Iran's Kahrizak officials accused of "first degree murder"

Mohsen Ruholamini, Mohammad Kamrani, Amir Javadifar

The lawsuit against the infamous Iranian detention centre, Kahrizak was delivered to court for the “first degree murder” of Mohsen Ruholamini, Mohammad Kamrani and Amir Javadifar. Twelve people are accused in the case.

The judicial branch of the armed forces released its report after four months of investigation. According to their report, Kahrizak was the holding location of 23 post-election detainees, three of whom died due to beatings by the officials at the centre.

Contrary to previous State claims, the report maintains that the death of these three individuals was not associated with meningitis.

The judicial section of the armed forces has filed for the prosecution of the three officials that were involved in the “murder” of these three individuals.

12 people are accused of “aiding and abetting in the physical and verbal abuse of suspects, depriving detainees from their constitutional rights and neglect of government procedures in their line of service.”

They are also accused of “covering up the truth regarding the death of the three detainees at the centre.”

The report also indicates that the substandard conditions of well-being, hygiene and nutrition at the centre “were exacerbated by the inappropriate confrontations and physical punishments of the officials.”

The report reveals that due to “limited space,” a large number of detainees spent their detention in “difficult conditions in a very limited area.”

The report concludes that of the 98 plaintiffs in the Kahrizak case, 51 dropped their complaints after receiving “settlements.”

A group of post-election detainees in the course of protests to the allegedly fraudulent re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in June presidential elections, were sent to Kahrizak Detention Centre. The centre was closed by order of the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, after horror stories of torture began to circulate.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been quoted as saying that the violence committed against detainees is part of an “enemy” conspiracy.

In the post-election events over four thousand people were detained which were held in Kahrizak, Evin Prison and other unspecified detention centres.