Amnesty International Names 87 Iranian Officials in Crimes Against Humanity Report

Amnesty International has identified 87 Iranian officials accused of overseeing a campaign of killings, torture, and sexual violence during the 2022 "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests. The human rights organization detailed these accusations in a 1,000-page report, calling for the named officials to be investigated for crimes against humanity.

The report draws on testimonies from 270 witnesses and survivors, alongside an analysis of over 2,000 videos recorded between September 16 and December 31, 2022. Amnesty International's investigation indicates that the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and the Police Command of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FARAJA) led operations to disperse protesters.

According to the report, official statements and leaked documents reveal instructions for a "firm and severe" response to the protests, with one memo allegedly instructing security forces to "respond mercilessly and go as far as causing death." Security forces reportedly used lethal force, including assault rifles and shotguns, and pursued unarmed individuals at close range. Survivors described scenes akin to a "war zone" where security forces "just kept shooting."

Witness accounts detail the use of batons, electric shock devices, kinetic impact projectiles, and tear gas. Protesters endured physical violence, including kicking, punching, and being thrown to the ground. Many sustained severe injuries from metal pellets, leading to permanent vision loss, fractures, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, and damage to internal organs. In some cases, security forces allegedly denied injured individuals access to medical treatment.

The report also documents widespread torture of detainees held in state custody. Methods described include beatings with various implements, prolonged solitary confinement, exposure to extreme temperatures, and painful stress positions. Detainees reported being denied food, water, and medical care. Psychological torture reportedly included threats of further torture, killing, or life imprisonment, as well as exposure to constant light or sound and being forced to listen to the screams of other tortured detainees.

Prisoners were allegedly held in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions and subjected to threats against their families. The investigation documented 16 cases of rape involving detained individuals, including women, men, a 14-year-old girl, and two teenage boys. The report details various forms of sexual violence, including penetration with objects and the sexual organs of security agents, as well as other forms of sexual assault and abuse.

Family members of those killed were reportedly subjected to human rights violations, including pressure to accept false narratives about the deaths, restrictions on funerals, and denial of access to autopsy reports and essential documentation. Officials allegedly concealed evidence and prematurely terminated investigations.

The 87 individuals named in the report include 62 security force commanders and 25 Ministry of Interior officials. Among those named are the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the late head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Mohammad Bagheri. Ahmad Vahidi, formerly the interior minister and now General Commander of the IRGC, and Majid Mir Ahmadi, former deputy interior minister, are also named.

Agnes Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International, stated that the investigation reveals the command structure behind the crackdowns and that the named officials "remain beyond the reach of justice in Iran." She called for an international criminal justice mechanism for Iran to prevent future violence.