HRW: 2009 saw Iran's 'most widespread crackdown' in decade

Iran launched 'the most widespread crackdown' in a decade after its disputed presidential election in June, Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday. 'Following the disputed June 12 presidential election and the massive protests it provoked, the government unleashed the most widespread crackdown in a decade,' HRW said in its 2009 report.

President Mahmoud Ahamdinejad's June re-election has triggered a string of protests over the past seven months, with OPPOSITION demonstrators defying official warnings to stay off the streets. 'Security forces were responsible for at least 30 deaths, according to official sources,' said the New York-based HRW, adding that more than 4,000 people had been detained, mostly in largely peaceful street demonstrations. Dozens of leading government critics, including human rights lawyers, had also been rounded up, with many held without charge in solitary confinement.

The organisation documented 'at least 26 cases in which detainees were subjected to torture and/or coerced to make false confessions,' with the use of beatings, sleep deprivation and fake executions. They were forced 'to confess that they instigated post-election riots and were plotting a 'velvet coup,'' it said. HRW also said the Islamic republic's government had staged a series of 'show trials,' and jailed journalists and editors for publishing critical views, while imposing strict curbs on the domestic and foreign media. At least two journalists working with foreign outlets were detained.

In a protest on July 9, Iranian police fired tear gas as thousands of demonstrators defied government warnings and staged a march to commemorate the anniversary of bloody student unrest in 1999. The march was to mark the 10th anniversary of violence in which at least one student was killed when hardline vigilantes stormed student dormitories, according to an official toll. HRW said Iran carries out more executions on an annual basis than any other country except China, and also leads the world in the execution of juvenile offenders. 'As of October, Iran had executed three juvenile offenders in 2009,' it said, noting the country's law allows death sentences for persons who have reached puberty, defined as age nine for girls and 15 for boys. At least 130 other juvenile offenders are currently on death row, it said. On the minorites front, HRW said Tehran continued to deny freedom of religion to members of the Bahai faith. In May 2008, authorities arrested seven Bahai leaders 'based on fabricated security-related accusations.' (AFP - Jan 20, 2010)