The demand for truth is rising in Iran, as voices within the country are calling for an independent investigation into the shocking death toll of recent protests. But the government's response has been unexpected, to say the least.
In a surprising move, the Iranian government has announced it will release the names of those killed during the protests, a move aimed at countering allegations of crimes against humanity and the staggering claim that 30,000 Iranians have lost their lives. The official death toll, according to the Martyr's Foundation, stands at 3,117, including security personnel.
However, Iranian reformists argue that this government-led identification process lacks transparency and won't resolve the dispute over the actual number of casualties. Mohsen Borhani, a law professor and government critic, believes this is a step forward, as past protests left Iranians in the dark about the fate of their loved ones.
Borhani suggests a dedicated website to publish the names of the deceased, allowing citizens to anonymously contribute names and information. This, he says, would ensure a more balanced account. But the challenge remains: families who come forward may face retaliation, especially if they accuse the security services.
The skepticism runs deep. The Tehran teachers union, in a powerful statement, demanded the release of all detainees, claiming that a brutal chapter of repression has unfolded, leaving countless children, women, and men bloodied. Ahmad Zeidabadi, a reformist analyst, attributes this distrust to the growing divide between the state and society, leading many to question official statistics.
Zeidabadi proposes an intriguing solution: inviting the United Nations to dispatch an impartial fact-finding team to Iran. He questions why not involve a respected international body to ensure the opposition cannot undermine the findings.
The Reform Front, instrumental in the election of President Masoud Pezeshkian, has also joined the chorus, demanding an independent committee to investigate and provide a transparent report to the nation. Meanwhile, lawyer Ali Mojtahedzadeh urges the government to address the underlying causes of this distrust by fostering a more robust civil society.
Former President Hassan Rouhani, in his first intervention, acknowledges the protests as a call for change. He advocates for the establishment of political parties and an unbiased candidate selection process. Simultaneously, an unofficial committee is working to identify detainees, as security forces continue their search for protest leaders, with unofficial estimates suggesting tens of thousands are in custody.
The fate of these detainees remains uncertain, with lawyers revealing that most are primary breadwinners born in the 1980s and facing sentences of 2 to 5 years. Many are from working-class backgrounds, unable to post bail. And while the number of detained children under 18 remains undisclosed, teaching union websites are bravely publishing photos of every verified child victim.
