The international human rights organization Amnesty International has revealed that Iranian security forces personnel raped and sexually assaulted women and men detained during a crackdown on nationwide protests that began in September 2022.
According to the news agency AFP, Amnesty said that it recorded 45 cases of rape, gang rape or sexual violence against protestors in its report.
Amnesty Secretary-General Dr Agnès Callamard said the investigation revealed how intelligence and security agents in Iran used rape and sexual violence as punishment against protesters.
The London-based organization said it had shared the data with Iranian officials on November 24, but has yet to receive a response.
In September 2022, protests began in Iran after the death of 22-year-old Mehsa Amini in police custody. By the end of this year, due to severe crackdown by the government, this protest movement has lost its momentum.
According to human rights organizations, hundreds were killed and thousands arrested in the protests. Amnesty’s report revealed that 16 of the 45 cases reported were of rape, involving six women, seven men, a 14-year-old girl and two boys aged 16 and 17. “Among them, six women and two men were gang-raped by about 10 male agents,” Amnesty’s report added.
The report states that the Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Basij Force, Intelligence Ministry agents as well as police officers sexually assaulted these people. Amnesty International said it gathered evidence through interviews with victims and other witnesses.
Maryam, a woman who was arrested for not wearing a headscarf during the protest, was imprisoned for two months. She told Amnesty that she was raped by two agents during the interrogation. “He (the investigator) called two more people in and said “it is time”. They started tearing my clothes off. I was shouting and requesting them to stop themselves,” Maryam told Amnesty.
Farzad, told Amnesty that he and another man, Shahid, were gang-raped by plainclothes agents. Amnesty said most victims did not file complaints for fear of further repercussions, and those who did tell prosecutors, were ignored.
Amnesty’s Secretary-General Dr Agnès Callamard said that without the prospect of justice at the local level, the international community has a duty to stand with victims and pursue justice.