An association has asked the International Criminal Court to investigate the “widespread attack” against civilians in Iran since the death on September 16, 2022 of Mahsa Amini, accusing Iranian President Ebrahim Raïssi of “crimes against humanity”.
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The French association Femme Azadi has filed “ a communication » at the ICC Prosecutor’s Office, which has the value of reporting to the courts, his lawyer, Me Emmanuel Daoud, explained to AFP on Wednesday. At the same time, the association also sent a letter to the UN Security Council asking it to refer the file to the Court prosecutor.
“ If the UN Security Council takes its responsibilities by “seizing” the ICC of the Iranian situation, it will be able to use the elements provided by our communication to gather evidence. It is a legal act “, clarified Me Daoud.
A year ago, Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, died in Tehran after being arrested by morality police for allegedly violating the strict dress code imposed on women.
The protests that followed lost momentum after several months, in the face of a crackdown that saw 551 demonstrators including 68 children and 49 women killed by security forces, according to the NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR), and more than 22,000 others arrested, according to Amnesty International. Seven men were also executed for acts linked to these protests.
“ These acts of rare violence are neither isolated nor fortuitous, since they were carefully organized with the aim of silencing the demonstrators », denounced the association, which targets several offenses: crimes against humanity, murder, imprisonment, torture, sexual violence and persecution.
The document, consulted by AFP, lists the functions held by President Ebrahim Raïssi. Its beginnings date back to the “Death Committee”, a sad nickname given to the committee which, in Tehran, decided in 1988 which prisoners should be executed.
Saturday, for the first anniversary of the death of Masha Amini, Ebrahim Raïssi, 62, chose to meet families of law enforcement officers killed during the protest.
This report to the ICC comes as a bill was passed on Wednesday in Iran aimed at toughening sanctions, which could go as far as prison, against women who refuse to wear the veil.
(with AFP)