Court in London investigates atrocious crackdown on civil society in Iran during 2019 protests

Iran, November 2019. Thousands of protesters take to the streets of the country's twelve major cities, including the capital, in retaliation against the sharp rise in fuel prices. An increase of more than 200% caused by the cut in subsidies by the government of Hassan Rohani, which, driven by sanctions and economic mismanagement, is hurting tens of thousands of workers. This is when one of the most prominent protests against the Ayatollahs' regime erupted.

The price hikes put an end to the patience of a section of Iranian society, which demanded the deposition of the Islamic Republic. Rising fuel costs were only the tip of the iceberg. Behind it, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ran, and still runs, with an iron fist a power structure that silences critical voices, persecutes dissent and, moreover, impoverishes the national treasury. An explosive breeding ground sustained over decades that threatened to implode two years ago.

Seeing the status quo threatened, the Iranian authorities launched a crackdown on protesters that resulted in the deaths of more than 300 people, including children. Up to 1,000 people were injured and another 1,000 were imprisoned. Amnesty International recorded figures that they tried to hide by causing a news blackout and by interrupting internet and telephone services. These facts make the NGO suspect that the number of reprisals may be even higher.

It is considered to be the bloodiest repression of the last two decades. The action lasted five days and was justified by the regime's high authorities as having been instigated "from abroad". Alleged foreign interference and the presence of subversive elements have been the pillars of the Islamic Republic's arguments for using violence against the opposition.

United Kingdom, November 2021. Two years later, a four-day trial begins in London against the Iranian authorities for the atrocious repression carried out during those rallies. Although it has no legal value, the oral hearing brings together witnesses, human rights lawyers, international prosecutors and academics to delve into the course of the protests and the repressive action of the Iranian security forces. The trial is intended to shed light on the practices of the Ayatollahs' regime.

The case has been organised by various groups representing Iranian civil society such as Justice for Iran, Iran Human Rights and Ensemble Contre la Peine de Mort (Together Against the Death Penalty). In total, up to 45 people will testify against 130 Persian government officials. The panel will review a further 120 witness statements before issuing a final judgement early next year.

Convened in the British capital, the so-called Iran Atrocities Tribunal will focus on the role of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the then head of the judiciary, Ebrahim Raisi, now president of the Islamic Republic to replace Rohani. A hardliner in the regime, the current head of government presided over the judiciary, a position from which he is said to have played a key role against the thousands of reprisals.

The court will question dozens of witnesses, including protesters, relatives of victims, survivors, health workers and former security officials. A list of expert witnesses will also testify. They include Amnesty International's Senior Researcher on Iran, Raha Bahreini. They will give evidence virtually in the Westminster conference room, although some have already done so with their faces hidden because of possible reprisals from relatives still living in Iran.