The softening-up process started with a beating from the guards in a solitary confinement cell. Then Reza Fallahi was dragged before prosecutors to negotiate for his life – before being thrown back into Iran’s brutal prison system. And he was one of the lucky ones.
Of the 64 political prisoners taken from his section in Gohardasht prison in August 1988, only 12 of them were alive by the end of the week. The rest were strung up on the gallows during the notorious mass killings of an estimated 5,000 prisoners in jails across the country.
The prisoners were ordered to die in a secret fatwa signed by former Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini days after the end of the Iran-Iraq war. Top of the list were jailed members of the supporters of the Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MEK) who backed the 1979 revolution but turned against the regime and sided with Iraq during the war.
Now 60 years old and living in the UK, Mr Fallahi cannot manage a full night’s sleep because of the horrors experienced during his 10 years behind bars. But more than 30 years on from the massacre, he finally has a shot at securing a measure of justice.
After a decades-long and frustrating battle by campaigners and former inmates, in Sweden on Tuesday a suspected lowly regime official will become the first man to stand trial for war crimes and more than 100 murders.
Mr Fallahi is named in Swedish court documents as one of about 50 former prisoners, relatives and campaigners who will give evidence against Hamid Nouri, who is accused of being an assistant to a prosecutor during the massacres at Gohardasht, 20 kilometres west of Tehran. Mr Nouri, 60, says it is a case of mistaken identity.
But while Mr Nouri is the only man on trial, after being lured to Sweden in 2019, other senior regime officials, although not present, will face detailed scrutiny during the months of hearings.
They include Ebrahim Raisi, the recently confirmed Iranian president and a former member of the so-called “death committees” that ordered the killings of thousands of opposition and left-wing figures in only a few weeks.
Both men are likely to figure prominently in Mr Fallahi’s day-long evidence to the trial, he told The National. He remembers his caseworker, Mr Nouri, “laughing and very happy” when the names of the 64 were called down to death row at the jail.
He says Mr Nouri – who he knew then by a different name – provided assistance to the four-man death committee at Gohardasht prison, which included a youthful young prosecutor, Ebrahim Raisi, according to Mr Fallahi.
He said Mr Raisi was the youngest member of the committee and had addressed him directly during the hearing.
“He told me: ‘You’re a murderer, you have blood on your hands, you support a terrorist group, you should be punished’,” Mr Fallahi said. “He was very angry. He was one of the people trying his best to get more people killed.”
He believes he survived only because a large group of prisoners had just gone before him and they were all sent to the gallows, the guards returning with their rings and other personal effects.
Mr Fallahi believes the authorities allowed small groups to survive so they could be used for propaganda purposes to rebut suggestions of a massacre. The belongings of those who died were returned to their families after secret burials.
Mr Fallahi was arrested in 1981 during a round-up of opposition activists from the MEK who turned on the clerical regime after hundreds of its members were killed at a rally that year. His crime was to be reading a newspaper supportive of the group.
Another London-based former inmate who is giving evidence, Ahmad Ebrahimi, told The National that the inmates knew something was afoot when television sets were removed, newspapers stopped and family visits cancelled.
He said that he retreated from his support for the opposition, which in its current guise remains a trenchant critic of the regime from outside Iran, after being tipped off by another inmate that disloyal prisoners were being killed.
Mr Nouri was said to have played an active role preparing the names and leading inmates to and from the death committee hearings. Some former inmates said he also played an active role in prison violence and hangings.
Mr Ebrahimi said he was taken down to death row where he was blindfolded in preparation for his own hearing and claims to have spoken to Mr Nouri.
“When I was taken to the death committee I said that I didn’t believe. I was in a position where I would get killed if I did not. And he [Nouri] told me I had to write it – I couldn’t just say it. I had to write it specifically.
“I knew him at that time because it was a critical moment in my life. I knew him from before and I knew his voice. Still now, his voice is in my ears all the time.”
Of the 60 taken from his wing at the prison, just four survived, he said.
Both men served 10 years before they were released from prison in 1991, but had to continue signing on weekly with the authorities so they could keep track of them.
Mr Ebrahimi fled to Britain using a false passport, followed by his wife several years later. Mr Fallahi escaped with the help of smugglers in 2001 and also made his way to Britain. Both men are now British citizens.
The case is likely to make uncomfortable publicity for Iran’s new president.
While country leaders generally have immunity from prosecution while in office, prominent lawyer Geoffrey Robertson who investigated the killings in 2011, predicted that Mr Raisi would not venture outside Iran.
Mr Nouri was charged under the concept of universal jurisdiction, a legal concept that allows for the most serious crimes to be heard by a country regardless of when and where they were committed.
“This extensive investigation resulting in this indictment shows that even though these acts were committed beyond Sweden’s territory and more than three decades ago, they can be subject to legal proceedings in Sweden,” said prosecutor Kristina Lindhoff Carleson when announcing the charges last month.
Lawyers have spoken of an increased ambition for international tribunals to prosecute high-profile cases. Omar Al Bashir, the former president of Sudan, became the first serving leader to be indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in 2009. He has yet to be handed over to the court.
Tehran was also left angry and warning of repercussions after the conviction of an Iranian diplomat in Belgium over a 2018 plot to bomb an opposition rally in France organised by the current MEK organisation.
“I don’t have a personal issue with him [Nouri],” Mr Ebrahimi said. “My most important thing is that the highest of the criminals is now a so-called president. And they have to be brought to justice.
“I believe in the cause of freedom. I’m delighted to be giving evidence because of the way those people were killed and their graves hidden in parts of Iran that nobody knows.”
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Game Of Thrones Season Seven: A Bluffers Guide
Want to sound on message about the biggest show on television without actually watching it? Best not to get locked into the labyrinthine tales of revenge and royalty: as Isaac Hempstead Wright put it, all you really need to know from now on is that there’s going to be a huge fight between humans and the armies of undead White Walkers.
The season ended with a dragon captured by the Night King blowing apart the huge wall of ice that separates the human world from its less appealing counterpart. Not that some of the humans in Westeros have been particularly appealing, either.
Anyway, the White Walkers are now free to cause any kind of havoc they wish, and as Liam Cunningham told us: “Westeros may be zombie land after the Night King has finished.” If the various human factions don’t put aside their differences in season 8, we could be looking at The Walking Dead: The Medieval Years.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor
Power: 843hp at N/A rpm
Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km
On sale: October to December
Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
more from Janine di Giovanni
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to help
Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.
Account name: Dar Al Ber Society
Account Number: 11 530 734
IBAN: AE 9805 000 000 000 11 530 734
Bank Name: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
To ensure that your contribution reaches these people, please send the copy of deposit/transfer receipt to: juhi.khan@daralber.ae
EMILY%20IN%20PARIS%3A%20SEASON%203
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Bawaal%20
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo 4-cyl
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Power: 190bhp
Torque: 300Nm
Price: Dh169,900
On sale: now
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The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
Roll%20of%20Honour%2C%20men%E2%80%99s%20domestic%20rugby%20season
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Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
SERIES INFO
Cricket World Cup League Two
Nepal, Oman, United States tri-series
Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu
Fixtures
Wednesday February 5, Oman v Nepal
Thursday, February 6, Oman v United States
Saturday, February 8, United States v Nepal
Sunday, February 9, Oman v Nepal
Tuesday, February 11, Oman v United States
Wednesday, February 12, United States v Nepal
Table
The top three sides advance to the 2022 World Cup Qualifier.
The bottom four sides are relegated to the 2022 World Cup playoff
1 United States 8 6 2 0 0 12 0.412
2 Scotland 8 4 3 0 1 9 0.139
3 Namibia 7 4 3 0 0 8 0.008
4 Oman 6 4 2 0 0 8 -0.139
5 UAE 7 3 3 0 1 7 -0.004
6 Nepal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 PNG 8 0 8 0 0 0 -0.458
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
