'Even animals don't do these things': Iranian forces sexually brutalised men, women, children protesters

A recent damning report by Amnesty International exposes a disturbing pattern of sexual violence against protesters, some as young as 12, by Iranian security forces during the nationwide protests that erupted in September 2022. The 120-page report details harrowing testimonies from 12 women, 26 men, one girl, and six boys, revealing instances of rape and sexual violence used as tools of torture and punishment. Shockingly, the victims were assaulted by various entities, including the Revolutionary Guards, the paramilitary Basij force, intelligence ministry agents, and police officers. Amnesty’s secretary general, Agnes Callamard, expressed concern over a “wider pattern” as the report documents 45 cases of rape, gang rape, or sexual violence, with some victims being subjected to assaults by groups of up to ten men. The protests, triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody, faced a severe crackdown, resulting in hundreds dead and thousands arrested. Amnesty shared its findings with Iranian authorities on November 24 but has received no response. The report reveals gruesome details of the assaults, including the use of “wooden and metal batons, glass bottles, hosepipes, and/or agents’ sexual organs and fingers” during the attacks. It also documents cases of other forms of sexual violence, such as beating of breasts and genitals, enforced nudity, and torture methods involving needles and ice. Victims, often reluctant to file complaints due to fear of repercussions, narrate their experiences of brutal interrogations leading to rape. The international community is urged to support survivors as domestic avenues for justice seem elusive. One victim, identified as Maryam, shared her horrifying ordeal of being raped during interrogation, stating, “Even animals don’t do these things.” Another survivor, Farzad, detailed being gang-raped inside a vehicle by plainclothes agents who subjected detainees to electric shocks. Amnesty emphasizes the need for global intervention, asserting that most victims who did file complaints faced neglect from prosecutors. The organization stresses that justice for survivors requires international support in light of the atrocities committed by Iranian authorities. The report concludes with a call to action, urging the international community to stand in solidarity with survivors and pursue justice for these heinous crimes.