Unforgivable Crimes in Iran: The Under-Reporting of Deaths

As the world's eyes and ears have turned elsewhere, the crimes of the Iranian government continues unabated. To this day, the true number of those killed, murdered and/or raped in the post-election crackdowns remains unknown.

While the government itself claims that no more than 30 people have died, the opposition puts the figure above 100. Both figures are likely gross underestimations of the true number.

The reason for the large under-reported number is due to the threats the families of the victims face. Many Iranian Americans have family and friends killed in the violence, and their names appear on no lists. A friend of my own family had their 16 year-old daughter shot on the streets during the first day of the protests.

Her family has not reported her death due to pressure from the pro-Ahmadinejad authorities. The fear is that if they do go public with their story, the authorities will punish their sole remaining child. He is a college student and though he wasn't involved in the protests, the authorities have made it clear that he is a target if the family reports the death of their daughter.

These threats are not empty. The authorities have begun targeting the children of leaders of the opposition. For instance, Atefeh Emam, the daughter of Javad Emam, the Chief of Staff of Mousavi's campaign, has been imprisoned and is being pressured to make a "confession" in order to implicate her father. At the same time, according to her mother, Leyla Saadaat Jalalzadeh, they are torturing Atefeh to press her father to implicate others in the Moussavi's circle. Atefeh's mother pleads for help in an interview with Kalame newspaper.

In other news, the war of words between the opposition and the Ahmadinejad government has intensified further, with former President Khatami referring to the Ahmadinejad click as fascists.

Follow Trita Parsi on Twitter: www.twitter.com/tparsi

Comments

[MARNIE2]

The sheer brutality of the Islamic-regime towards their own people ....just gos to show how immoral &
unjust they can be in any opposition ! STOP THE UNCLEAR DREAM ?

[MARNIE2]

This go's to show [All ]the world that this Govt. -regime is out of control ! self-elected power grab
the Iranian people's human rights were tramp on - aggressive -hostile treatment of peaceful-protesters [over-sham election] if they can do these atrocity to their own-people . What are we to think
if they GET THE NUCLEAR DREAM.....­......[BOM­B] ! ? ..........­.... 1-2 BOMBS ? WILL IT CHANGE THINGS
-UP ? .....YES ....cause , why even bother if [ not] ? ? ........ WHERE IS THE U. N. on the Iranian-Peoples call for human rights abuse ?

[JerryLevy]

This article is very true and it is a crime. In fact, the media have been complicit in under reporting much of death and destruction in the Middle East. When Hamas murdered 35 people by pushing them off buildings under the cover of the Gaza incursion, no main stream media outlet reported it. The "disappeared" on Iranian campuses in the early 1990s was barely mentioned. When the allies accidentally kill civilians in Afghanistan, it is not noted that they were trying to eliminate the threat of the Taliban that target civilians in Afghanistan---the allies are put on the same level as the Taliban. It is never noted who the victims are when a suicide terrorist kills dozens in Bagdad or that they were brainwashed in Iran. When gays are hung in Iran, you never see it reported. The number of people in Lebanon murdered by Hezbollah is never reported and when the western media talks about Gadaffi, they never mention the 200,000 people he killed in Chad.

[Obenauer]

This is unbelievably oppressively sad situation: reporting the death of a loved one to the authorities, more or less mourning his or her loss is a matter that is punishable. I can't imagine anything worse than this, but I am sure that the present IRI authorities can make the oppression far worse. What will be left of Iran if they succeed? The authorities commit evil, yet they don't want their evil exposed, so it amount to one big lie. to cover up their atrocities, so who knows how terrible have been their crimes against Iranian citizens?

[wereeverywhere]

Once again the lack of transparency of IRI exposed, thank you Trita Parsi. The cowardly theocrats are scared of their youth and the truth.

[Koorosh]

Now the question is if Mr. Parsi and NIAC are ready for regime change.

[idiocr4cy]

Let me guess, you are one of those who is brainwashed by your superiors to think that Parsi is an Islamist agent working for Iranian regime?

[evagorman]

I'm horrified by what I read about what is happening in Iran today, right now. Yet, because it is not on the large scale of the June protests, it is barely a blip in the media.

Security agents stormed Mousavi's office today and without a warrant took documentation pertaining to detainees.

This is a purge of people and information. And what can people do about it?

I for one will never live in a country where the citizens cannot protect themselves. NEVER!

[wereeverywhere]

I believe the raid on the opposition office is here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/08/iran-raids-opposition-lea_n_279834.html