{"id":32218,"date":"2022-02-26T08:20:37","date_gmt":"2022-02-26T07:20:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iranfreedom.org\/en\/?p=32218"},"modified":"2022-02-26T08:20:38","modified_gmt":"2022-02-26T07:20:38","slug":"a-former-political-prisoner-who-escaped-execution-during-irans-1988-massacre-was-whipped-and-beaten-severely","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iranfreedom.org\/en\/1988-massacre\/2022\/02\/a-former-political-prisoner-who-escaped-execution-during-irans-1988-massacre-was-whipped-and-beaten-severely\/32218\/","title":{"rendered":"A Former Political Prisoner, Who Escaped Execution During Iran’s 1988 Massacre, Was Whipped and Beaten Severely"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Freedom-loving
Freedom-loving Iranians, MEK supporters and relatives of the 1988 massacre martyrs, rally in front of the court of the executioner Hamid Noury \u2013 file photo<\/sub><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the ongoing trial of former Iranian prison official Hamid Noury<\/a> in Sweden, the 67th<\/sup> session was held at the Court of Stockholm on February 18, featuring further testimonies <\/a>from former political prisoners who witnessed the atrocities committed by Noury at Gohardasht Prison in Iran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Noury <\/a>worked as a deputy prosecutor in the 1980s, and was heavily involved in the massacre of over 30,000 political prisoners in the summer of 1988<\/a>. He is also known for taking part in the torture of prisoners during his tenure at Gohardasht prison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the latest session of his trial, former political prisoner Mohammad Izadjou took to the stand to give his testimony of what he had witnessed during his incarceration. He clearly recalled witnessing Noury, and another prison official, Davood Lashkari, escorting prisoners to their deaths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The National Council of Resistance of Iran<\/a> (NCRI) said<\/a>, \u201cThe witness was arrested on January 16, 1983, at the age of 19. He was transferred to Ward 209 of the notorious Evin Prison. Once landed at Evin, he was tortured and interrogated. A practice that continued so long that his legs became infected, and they turned black up to his knees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Iranian
Iranian former political prisoner Mohammad Izadjou took to the stand to give his testimony of what he had witnessed during his incarceration.<\/sub><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In October 1983, Izadjou had already gone through lengthy interrogation sessions, and had been placed in solitary confinement ahead of his sentencing, which later saw him being sentenced to eight years behind bars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the eight charges on his indictment were, \u2018collaborating with the People\u2019s Fedayeen Guerrilla Organization of Iran\u2019; \u2018calling on the people to revolt against the Islamic Republic of Iran\u2019; and \u2018trying to coordinate between the counter-revolutionaries and popular protest movements\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He spent the next four years being transferred between various prisons, until February 1988 when he was transferred to Gohardasht Prison, alongside a group of prisoners who were taking part in a hunger strike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just a few months later, the mass executions began. During his testimony, Izadjou recalled that he came to find out about the executions on August 31 of that year through fellow prisoner, Hamid Nasiri via morse code. Later that day, Nasiri was sent to the gallows and hanged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same day, Izadjou was brought before the \u2018Death Commission\u2019, a panel of officials who questioned the loyalties of the prisoners before deciding whether to spare their lives or send them to the deaths. During his interrogation, Izadjou refused to answer the questions that had been posed to him, claiming it felt too much of an \u2018inquisition\u2019. He was spared from being sent to the gallows, but instead, was flogged 40 times as a punishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NCRI <\/a>said, \u201cAccording to the witness, one of the interrogators, Mohammad Moghiseh, had quoted the regime\u2019s leader that \u2018apostates and those who wage war against God should not survive\u2019 and that \u2018we would beat you so hard that you either become a Muslim or die\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Izadjou told the court that during his time at Gohardasht prison, especially at the height of the massacre, he saw Hamid Noury<\/a> on several occasions escorting prisoners, who had been sentenced to death, to the gallows in the amphitheater of the prison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also recalled that he, and a group of prisoners who had also escaped being executed, were stripped naked, whipped and beaten severely by prison guards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NCRI said<\/a>, \u201cEven though they were promised to be released on February 24, 1988, they were asked to participate in a staged rally in front of the UN office in Tehran. As he and 20 other detainees refused to march, they were sent back to Evin Prison. Eventually, on March 13, 1989, the witness was released.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n