Why was Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi called the 'Butcher of Tehran'?
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi died in an apparent helicopter crash in the East Azerbaijan province of the country. Various human rights groups have nicknamed as the "Butcher of Tehran". What is the reason for this? What has the deceased President done to earn the notorious title?
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Death Commission of 1988:
Raisi began his career after the Islamic Revolution of 1979 that overthrew the Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. By the time the Iran-Iraq war ended in 1988, he had been appointed as the Deputy Prosecutor of the Revolutionary Court of Iran. He was the youngest of the four member panel called informally as the “Death Commissions’. This commission consisted of religious scholars, intelligence officials and other members.
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The then Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa or a religious/judicial decree ordering the execution of all political prisoners which included the communists and those who were the ‘enemies of god’. This, according to various estimates resulted in the execution of thousands of people. According to many estimates, at least 30,000 people were killed, across Iran. According to the US Institute of Peace, 4000-5000 people were executed. Most of these executions were pronounced within minutes after the trail began, going against the principles of natural justice and rule of law. Many of these persecuted individuals were members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran.
