Iranian authorities have recently commenced the destruction of a mass grave site believed to be tied to a wave of executions of political prisoners in 1988. Amnesty International has called for the preservation of the Khavaran site and the initiation of a forensic investigation into possible human rights violations. It is feared that the elimination of the unmarked graves will prevent the uncovering of evidence related to the so-called ‘prison massacres’ and so deprive the families of the victims of their right to truth, justice and reparation.

It is that believed between 4,500 and 10,000 prisoners were killed in this, the largest series of politically motivated executions following those carried out in the first and second year after the 1979 Iranian revolution.  The victims’ families have been gathering annually in Khavaran to commemorate their dead since the executions took place, between August 1988 and February 1989.

Amnesty International has called upon the Iranian government to facilitate the visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, and to allow him unhindered access to the Khavaran site with a view to indicating how best to conduct an investigation into the events of 1988.

The human rights group has also repeatedly urged the Iranian authorities to conduct their own thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the events. Amnesty International has encouraged the Iranian government to bring to justice those responsible for the ‘prison massacres’ in fair proceedings and without recourse to the death penalty. No such action has yet been initiated on the part of Iranian authorities.