Two Iranians allegedly tortured to death by security forces

Two young Iranian men have become the latest victims of Iran's security forces after being tortured to death as Iran continues to violate international human rights laws.

Amir Reza Hamedi, a young conscripted soldier, had been enlisted into Iran’s compulsory military service, and was killed at the hands of law enforcement officers in Shaft, Gilan.

Sources told Iran International that Hamedi, who had previously been detained for his participation in the recent nationwide protests, was deeply troubled by conflicts with his superiors and had expressed to his family that he did not wish to continue his mandatory service.

Despite his pleas, his father took him back to his post, where, just hours later, the family received a call saying Hamedi had "committed suicide." However, sources confirmed that the young man’s death was the result of beatings, with visible injuries on his body.

In the other case, Maziar Moaddab, 35, was beaten to death after being tortured in a police detention center in Rasht. He was accused of theft, but instead of facing a fair investigation, was reportedly beaten with batons until he succumbed to his injuries.

His family, unaware of his arrest or the charges against him, was later informed that he died while being transported to the hospital. Fearing the worst, the family has since hired a lawyer, suspecting their son’s death was caused by torture at the hands of the police.

These latest deaths are not isolated incidents, echoing a pattern of abuse in the Islamic Republic’s military barracks and detention centers, where torture, beatings, and suspicious "suicides" have claimed countless lives. For decades, the system has been accused of covering up deaths resulting from violence in custody, using intimidation tactics to silence the families of victims.

Hamedi’s death, in particular, shines a light on the realities of compulsory military service in Iran, where soldiers often find themselves at the mercy of corrupt and abusive superiors. Many young men are subjected to punishments, prolonged detentions, and physical violence, especially if they are suspected of harboring dissenting views.

Last week, Mohammad Mir-Mousavi also succumbed to injuries from severe torture while in custody again in Gilan province.

The Islamic Republic refuses to join the United Nations Convention against Torture. However, despite Article 38 of Iran’s own constitution banning the use of torture, the reality on the ground reveals a government that systematically violates its citizens' most basic rights. Families of victims are often left to seek justice in a system that offers none, their voices silenced by threats from security forces.

Amnesty International reported that between January 2010 and September 2021, at least 72 people died in Iranian prisons and detention centers due to torture or other forms of physical abuse inflicted by intelligence and security agents or prison officials. Iranian authorities have repeatedly denied responsibility for the deaths.

Human Rights Watch has also reported on the common use of torture in Iran. In April, they reported "Iranian security forces’ use of torture and sexual assault against men, women, and children, as well as suspicious deaths in detention". They said that the "authorities did not provide medical treatment or even basic hygiene supplies to those assaulted by security forces, exacerbating their long-term injuries, and have not investigated these cases or held anyone accountable for these serious violations."