Iran Atrocities Tribunal Begins Public Hearings

American Society of International Law: On November 10, 2021, the Iran Atrocities Tribunal (also known as the Aban Tribunal) began its Public Hearings in London “to investigate the killing and wounding of thousands of innocent protesters in Iran in 2019.” According to a Tribunal press release, it will assess whether the crimes allegedly committed by individuals such as the Supreme Leader Ali Khamanei and President Ebrahim Raisi constitute crimes against humanity. The Tribunal panel will hear 45 witnesses and will investigate 133 Iranian Government Officials’ roles in international crimes during the 2019 protests. The 2019 protests broke out after the Iranian Government’s introduction of a 200 per cent spike in fuel prices. According to the press release, “government forces responded to the protests with extreme brutality and violence.” The Tribunal was established by a group of human rights advocates on the protests’ anniversary to investigate the international crimes committed during the 2019 protests.