EXTERNAL (for general distribution)                      AI Index: MDE IOR 41/13/89

                                                                                         Distr.: SC/PG/PO

                                                                                   

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December 1989

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL’S CONCERNS AT THE 46TH SESSION

OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Iran

            In 1989 Amnesty International’s principal concern in Iran was the continued use of the death penalty on a massive scale.  Over 1300 executions for criminal offences were announced in the official press in the course of the year, over 900 of them for drug-trafficking.  The full scale of the extensive killing of political prisoners in the latter part of 1988 is still not clear.  Amnesty International has now received the names of over 2000 alleged victims of these secret executions, but believes the true figure may be considerably higher.  In some cases relatives have still not been informed of the fate of prisoners, while in many others families have been told that their relative has been executed, but not where they are buried.  Few reports of political executions have been received during 1989, but there have been unconfirmed reports that political prisoners were among those ostensibly executed for drug-trafficking.  Concern over executions is compounded by the failure of trials before Islamic Revolutionary Courts (responsible for trying drug-smugglers as well as political offenders) to comply with international standards for fair trial.

            Amnesty International welcomes the invitation offered during the General Assembly by the Government of Iran for the Special Representative to visit the country for the first time.  It hopes that this visit will enhance the Commission’s understanding of the human rights situation in Iran and help it to maintain a response appropriate to the situation.