How Iran gets away with it: The struggle to bring 'architects of atrocities' to trial
When Zhino Babamiri gets a call from Urmieh Central Prison in Iran , she stops everything to pick up the phone. Her father is on the other end, and she doesn’t know when he will be able to contact her again. “I just drop everything and take the call because sometimes when it doesn't go through, it could take a couple more weeks,” the 26-year-old told The National from her home in Norway.…
Urmieh Central Prison in Iran is a source of anxiety for Zhino Babamiri, a 26-year-old Kurdish-Iranian Norwegian citizen. Her father, Rezgar Beigzadeh Babamiri, has been incarcerated since April 2023 and is accused of providing medical assistance to demonstrators during the Women, Life, Freedom movement. The protests were sparked by the death of 22-year-old Jina Mahsa Amini in police custody after being arrested for allegedly violating hijab rules.
Rezgar has been subjected to torture, mock executions, waterboarding, and electrocutions, according to a letter he wrote while in prison. Despite facing multiple death sentences, his case is currently under review following a Supreme Court order for a retrial. However, his story is not unique. Iran has a history of issuing death sentences for anti-government protesters, with hundreds killed and tens of thousands arrested during the Women, Life, Freedom movement.
Amnesty International argues that Iranian officials should be investigated for crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, enforced disappearances, and rape. Foreign prosecutors face numerous obstacles in pursuing accountability, such as bureaucracy, the weakening of international legal frameworks, and a lack of political will.
Despite these challenges, some states have shown a willingness to investigate, including Germany, which recently rejected a request for an investigation into recent unrest in Iran.
Written by urgent.news from The National Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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