UN Officials Call For Inquiry Into 1988 Iran Massacre

The families of the victims of the 1988 summer executions gather in the Khawaran cemetery, which contains unidentified mass graves of political prisoners (Hrana Organization)
The families of the victims of the 1988 summer executions gather in the Khawaran cemetery, which contains unidentified mass graves of political prisoners (Hrana Organization)
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UN Officials Call For Inquiry Into 1988 Iran Massacre

The families of the victims of the 1988 summer executions gather in the Khawaran cemetery, which contains unidentified mass graves of political prisoners (Hrana Organization)
The families of the victims of the 1988 summer executions gather in the Khawaran cemetery, which contains unidentified mass graves of political prisoners (Hrana Organization)

Dozens of former United Nations officials and human rights experts called for an international investigation into the mass killings of dissidents in Iranian prisons in 1988.

Over 150 international legal and human rights experts, including former UN High Commissioner Mary Robinson, former deputy UN Secretary-General Mark Malloch-Brown, and former Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell signed an open letter urging a probe into the killings of followers of the “Mujahedin-e-Khalq” and other groups in 1988 on an order from Iran's then-supreme leader Moussavi Khomeini.

“There is a systemic impunity enjoyed by those who ordered and carried out the extrajudicial executions,” they said, adding: “Many of the officials involved continue to hold positions of power including in key judicial, prosecutorial, and government bodies.”

The letter listed the names of thousands involved in the killings, including Iran's current justice minister, Seyyed Alireza Avaei.

"We appeal to the UN Human Rights Council to end the culture of impunity that exists in Iran by establishing a Commission of Inquiry into the 1988 mass extrajudicial executions and forced disappearances."

The signatories also urged High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet to support the establishment of such a commission.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the establishment of an international investigation committee "is a decision taken by member states."

OHCHR spokeswoman Marta Hurtado asserted that they received the letter and explained that part of the message is available to the public.

Hurtado pointed out that Human Rights Office and the Special Rapporteur on Iran reported the constant violations of human rights in the country.

Iranian officials recently defended the executions, saying the opposition were “terrorists”.



Japan PM Warns of Divided World at Futuristic World Expo Opening Ceremony

 Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks during the opening ceremony of the Osaka Expo 2025 in Osaka, western Japan Saturday, April 12, 2025. (Jia Haocheng/Pool Photo via AP)
Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks during the opening ceremony of the Osaka Expo 2025 in Osaka, western Japan Saturday, April 12, 2025. (Jia Haocheng/Pool Photo via AP)
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Japan PM Warns of Divided World at Futuristic World Expo Opening Ceremony

 Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks during the opening ceremony of the Osaka Expo 2025 in Osaka, western Japan Saturday, April 12, 2025. (Jia Haocheng/Pool Photo via AP)
Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks during the opening ceremony of the Osaka Expo 2025 in Osaka, western Japan Saturday, April 12, 2025. (Jia Haocheng/Pool Photo via AP)

Japan's prime minister urged the importance of unity in a world plagued by "divisions" at a futuristic but also tradition-steeped opening ceremony for the World Expo on Saturday.

Everything from a Mars meteorite to a beating heart grown from stem cells will be showcased during the six-month event, which opens to the public on Sunday.

The vast waterfront site in Osaka will host more than 160 countries, regions and organizations.

"Having overcome the Covid pandemic, the world now faces the crisis over many different divisions," Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told the opening ceremony.

"It is extremely significant that people from all over the world gather and face the question of life in this era, exposing ourselves to state-of-the-art technology and diverse cultures and ways of thinking," Ishiba said.

Expo is also known as a World's Fair and the phenomenon, which brought the Eiffel Tower to Paris, began with London's 1851 Crystal Palace exhibition and is held every five years.

Most pavilions -- each more outlandishly designed than the last -- are encircled by the world's largest wooden architectural structure, a towering latticed "Grand Ring" designed as a symbol of unity.

An array of colorful imagery symbolizing life, birth and nature adorned a massive screen in a minutes-long video at Saturday's ceremony, with foreign dignitaries and Japan's royal family in attendance.

The ceremony displayed a mix of technology, including its AI-powered "virtual human" master of ceremonies, and tradition that included Japanese kabuki dancing and taiko drums.

Emperor Naruhito said he hopes Expo 2025 will "serve as an opportunity for people worldwide to respect the lives not only of their own but also of others".

Heightened security was put to the test hours before the ceremony when a suspicious box was found at the nearby Kyoto train station and reported to police.

A bomb squad was sent to the scene, causing train delays, but it was found that the box only contained "foreign-made sweets", according to Japanese media.

Osaka last hosted the Expo in 1970, when Japan was booming and its technology was the envy of the world. It attracted 64 million people, a record until Shanghai in 2010.

However, Expos have been criticized for their temporary nature, and Osaka's man-made island will be cleared to make way for a casino resort after October.

Only 12.5 percent of the Grand Ring will be reused, according to Japanese media.

Opinion polls also show low levels of enthusiasm for the Expo among the public.

So far 8.7 million advance tickets have been sold, below the pre-sales target of 14 million.

Japan is also experiencing a record tourism boom, meaning accommodation in Osaka -- near hotspot Kyoto, and home to the Universal Studios Japan theme park -- is often fully booked with sky-high prices.