Khatami: “Confront the culprits of these atrocities!”

Seyed Mohamad Khatami, former president of Iran, declared that a hard stance needs to be taken against the recent “atrocities and crimes.” Referring to the closure of Kahrizak Detention Centre in the past week by the order of the Supreme Leader, he declared: “It is not sufficient to close down a Detention Centre and say it had substandard conditions.” He added: “Are we saying that the air-conditioners were broken? Or that the washrooms were unhygienic?” “No!” he claimed. “Crimes have been committed, lives have been lost, and young men and women have been treated in a manner that when such treatments occur in foreign prisons, everyone cries out and gets agitated.” He expressed his concern that none of the investigation committees appointed so far by the Parliament or the judiciary have been allowed to inspect the detention centres and carry out their purpose.
In reference to the so-called confessions obtained from detainees, he claimed that all charges must be backed up by clear and precise evidence and presented in an open and competent court in front of a jury while the accused is afforded a defense attorney. He also urged the Parliament to put the inquiry into the results of the election in their order.