Citing the report by the United Nations Human Rights Commission's Special Representative about the situation of human rights in Iran, published on Friday, Mr. Mohaddessin wrote: "The emphasis laid by the Special Representative on the persistence of human rights violations in all areas since Khatami took office, again demonstrates that any expectation of change and reform in the context of this religious dictatorship is absolutely futile. As the highest executive in the country, Khatami, like other leaders of this regime, must be held accountable for these crimes.
In his report to the Commission's fifty-fifth session, the Special Representative has underscored that executions, torture, violations of the rights of women, religious and ethnic minorities are continuing in Iran.
The annual human rights report by U.S. States Department of State also published last week, reported that "systematic abuses included extrajudicial killings and summary executions; disappearances; widespread use of torture and other degrading treatment; harsh prison conditions; arbitrary arrest and detention; lack of due process; unfair trials; infringement in citizens' privacy; and restrictions on freedom of speech, press, assembly, association, religion, and movement" persisted and concluded that human rights situation had been "reversed" late in 1998.
NCR's Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman referred to the regime's record of rights abuses in the past two decades and added: "The clerical regime's crimes against the Iranian people have continued unabated until today and during Khatami's tenure. In recent weeks, a series of anti-government demonstrations in different cities, including Babol (north), Jajarm (northeast), Sanandaj and Saqqez (west), Orumieh and Mahabad (northwest) and Khonj (south) were brutally crushed. Scores were killed, hundreds wounded and thousands arrested. The peaceful demonstration of the people in Sanandaj on February 22 was turned into a blood bath by Kurdistan province's governor who is appointed by Khatami. With Khatami's blessing, the Revolutionary Guards Corps and the State Security Force opened indiscriminate fire on the protesters from the air and the ground, killing at least 20, including a number of 13-year-old female students. Some 200 were wounded and 2,000 arrested.
Mr. Mohaddessin concluded: "Allowing Khatami to evade responsibility for the atrocities perpetrated in Iran on daily basis only provides the ruling mullahs the opportunity to escape accountably before the international community and a freer rein to continue their atrocities."
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
March 2, 1999
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