August 30, 2023
On August 30, 2023, distinguished foreign affairs experts, activists, eyewitnesses, lawyers, and scholars converged on Capitol Hill to engage in a compelling panel discussion to honor the International Day of the Disappeared, delving into the urgent issue of the many victims of enforced disappearances in Iran. The panel focused on the forced disappearances that took place in Iran during the summer of 1988, also known as the 1988 Massacre. During the painful summer of 1988, thousands of political prisoners were executed or forcibly disappeared by the Iranian government.
The event will feature testimonies by witnesses, as well as discussions by experts on the legal implications and avenues for pursuing justice. The discussion was moderated by Ms. Julia Manchester, an anchor and accomplished national political reporter for Hill TV.
August 30th is the International Day of the Disappeared, a day of remembrance for individuals who have gone missing due to conflict, human rights abuses, and other tragic circumstances. The event was organized by the Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC), a Washington D.C based nonprofit network of Iranian-American societies across the United States and a dedicated advocate for human rights and justice.
The panelists included:
- Ramesh Sepehrrad, member of OIAC Advisory Board, a human rights scholar and expert on the forced disappearances in Iran.
- Anna Sami, an attorney who specializes in international human rights law.
- Hannaneh Amanpour, an attorney who represents families of the disappeared in Iran.
- Eyes witness testimonies
DATE: Wednesday, August 30, 2023
TIME: 10:30am – 12:00pm (EST)
LOCATION: U.S. House of Representatives,
Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2237, Independence Ave. SW Bldg., Washington, D.C.
Event Transcript
Panel Discussion- Transcript
“Since 2016, the names of those responsible for the massacre in 1988 have been released… and many still hold very high ranking positions in the government, including the president of Iran Raisi”
– @JuliaManch #ProsecuteRaisiNOW pic.twitter.com/sqeH1zt2Z6
— OIAC: Organization of Iranian American Communities (@OrgIAC) August 30, 2023
Ebrahim Raisi was a member of the death commission, yet he's currently the president of Iran. He was DIRECTLY responsible for the mass disappearances and killings of political prisoners. How is this possible?#ProsecuteRaisiNOW #HRes627 (https://t.co/ENFCmY8YIF) pic.twitter.com/2G1abBM2dN
— OIAC: Organization of Iranian American Communities (@OrgIAC) August 30, 2023
Sheila's story of being imprisoned, abused, and tortured in Iranian prisons. @Sheila1367 #ProsecuteRaisiNOW pic.twitter.com/yoAzWP18bl
— OIAC: Organization of Iranian American Communities (@OrgIAC) August 30, 2023
What does it mean to seek justice? ➡️ @AnaSami7#ProsecuteRaisiNOW #HRes627 (https://t.co/ENFCmY8YIF) pic.twitter.com/BYPT2PF7EC
— OIAC: Organization of Iranian American Communities (@OrgIAC) September 1, 2023
➡️ @borjkhaniAmir, a witness to the #1988Massacre proceedings, addresses the @orgIAC meeting in the Capitol Hill on this, the 2023 International Day of the Disappeared. pic.twitter.com/SzM0FhBSoO
— OIAC: Organization of Iranian American Communities (@OrgIAC) August 30, 2023
"When the Iranian president is a former member of the death commission… it says you can commit these horrible atrocities, the world can watch you do it, and you can continue on"
– @HannaneAmanpour #ProsecuteRaisiNOW pic.twitter.com/rKeMNj1I5V
— OIAC: Organization of Iranian American Communities (@OrgIAC) September 1, 2023
اشاره به کشتار مخالفان توسط جمهوری اسلامی در میزگردی در #کنگره #آمریکا همزمان با روز جهانی ناپدیدشدگان قهری pic.twitter.com/rau1GDkhPf
— VOA Farsi صدای آمریکا (@VOAfarsi) August 30, 2023
