Special Report: Death Prisons
From “Shoot at Will” Orders to Enforced Disappearances of Political Prisoners
Is what is happening today inside Iran’s prisons a prelude to another human catastrophe?
The rapidly escalating developments, from the abduction of Ali Younesi to the order to exile Saeed Masouri and the unprecedented surge in executions, are only links in a chain of repression. Following the 12-day war, the ruling regime in Iran has launched a new campaign of covert transfers, white torture, and mass executions. This campaign aims to physically eliminate political prisoners, a project that bears chilling resemblance to the 1988 massacre of political prisoners across Iran.
In the summer of 1988, thousands of political prisoners were executed en masse and without trial. This crime, known as the “Death Committee” massacre, casts its long shadow once again over Iranian society. Alarming signs of a return to genocidal policies against political prisoners are emerging, this time not under the name of the Death Committee, but through the official use of “shoot at will” orders and the rise of unofficial judicial entities.
Chilling Parallels to the 1988 Massacre
In 1988, thousands were executed in less than three months, without trial, without legal counsel, without family contact. Today’s pattern follows the same blueprint:
- Secret transfers without notifying families
- Total cut-off from communication and visitation
- Torture and threats to extract forced confessions
- New execution verdicts for political prisoners, especially Kurds, Arabs, and protesters
One official from the regime told Fars News Agency:
“What we did in 1988 was right, it must be repeated.”
This is not merely a confession, it is an official warning of renewed genocidal policy.
The Letter of Saeed Masouri, A Cry in the Darkness
Saeed Masouri, the longest-serving political prisoner in Iran, held for 25 years without a single day of leave, wrote a letter shortly before the authorities tried to exile him far away:
“My refusal to accept the ‘transfer’ is not out of fear, but only to prevent a massacre in silence, like 1988… Let the world hear this time that a crime is taking place!”
He added:
“This widespread repression and spike in executions are not signs of strength, but an admission of the regime’s failure in the face of truth and the will of the people.”
A Surge in Executions, Numbers That Scream
According to verified reports, more than 690 people have been executed in Iran during the first half of 2025.
Dozens of new death sentences have been issued for political prisoners, many of them convicted on charges such as “corruption on earth” and “collaboration with Israel.”
Arab and Kurdish prisoners, as well as recent protesters, are being prioritized for execution.
These actions violate Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees the right to life.
Legal Analysis: Is a Political Genocide Underway?
According to Article 7 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, mass or individual executions of political prisoners without due process constitute crimes against humanity.
Enforced disappearances, torture, and secret transfers, coupled with the large-scale implementation of executions, indicate the existence of an organized policy aimed at eliminating a segment of the population. This could be legally interpreted as political genocide.
Global Call to Action, Enough Silence!
When phrases like “shoot at will,” “blood revenge,” “collective retribution,” and “prison cleansing” enter the regime’s official and media discourse, the threat of a repeat of the 1988 massacre is no longer theoretical, it is a reality unfolding before our eyes.
We, the families, activists, civil organizations, and survivors of this apparatus of repression, warn the world: A human catastrophe is underway. If not stopped today, tomorrow will be too late, even for condolences.
We urge the UN Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, regional bodies, democratic governments, and independent media to:
- Immediately halt all executions, particularly those targeting political prisoners, Kurds, Arabs, and protesters
- Provide full transparency regarding the location and health conditions of prisoners transferred to unknown facilities
- Guarantee immediate and unhindered access to lawyers, family contact, and medical care for all political prisoners
- Dispatch an urgent fact-finding mission to inspect Iran’s prisons and document violations
- Impose targeted sanctions against judicial and security officials involved in torture, transfers, and executions
- Refer the ongoing executions to the International Criminal Court as crimes against humanity
Final Warning
In 1988, the world remained silent. That silence emboldened the perpetrators.
Today, if silence continues, a new generation of mass graves will be inscribed in the name of the international community.
We have warned you: a crime is in progress.
