Mohammad-Hossein Babaei
Mohammad Hossein Babaei, as one of the senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), plays a significant role in the widespread and serious violations of human rights in Iran. As the commander of the Karbala Corps of Mazandaran Province from 2014 to 2020 (1393 to 1399), he was involved in and is responsible for violations of the right to freedom and social rights, including the suppression of citizens’ right to protest in Mazandaran during the November 2019 (Aban 1398) protests.
Right to Freedom and Social Rights As the commander of the Karbala Corps of Mazandaran Province, Mohammad Hossein Babaei is responsible for violations of the right to freedom and social rights committed by forces under his command. For instance, in January 2015 (Dey 1393), IRGC forces in Mazandaran raided a private party in the city of Amol and arrested 20 young men and women for attending a mixed-gender gathering. They were detained and subsequently handed over to the judicial authorities.
Right to Protest Mohammad Hossein Babaei has played a key role in violating the right to protest for the citizens of Mazandaran Province. Forces under his command in the Mazandaran IRGC were directly involved in the violent suppression of protesters during the November 2019 (Aban 1398) protests. According to published reports, at least 100 citizens participating in the November 2019 protests in Mazandaran were arrested by security and law enforcement forces.
The role of IRGC forces in the severe and violent crackdown on the November 2019 protests in Iran is undeniable. On November 18, 2019 (27 Aban 1398), the IRGC itself issued a statement announcing its intention to take “decisive action against acts disturbing public peace.”
The direct shooting and killing of protesters by security forces, including members of the IRGC, during the November 2019 protests was also confirmed by Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, the then Minister of Interior of the Islamic Republic. In June 2020 (Khordad 1399), he stated that at least 80 percent of those killed during the protests were shot with the official weapons of the Islamic Republic’s security and law enforcement forces. This statement was made despite a Reuters report from January 2020 (Dey 1398) quoting sources in the Ministry of Interior of the Islamic Republic, which reported that at least 1,500 people were killed during the November protests.
A report published by Amnesty International in late May 2020 (end of Ordibehesht 1399) on the fatalities during the November 2019 protests explicitly highlighted the role of IRGC and Basij forces in the killings of protesters. According to the report, “With the exception of four cases, all victims died from gunshot wounds inflicted by security forces – including members of the IRGC, Basij, and police forces. These deadly bullets were often aimed at the heads or upper bodies of the victims, indicating an intent to kill.”
Javaid Rehman, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, also confirmed in a report published in September 2020 (Shahrivar 1399) the presence of IRGC and Basij forces in the “excessively violent” suppression of protesters, stating: “Police, IRGC, and Basij forces shot at protesters with the intent to kill.”
