By Maryam Sinaiee

Judiciary Chief Ebrahim Raeesi has ordered the prosecution of those involved in the recent public humiliation and beating of criminals. The Media Center of the Judiciary said Raeesi had acted “as soon as he found out about it.”

“From the moment of finding out about parading thugs [on the streets], Ayatollah Raeesi ordered the prosecutor of Tehran to arraign the infringers, including prosecutors and [police] officers, for breaking the law and violating citizen rights,” a statement announced. While the Chief Justice “stresses unrelenting and decisive crackdown on thugs and hooligans,” he ruled out their abuse.

The statement came a day after Hossein Rahimi, the Tehran police chief, had said the practice would continue despite criticism from those who wanted “to show off as intellectuals.” On October 6 police clad in black balaclavas paraded several men on pick-up trucks in central Tehran, a public display that followed an initiative launched on September 17 in Tehran to combat extortion and violent crime.

Such humiliation of criminals has long been criticized by rights activists. Lawyers say such acts violate international human-rights norms as well as Iran’s penal code. In April 2011 Tehran police paraded criminals on the streets with pitchers used in toilets around their necks. In another instance in April 2013 a man alleged be a criminal was dressed in women’s clothes and paraded on the streets of Marivan, Kordestan Province.

Such public humiliation of criminals has increased over the past four decades, especially in the past 15 years, with dissidents arguing it sends a message that the authorities will suppress protests in the same way. Those responsible for such acts are yet to held responsible.

Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif recently defended Iran’s human rights records against criticism from European countries, highlighting their support for Saddam Hussein against Iran in the 1980s.