'Start of Our Legal Battle': Iran Protest Detainee Testifies at UN

Keyvan Samadi, 25, one of the detainees of the nationwide protests of 2022, endured various forms of physical, sexual, and mental torture during his 21-day confinement in a clandestine detention center. 

He said he suffered humiliation, verbal abuse, and repeated beatings.

Presently, Samadi is attending the Human Rights Council meeting at the United Nations headquarters to testify as an eyewitness to the Islamic Republic's actions against the protesters.

The summary of the fact-finding committee's report was released on March 8. Today, on March 18, a meeting to delve into the specifics of this report will convene with representatives from various countries, including Iran, in attendance.

"The report from the UN fact-finding committee marks the beginning of our legal battle," Samadi told IranWire. 

Samadi was arrested on September 29, 2022. Reflecting on his ordeal, he recounted to IranWire, "A few days after reports surfaced that my city was controlled by protesters, security agencies conducted mass arrests of demonstrators, and I found myself among those detained."

Samadi disclosed that he endured 21 days of detention in a clandestine facility, locating its exact whereabouts only after his release: "This center is situated behind a girls' school named Hekmat, near the police station and governor's office."

In that facility, Samadi suffered a range of physical, sexual, and mental abuses. "They subjected me to relentless torture, from beatings with kicks and batons to electric shocks and burning my flesh," he said.

Before founding the Khorshid Sorkh environmentalist group, Samadi had registered other civic associations in his city focused on animal welfare and environmental protection. 

He said, "My arrest stemmed from authorities' recognition of my organizational capabilities, but they sought to coerce a false confession of orchestrating armed activities. However, I had never resorted to violence, even during my military service."

Following his release, Samadi fled to Iraq before seeking refuge in France and later Germany, where he presently lives with his brother. 

However, he faces complications under the Dublin Regulation due to France being his initial safe haven, thus jeopardizing his stay in Germany.

Despite these challenges, Samadi asserted, "I knew the risks when I embarked on this journey."

Samadi emphasized, "The recent report from the fact-finding mission marks the start of our legal battle. Its designation of the Islamic Republic's actions as crimes against humanity validates our year-long outcry. Our testimonies have borne fruit, empowering us with institutional backing capable of enacting change."

He expressed pride in the testimonies, believing these could significantly challenge the Islamic Republic. "The atrocities inflicted upon us will no longer be concealed. Our claims, once dismissed, now stand verified, paving the path for justice," he asserted.

Testifying at today's Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, Samadi declared, "Those of us who have spoken out no longer fear the Islamic Republic. We have shed our timidity. I see my liberation as an opportunity to amplify the voices of those still incarcerated or silenced by fear."