assaults and ended in a physical altercation. I showed him a picture of my murdered son and asked him, “Do you know (the person in) this picture? This is the same person that you and your lackeys beat up simply because he was sitting in the shade”. A few days ago, I visited the Chief Prosecutor working the case, and he informed me of the actions and work being done to gather evidence and testimony. He also promised me that he would proceed with full intent and without compromise, and that the court would commence its work as soon as possible.

“In my opinion, given that the Supreme Leader has personally requested that this matter be pursued, these murders will be taken seriously. Since he has taken a strong position, the culprits and their associates will be dealt with swiftly.”

In testimony submitted to the court, I have requested that the court pursue every single person involved, from those who issued the orders to those who assisted and carried them out. I am not after a particular individual, but believe that every person, from the lowest ranked soldier to the highest ranked officer, who was involved in the “Kahrizak Murders” and the murder of my beloved son, needs to be prosecuted and convicted.

In my opinion, the people of Iran would expect the same from the judge, not only to support the families emotionally, but also to pursue to the fullest extent of the law, the criminals involved in the spilling of innocent blood. Thankfully, regarding Kahrizak and the despicable events that took place in that prison, many have come forward and provided testimony to us. Provided the heads of the legal system will ensure their safety, these individuals would be willing to provide this testimony in court.

 

Ali Kamrani, the father of deceased Mohammed Kamrani (a murder victim of the Kahrizak Prison), wrote the following:

My Request: “An Eye for an Eye”

 

Since my wife and I presented ourselves to the Justice department to provide our testimony as the accusing party, we have heard nothing back. If there has been any progress made on the case, I am still unaware. Real progress will only be made once the accused confess and we hear of these confessions.

We have informed the concerned officials with whom we have had conversations, that we will only be satisfied when all the culprits have been dealt with to the fullest extent of the law, meaning “an eye for an eye”. This, and only this, is what we and other families of victims are requesting and will be satisfied with.

I am not filing a complaint against an individual, but against everyone involved in these horrendous acts of murder. All of these people must be punished under the law, regardless of their position, post or authority. The government itself must pursue this and justice must be administered without exception.

 

Currently, the files of all families who have lost a loved one in Kahrizak Prison, along with the files of those who have been held there, are being addressed under a single legal forum. Mr. Rouhalamini, who was involved in a meeting with the judge responsible for all of these files, has told me via telephone that there is significant progress being made in all cases.

I think these cases should be tried publicly, so that the people can put a face to the criminals and so that the truth becomes clear to all. This way, the criminals and their associates will be less prone to using lies in their defense.

 

An Interview with Dr. Rouhalamini:

 

The former Director of Iran’s Pasteur Institute was not an unknown name in the Iranian political and scientific communities; however, the horrible post-election events have put him directly in the spotlight.

Albeit 60 days have passed from the sudden and tragic murder of Dr. Rouhalamini’s son, he continues to grieve and bear the traditional black garb [i], mourning the loss of his son who’s high profile murder shed light on the murder of many others arrested in the post-election turmoil, in what is now being called the “Kahrizak Prison Atrocities”. Dr. Rouhalamini is actively collecting evidence [ii], legal documents and testimony in order to present a strong case to the courts and claim justice for his son and other victims. After much insistence, this interview was conducted with Dr. Rouhalamini at his office in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Institute of the University of Medical Sciences of Tehran.

 

We understand that this must be very difficult for you, but we would appreciate starting off with a few words about Mohsen (Dr. Rouhalamini’s deceased son).

 

Martyr Mohsen Rouhalamini was only 25 years old when he was murdered. Though he was a computer science student at the Technical School of the University of Tehran, studying for the sake of studying did not satisfy him, and so he dropped out to pursue a career in programming. According to his classmates, he was “quiet & constructive”, a free spirit, curious and constantly seeking the truth.

Satisfying him, much like today’s youth, was always a difficult affair because unlike our generation, the cliché answers were never enough. My son always had a problem with hypocrisy and dishonesty, and as a pure and good person, the progress of events resulted in him becoming more and more emotionally involved. He was worried about our people and about our country. My son, like so many other young Iranians, was concerned for the future of the country and the people of Iran, so he constantly strived for solutions, without ever hurting a soul.

 

Dr. Rouhalamini, you are well known and an accepted personality within the regime; what are your thoughts regarding the atrocities that have taken place, post-election?

 

Firstly, I have to start by saying that my son’s life is of no greater significance than that of the other victims. If anything, given our family’s status, one could say that the other victims’ families, who do not have the same level of access to government officials and media, are much worse off. One can refer to Mr. Javadifar, who had to painfully bury his murdered son in poverty, without any fanfare or media coverage. My activities are not only for my son, but for all those who have suffered the same fate, all of those grieving families who do not have the same means and access that I do. We cannot simply brush this issue away, even if it may seem like the easiest way to deal with the tragedy. I must add that when the issue becomes politically complicated, trouble arises and the air becomes polluted. It becomes harder to provide honest opinions and judge issues based on what they really mean. Even though we can pursue this matter further with the current mechanisms and avenues in place, as mentioned by the Supreme Leader, the post-election unrest cannot be used as an excuse to attack the lives and property of the people. We have to accept the fact that many of the protests were from the people; unfortunately many narrow-minded decisions, exaggerations and dispassion resulted in the situation being managed as poorly as it could have been, and this has left a very bitter taste in the mouth of the Iranian Nation.

 

As one of the complainants of the Kahrizak Atrocities, are you willing to forgo justice?

 

There is obviously no way that I will not pursue the murder of my innocent son, nor will I allow his death to be for naught. I will pursue this matter until all of the culprits are arrested and justice is fully served, as I believe that since my “Mohsen” is not with us anymore, it is imperative we bring out all the “Mohsen’s”  in society (referring to his son’s free spirit and truth-seeking nature). Albeit I am pursuing justice using a different path than many of the other complainants, I am doing so under the banner of justice, using our legal system in which we should believe in and which we must adhere to seeking justice. God willing, my efforts will bear fruit. I will pursue the rights of my dead son and the other “Mohsen’s” without compromise, but also without taking an emotional approach which may God forbid, result in the misuse or misinterpretation of my efforts. My family and I are pursuing the key questions; why is it that such a tragedy is possible in our country? What must be done to prevent something like this from ever happening again?

 

Do you accept the premises that the post-election unrest and its handling, such as the Kahrizak Atrocities, resulted in certain loyal segments of society losing their trust in the regime?

 

Losing trust in the regime and the Supreme Leader is not right. We still believe in the system, unlike those who with the smallest slight, question the legitimacy of the system as opposed to controlling themselves. I believe in the system that was created from the loss of hundreds of thousands of martyrs. The fact is that the peoples’ trust in the sincerity, honesty and ability of many officials in the justice system, as well as the police and country’s security apparatus, has been tarnished. These officials need to be put aside so that people do not lose their trust in the system as a whole. The government needs to act in a way that will result in the improvement of our situation and not, God forbid, the other way around. We should not allow some of the unthought-of actions, dissent and criminal behaviors that have taken place to turn us away from the right path (supporting the regime).

 

 Some try to link the atrocities at Kahrizak to the weakening of the entire regime, stating that those who ordered the arrest, transfer to, holding and beating of the prisoners are representative of the regime as a whole. In your eyes, do these opinions hold any weight?

 

There is no doubt that these atrocities, wrong behaviors and actions need to be addressed, but there is equally no doubt that the incompetence, immorality and inabilities of these people cannot be used to question the regime as a whole. We believe that our son was martyred for a reason, and that his innocent blood will result in the reform and filtering out of many of these types of socio-political problems and mismanagements, whether systematic or individual. These barriers to our growth, overall success and progress will be removed and the path to progress will be open. We, in this country, are members of a large family, and every one of us is concerned for the country’s well being. Our Mohsen was one of these people. We cannot hold the system and Supreme Leader responsible, and the incompetency and shameful behaviors of certain officials must be understood separately. We must surely have a much higher capacity for government within us, and if we cannot solve a multi-variable problem, then we must reconsider our abilities. We must reconsider the people we have asked to lead our government, instead of turning the problem into a single-variable formula and trying to erase the consequences of our incompetence. Fortunately, the way the Kahrizak Atrocities’ are being addressed shows that the system is not willing to compromise to the righteous path. Though many of the culprits of these atrocities are trying to spin this as the fault of those against the regime and insist that their role in the security of the country be allowed to continue so as to protect their own reputations, the Supreme Leader has thankfully clarified that the current positions and former actions of these individuals will not protect them against the repercussions of their current crimes. We expect the judicial officers to pursue culprits of the Kahrizak atrocities and other crimes to the fullest extent, without regard for ties, positions, revolutionary history or the power of their supporters.

 

Who do you think are the real victims of the post-election unrest?

 

I think the biggest victim so far is the Islamic Republic of Iran, and we all have to work to repair the damage that has been done to the system by this turmoil. The actions of low-ranking officials have unfortunately been linked to the regime, and high-ranking officials are holding onto their positions as though their dismissal or removal will be detrimental to the regime. Another problem is that the words “I am sorry”, and concepts such as taking responsibility, are far removed. In the East, in a country like Japan, the first thing done when tragedy occurs in one’s department or area of responsibility is to resign or apologize for their mistake at the very least. In the West, a train may derail and the second or third highest ranking government official will take responsibility and resign. In our country, officials presume that their presence in their posts is required for the country to succeed, when this is not actually the case.

 

What is the first step that must be taken for the Islamic Republic of Iran to emerge from its current status as the biggest victim?

 

We are currently witnessing the efforts of the culprits to create further tension, obscure their actions and even destroy evidence in the hopes of evading prosecution. The only way for the Islamic regime to exit this state is by dealing with these culprits. We must revisit the regime’s fundamentals and explain once more what the Islamic Republic means and what the regime is not. Each of us, especially the ranking officials, must watch our actions and behavior closely, and work to improve peoples’ trust in the regime and prevent further distrust from arising. The truth is that Islam, the Supreme Leader, the Quran and Democracy are the founding pillars of our government. However, some can be seen kilometers away from the concept of rule by Supreme jurists [iii], others can be seen petrified in time, and some have been strongly attracted to the prayers of the month of Shaban [iv] to the point where they disregard the edicts of the Supreme Leader.

I should say that the state and the people cannot be separated; the Supreme Leader, Islam and Republicanism are separate concepts yet intertwined. In the post-election unrest, the state has lost much and has become the greatest victim of the unrest.

 

Some believe that there is a conflict of interest between the concept of supporting the regime and attaining one's rights. What is your opinion on this topic?

 

Some think that when you defend the state, you are forgoing your rights. This is not the case. Actually, seeking justice for our lost loved one is the responsibility of the state, and the state takes precedence to us in the right to seek justice. According to the Quran, in seeking justice (an eye for an eye) there is life hidden, meaning that seeking this justice will inject life into society. I hope that an attitude of competence, accountability and transparency overtakes the various organs of our government so that the enemy gives up hope and realizes that they are wasting their time. In a recent visit to Grand Ayatollah Javadi Amoli, he mentioned his attempts to quell my heart; “If I say this is not my business, and it is not your business, someone will show up and say that it is not any of our business!” This is to say that the search and execution of justice is the affair of the state, and our affair is to evaluate the result of such actions and report the injustices we see. We will continue following our responsibility to the full extent so that we see the results, unlike those who talk about responsibility yet generate no results.

 

You and some other University scholars had a visit with the Supreme Leader. What were his thoughts regarding your positions?

 

I expressed to him that attitudes need to change if we are to avoid a much larger crisis in the future, as recurring behavior patters will damage the reputation of the Islamic Republic. He concurred and mentioned that unfortunate events have taken place in recent years and there have been those who strayed from the law. Many have asked that we overlook these people in light of their previous contributions, but he believes that each action should be weighed individually based on its merit. If someone has committed an offence, that offence must be punished based on its effects and gravity, and if someone does something good then it too should be praised based on its merits and effects. I personally believe in justice and the rule of law,  and if within the body called the state officials have strayed, then the law should be used to prosecute them.

 

Have you had the chance to meet with the families of the other victims of the Kahrizak atrocities? If so, what is their position regarding this issue?

 

 Yes, I have met them all. We all trust in the Islamic Republic and are pursuing the case.
 
Given that we are fast approaching the start of the first session for the trials of the accused Kahrizak Atrocities’ culprits, what do you think will happen and be the result of these trials?
 
God willing, I hope that the trials will get to a satisfactory conclusion. There is currently a good amount of effort being taken by the judicial system. I hope that the trials will not end with the conviction of low-level executioners and regional officials, but also identify the main culprits and high-level officials that were acting in the background. Justice will only be served once the people who gave the orders and facilitated the atrocities, many of whom are at high levels of government, are brought to court and convicted. My beliefs are not based on a naïve or overly optimistic outlook, but because we have taken a route that leads to results, a path based on the law, and stayed away from political noise and the media. If only others would have chosen the same path.
 
Do you believe that the accused have pursued these tragic murders and beatings without the informed or ordered consent of their superiors? If so, why aren’t the superior being brought to trial as well?
 
It is literally impossible for these events to have taken place without the consent of their superiors in the security apparatus and justice ministry. In this situation, legal and Islamic prosecution should be undertaken to deal with those involved in the higher echelons, or we will be guilty of prosecuting the weak and the trials will not result in any real reform. This in turn will result in people losing hope in the judicial system, whereas dealing with the criminals will bring hope back to people. What worries me is that the displacing of these people from post to post, or even higher positions, will be spun as having dealt with them. In the events of 7th of Tir, only one person died but the head of the Tehran Police was taken to court and sacked. Here we have many people beaten to death and many more beaten severely, so the removal and public trial of the involved military and judicial personnel is the very least the family of the victims’ should expect to see.
 
 Other than meeting with the Supreme Leader regarding this issue, have you met with any other high-rankign officials to discuss the Kahrizak Atrocities?
 
Yes. I have met with the head of the judiciary and the speaker of parliament. In addition, I have met Ayatollah Javdi Amouli who mentioned that the regime must seek justice in this case as an Islamic principle.
 
We have heard that 7 people have been arrested with respect to the Kahrizak Atrocities. Is this true?
 
Yes. Actually, the number is higher. Again, we cannot think of only those who executed the orders, or the mid-level officers who facilitated the work. The high-ranking offices who were aware of these activities must also take responsibility and be dealt with.
 
 
 
[i] In the  Persian tradition, the family of the deceased wears black for 40 days, with the 40th day being a symbol of moving forward. Generally on the 40th day, family friends and associates visit  in what is called the “chehleh” ceremony  or 40th day  ceremony. During this visit, they ask the family to move on and refrain from wearing black thereafter. The author is stipulating how this father is not ready to move on and continues to mourn and wear  black,  60 days after his son’s death.
 
[ii] The Iranian justice system is quite primitive in comparison to the legal systems we are used to in the West. The prosecutor and judge are often one and the same, and an accusing party is responsible for providing evidence with the police and judicial system playing an assisting role, versus a leading role in the collection and building of a case.
 
[iii] This is a reference to the Supreme Leader; under the Islamic Republic, the Supreme Leader (often called the “Rahbar”) is an overarching ruler of the system that oversees the workings of the Executive, Legislative, Military and Judicial branches of Government. The interpretations of what role was foreseen for the Rahbar is subject to much debate.
 
[iv] This is a reference to the hojatiyeh sect to which Mr. Ahmadinejad and followers adhere to. They believe that we are in the time of the coming of the 12 imam, a mystical figure in Shia Islam who is thought to have disappeared and will reappear at the end of time.