Urteil in Schweden: Kein guter Tag für die Islamische Republik

In Schweden verhängte ein Gericht gegen einen ehemaligen Offiziellen eine lebenslänglich Haftstrafe

In einem wegweisenden Urteil wurde heute in Schweden Hamid Noury zu lebenslänglicher Haft verurteilt. Noury war an den berüchtigten Gefängnismassakern im Jahre 1988 beteiligt.

Das Urteil begrüßt und kommentiert Human Rights Watch:

For decades, families of victims and survivors of the mass executions have sought justice. In June, Human Rights Watch published analysis arguing that these mass executions amount to crimes against humanity. The document examines evidence gathered by survivors and rights groups pointing to senior officials implicated in overseeing these crimes, and possible avenues for justice, including through universal jurisdiction, where crimes in one country are tried in another.

While many avenues for prosecuting heinous crimes in Iran are blocked, the principle of universal jurisdiction opens a pathway for survivors. The Swedish trial marks the first time an Iranian official accused of participating in 1988 mass executions has appeared before a judicial body, giving a unique opportunity for survivors to testify in a court of law. Over nine months, dozens of survivors previously imprisoned due to membership in banned organizations testified about their detention conditions, torture they suffered, and summary executions of prisoners they witnessed.

Iranian officials have defended these executions on numerous occasions. On July 10, Mohmmad Nayyeri, a member of the committee that allegedly oversaw the executions, said in an interview that "it [the time of the executions], was a unique situation, and if it was not for Ayatollah Khomeini's solid decision, we wouldn't have had security today."

Today, victims of this dark chapter in Iran’s contemporary history have achieved a small step towards justice.