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Mothers of Khavaran ((ペルシア語:مادران خاوران)) is an organization in Iran devoted to seeking justice for the victims of mass executions carried out by authorities of the Islamic Republic starting around 1981 and peaking during the 1988 summary mass executions in Iranian prisons.〔(a short documentary in Farsi please see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sDpiFNI-8A )〕 The organization comprises mothers and other family members of victims. Despite pressure by state authorities to remain silent, The Mothers of Khavaran have worked for thrity years to seek accountability and justice for their loved ones.〔(of Khavaran; A Strong Voice for Truth and Justice” by Jafar Behkish available on-line at: http://jbehkish.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/mothers-of-khavaran-strong-voice-for.html )〕 ==Origins and formation== The group has no formal structure and there is little documentation. The members and supporters of Mothers began coming together as a community around 1980-1981; survivors of executions would gather around graves of their loved ones, often executed in secrecy and buried in Khavaran Cemetery. During the 1980s, as the Islamic Republic authorities executed and buried prisoners at Khavaran, more families came together and honoured their loved ones en masse. Families of prisoners and victims routinely visited, exchanged information and supported each other while waiting for news or permission to visit, near prisons such as Evin or Gohardasht (Rajaieshahr) or at Khavaran. Through this process that 1988 they discovered increased pressure on the political prisoners. In response to a hunger strike by their loved ones at Gohardasht prison in objection to torture and poor conditions, Mothers stepped up their appeals and activities. During the massacre between July 1988 and January 1989, Mothers of Khavaran entered a new stage in its history.〔(in Jonbesh-e Madaran-e Khavaran by Nasser Mohajer available on-line at: http://www.bidaran.net/spip.php?article231 )〕 The joint efforts of Mothers in response to this development marked the beginning of their movement. Around 4000 prisoners were brought before a three-member body known as the ‘Death Commission’, which included the current Minister of Justice under President Hassan Rouhani and the former Minister of the Interior under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Mostafa Pourmohammadi. Executions were carried out at the secret order of the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, in order to "cleanse" the prisons of members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, referred to as Monafeq (Hypocrites), as well as leftist prisoners, referred to as Mohareb (Combatants Against God). Although some evidence indicates that the executions were a response to the attacks by Mojahedin against the Islamic Republic, some survivors suggest they were previously planned in 1987.〔(political prisoners state the executions were planned in 1366/1987 and had nothing to do with the executions in 1367/1988: http://www.mpliran.org/2013/11/25-67.html )〕 A significant number of victims are assumed to be buried in mass graves in Khavaran Cemetery, referred to by state authorities as ‘doomed land’ southeast of Tehran. Reports indicate that the Islamic Republic authorities ordered family members of victims to refrain from holding any public events associated with mourning the loss of their loved ones.〔(Awakening by Shirin Ebadi and Azadeh Moaveni, Random House, New York, pp. 87-88 )〕 Mothers of Khavaran were the first to call for the release of prisoners and warn of their possible massacre.〔(of Khavaran lead the cause to seek justice by Monireh Baradaran, please see: http://justiceforiran.org/articles/english-mothers-of-khavaran-lead-the-cause-to-seek-justice-monireh-baradaran/?lang=en )〕 Following resolution 598 of the Security Council, the Islamic Republic disrupted regular family prison visitations on 28 July 1988 and refused to provide any information about prisoners regarding their whereabouts or fate. The Mothers were among the first to mobilize support and begin to search for family members and appeal to authorities. Their search resulted in the discovery of mass graves in Khavaran Cemetery between July 10 and August 6 1988. Mass graves would be discovered in the area throughout the rest of the year. Mothers and their supporters saw and photographed〔(see Amnesty International collection of photos on Khavaran available on-line at: http://www.amnesty.org/fr/library/asset/MDE13/006/2009/fr/4c4f2ba8-e7b0-11dd-a526-05dc1810b803/mde130062009eng.html )〕 limbs and bodies of partially buried victims. The Mothers' campaign included public gatherings and written statements to authorities like including UN Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar, and an unsuccessful attempt to meet with UN Special Rapporteur Galindo Pohl about the state of human rights in Iran. They also visited the residences of Ayatollah Khomeini, the father of the Republic, as well as those of Ayatollahs Montazeri and Marashi Najafi. Later, Ayatollah Montazeri sought ways to end the execution of “thousands in a few days.” Families of Khavaran then visited Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi, but were refused a response. They also peacefully gathered for three days in front of the Central Court in Tehran on August 21 1988 to try to restore family visitation rights. A member of the High Judiciary Council, Bojnourdi, spoke to the crowd and stated that visitations would resume at Gohardasht prison, but that those at Evin were banned until stated otherwise. The Mothers later found that these periods marked by bans were set aside to process prisoners through two-minute interrogation sessions before a three-member death commission, leading to mass executions and burials. Once the Mothers learned of the massacre they informed the media and the diaspora outside of Iran. This marked the start of their global efforts to raise awareness and object to the secret mass executions. After authorities returned some the victims' belongings 〔(see: http://www.mpliran.org/2013/11/25-67.html )〕 to their families in December 1988, The Mothers took the significant step of organizing a public demonstration. It took place on December 26 at the Central Court in Tehran. The Mothers called out the Minister of Justice in a petition outlining violations of human rights and named August 28 to September 8 1988 the “Ten Days Honouring Martyrs of the National Tragedy” and September 1 as the day of public commemoration at Khavaran Cemetery. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Mothers of Khavaran」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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