Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, April 28, 2021—The clerical regime’s preparation for the destruction of Tehran’s Khavaran Cemetery has caused public outrage in Iran. In recent days in various cities across Iran, slogans and posters were installed saying, “Khavaran is evidence of mullahs’ crime” and “The mullahs’ regime wants to destroy the evidence of the crime.”
Tehran’s Khavaran burial site is the most prominent evidence of the 1988 massacre, in which 30,000 political prisoners were executed in matters of weeks. The vast majority of the victims were members and sympathizers of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). The massacre was carried out based on a fatwa by the regime’s then–supreme leader Ruhollah Khomeini. Khomeini’s orders were executed by the so-called “death commissions,” a trio of officials that acted as judges and sent thousands of prisoners to the gallows after minutes-long trials.
Some of the key members of these death commissions are the current Judiciary Chief Ebrahim Raisi, former Justice Minister Mostafa Pourmohammadi, and the current Justice Minister Alireza Avai.
In the past years, Khavaran has always been a gathering place of families and survivors of the 1988 massacre of the political prisoners in Iran.
In recent days, following the regime’s measures to destroy the Khavaran Cemetery, the MEK’s network inside Iran, known as the Resistance Units, organized a vast campaign across the country condemning the regime’s criminal act to wipe the evidence of the crime.
They took to graffiti in different areas of Tehran and other major cities with the slogans, “Call for immediate action to stop the destruction of the martyrs’ graves of the 1988 massacre,” “The family members of martyrs of the 1988 massacre call for immediate measures to halt the destruction of Khavaran Cemetery,” and “Damn the religious tyranny, the mullahs’ regime wants to cover up its crimes in Khavaran.”
The Resistance Units also installed posters of the Iranian Resistance leader Massoud Rajavi and the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) Maryam Rajavi in different areas with the slogan, “Destroying the mass graves of the martyrs of the 1988 massacre is an inhuman act and a crime against humanity.”
In many cities, Maryam Rajavi’s call was spread, urging the UN Secretary-General, OHCHR, Human Rights Council, and international human rights organizations to take immediate action to stop the destruction of the martyrs’ graves.
In addition to numerous places and areas in Tehran, the Resistance Units organized these activities in Tehran, Kermanshah, Isfahan, Shiraz Mashhad, Behshahr, Shadegan, Qom, Arak, Sanandaj, Iranshahr, Kalaychai (Gilan), Amlash (Gilan), Tonekabon, Nishabur, Khorramabad, Shushtar, and Babol.
Many sent video messages from inside of Iran condemning mullahs’ regime’s continued crime against the loved ones and family members of the 1988 martyrs and called on the international community to stand behind the Iranian people.
“Khavaran is evidence of mullahs’ crime and cannot be whitewashed,” said a member of the Resistance Units from Tehran.
“The mullahs’ regime fears international accountability for its crimes committed in 1988 and the murder of the MEK members and freedom fighters. It now tries to hide the evidence of the crime. We as the Resistance Units condemn Khamenei and Raisi’s crimes and call on the international community to act,” he continued.
In another video received from Shadegan, a person said, “You the mullahs have committed these crimes and now try to wipe the names of the victims. You cleanse everyday Khomeini’s grave but destroy the grave of the brave youths of this country who were slaughtered by these criminals.”
While the mullahs’ have increased their repressive measures with a view to the upcoming elections in June, these acts are extremely brave. The members of the Resistance Units are constantly at risk of being arrested since supporting the MEK is punished with heavy sentences.
In previous days, the Resistance Units also continued their anti-regime campaign in Tehran, Mashhad, Karaj, Rasht, Esfarayen, Kermanshah, Arak, Shahroud, and Abadan against the regime’s sham presidential elections. They spread the slogans such as, “Our vote is for regime change. Boycotting the election sham is a patriotic duty,” and “No to the mullahs’ rule, no to religious tyranny, no to repression, no to looting, and yes to freedom and a democratic republic.”
