Iran’s Regime Destroys Burial Site of Thousands of PMOI Martyrs

Erasing the evidence of genocide and crimes against humanity is participation in these atrocity crimes.

The inhumane clerical regime, acting on Khamenei’s orders, has launched a criminal operation to erase the traces of genocide and crimes against humanity by destroying and leveling Section 41 of Behesht Zahra Cemetery — the burial site of thousands of members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) who were executed by Khomeini’s executioners in the 1980s. Heavy machinery is being used for the demolition, and agents of the mullahs’ terror and crime mafia (the Ministry of Intelligence) are present on site, preventing people from approaching this section.

For 40 years, this section has been under constant surveillance and control by the regime’s repressive forces, with access tightly monitored. Since that time, agents of the clerical regime have repeatedly smashed or desecrated the gravestones of the Mojahedin, and parts of this section had already been damaged. Now, however, the regime seeks the complete destruction of the site and the erasure of evidence of its crimes.

In his July 2024 report, Professor Javaid Rehman, then UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, stated that the 1980s executions constituted “crimes against humanity as well as genocide.” He urged UN member states to make use of universal jurisdiction to investigate, issue arrest warrants against, and prosecute individuals for “atrocity crimes”.

He further emphasized: “Those who ordered and perpetuated the “atrocity crimes” of crimes against humanity as well as genocide, particularly during 1980–1981 and 1988 have remained in government.”

The Iranian Resistance stresses that, under international law, destroying evidence of genocide and crimes against humanity amounts to the continuation and participation in those crimes. It calls on the United Nations and relevant bodies to take immediate action to prevent further destruction of the martyrs’ graves and to bring the perpetrators of these heinous crimes to justice.

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)

11 August 2025