After the 2009 street protests that followed the presidential elections, many victims who were arrested in demonstrations came forward with their stories and triggered a movement of talking openly about their plight.
Crime without Punishment began in 2010 as a project to bring to light the sexual tortures and gender based violence experienced by political prisoners over the past 30 years. Prior to this, sexual abuse and torture at the hand of Islamic Republic authorities was not as well-documented as other human rights violations. This project put an end to this sad reality by documenting sexual abuse, going back some thirty years. It also elevated public awareness and discourse, both nationally and internationally, in order to hold the perpetrators of these heinous crimes accountable.
Justice for Iran conducted interviews with tens of victims and their families over a three year period, published a book under the title of Crime and Impunity, and lobbied with the European Union, the United Nations and influential stakeholders in order to use international mechanisms to enforce accountability.
By 2013, Crime without Punishment achieved its goal of raising public awareness about this dark chapter in Iran’s history. More importantly, female political prisoners who had faced sexual violence, felt that the associated taboo was no longer in place, enabling them to come forward to share their experiences.
Overall, Crime without Punishment & Crime and Impunity, are regarded as valuable historical documents, offering the first comprehensive collection of evidence and accounts on a taboo subject.
To know more about the project, please click here.
