Police and Revolutionary Guards defend their actions

Azizollah Rajabzadeh

Senior officers of Iranian security and armed forces defended their actions in the post election crackdown on protesters and denied involvement in any violations of detainee rights.

Commander in Chief of the Revolutionary Guards, Mohammad Ali Jafari claimed there were more casualties from the Basij forces than from the people. Previously officials had announced nine Basij members killed in the protests which however remain unidentified.

Iranian officials have confirmed the death of 20 people in the course of shooting in the post-election demonstrations.

Mr. Jafari presented the death of 13 Basij members as the mark of the force’s selfless sacrifice for the protection of peace and the public.

Chief of Tehran Police Forces, Azizollah Rajabzadeh also denied any misconduct by the police. He claimed the transfer of detainees to Kahrizak was done by the order of the judiciary and the willful actions of three individuals at that detention centre should not be grounds to condemn the whole Police Force.

Kahrizak, which was run under the supervision of the police, was the detention centre where many of the detainees in the post-election turmoil were kept. The centre was closed down by the order of the Supreme Leader after many reports of detainee torture and death. There are also reports of detainee rape in Kahrizak which was confirmed by an anonymous lawmaker last week on Parliament News website.

A parliamentary Committee has been set up to investigate detainee mistreatment in the recent events. To date, the committee has not been allowed to inspect Kahrizak premises.

Commander Rajabzadeh claimed the details of the National Security Council investigation on Kahrizak will soon be announced. He added that Police Forces were not involved in the attacks at the University dorm.

The Head of Revolutionary Guards also denied any organized involvement of Basij militia in the University dorm attacks.

The Supreme Leader, in a speech to university students, assured them that the perpetrators of the attacks would be brought to justice.

President Ahmadinejad also claimed yesterday that any unlawful acts committed in the name of the security forces was perpetrated by foreign-backed elements who have infiltrated the force.