Human Rights Watch released a report yesterday documenting widespread and systemic human rights abuses perpetrated by Iran’s hard-line theocracy. The report entitled, “Like the Dead in Their Coffins: Torture, Detention, and the Crushing of Dissent in Iran,” identified “systematic abuses against political detainees, including arbitrary arrest, detention without trial, torture to extract confessions, prolonged solitary confinement, and physical and psychological abuse.” HRW concludes Iran has a “bleak future” because of its government’s large-scale repression of its citizens, and singles out the country’s “unelected institutions,” especially the judiciary and Guardians Council, as the major culprits. While the report includes some good recommendations, it fails to adequately condemn the European Union’s toothless “negotiations” with Iran’s mullahs, it fails to criticize Iran’s President, and it doesn’t mention the placation of Islamist hard-liners by some American politicians. Also conspicuously absent is mention of Iran's support for terrorism, which is most certainly a human rights abuse.

The report begins with a perhaps overoptimistic view of the “reform” process begun with the election of president Mohammad Khatami in 1997 – what I call “Iranian Pretend Democracy.” But HRW does accurately document the Islamist reaction to this process:

In the years following the election of President Mohammad Khatami in 1997, on a platform of supporting rule of law and civil society, independent newspapers and journals flourished in Iran. In 2000, a large class of more vocal and reform minded representatives entered a revitalized parliament, promising to introduce new laws that would challenge the status quo. Intellectuals, journalists, and writers debated publicly some of the most critical issues facing Iranian society. In response, the judiciary and the extra-legal security and intelligence agencies of the Iranian state have sought to destroy these voices.

Since then Iran’s independent newspapers have been almost completely destroyed, the result of a campaign launched by the Office of the Leader and the judicial authority in April 2000 to silence growing dissent.

The report presents compelling evidence of the Iranian government's repression of internal dissent. First-hand reports are provided of unwarranted searches and seizures, harassment, intimidation, arbitrary arrests, forced confessions, secret trials, illegal detentions, torture, and censoring and/or closure of independent news organs.

HRW paid particularly close attention to Iran’s student activists, as they have been in the forefront of activities meant to bring democracy to their homeland. One student describes being tortured by the Revolutionary Guard for criticizing Fearless Leader (dictator-for-life) Khamenei:

They told me, “You will have your [50] lashings now.” I asked for a minute to prepare myself, and they refused. They said that my crime was insulting the Leader. They took off my coat, stood me up against a wall, and whipped me until I was purple. After the lashings, I was taken to the emergency room. When I put my coat on, I tell you, I do not know how I walked out. As I left, the man said, “You are a counter-revolutionary, and you will pay for everything.”

The report makes various recommendations that would be wonderful if implemented, but provides no advice on getting Iran to adopt these suggestions. For example, HRW suggests things like release of political prisoners, investigation of torture, and the use of due legal process. But in the current world climate, Iran’s regime has no impetus to make such changes. The European Union and Russia are too busy doing business with and placating the mullahs. The U.S. has certainly not done enough to help Iran’s pro-democracy movement. Firm actions are required, like suspension of trade, curtailment or cutting off of diplomatic relations, UN resolutions with teeth, or even covert support for Iranian dissidents.

HRW’s report was surprisingly cautious not to level criticism at Iran’s so-called “reformist” President Khatami -- even though he has utterly and completely failed to be the "reformer" that so many had thought him to be. In February, he publicly urged his own people to participate in the fraudulent parliamentary elections scheduled for late that month. When he became Iran's president 6 years ago, he made big promises for democratic reforms. But things have only gone downhill since he took power. The Islamist thugs who hold real power in Iran have derailed all attempts at political progress. Iranians have vented their frustrations over and over again at the lack of reform, but all they have gotten in return is violence -- and the further entrenchment of the religious, dictatorial establishment. Khatami has done nothing to truly oppose the Islamists. His support for the February elections is proof positive of his duplicity and complicity in keeping the Iranian people prisoners in their own homeland.

In its commentary on the report, the BBC was also uncritical of Khatami saying, “Hardliners have undermined many of President Khatami's reforms,” as if he was powerless to do anything. After reading the entire 73-page report, I have a hard time believing Khatami could just be sitting on the sidelines. I have an even harder time believing that he could maintain his position without resigning -- or showing some sort of protest -- while Iran’s mullahs carry out their evil deeds under his own watch.

The comprehensive report is based on extensive interviews, conducted either in person or via email, with persons in Iran; with Iranian expatriates living in the U.S., Canada, Turkey, and Europe; and with journalists who have reported on events there. HRW interviewed student activists, former political prisoners, and the relatives of those who have suffered under the Iranian theocracy’s abuses.

I applaud HRW for putting the public spotlight on Iran’s mullahs. But I wish the human rights group would’ve made recommendations for pressuring Iran’s regime to change. Without real actions, we’ll continue to hear lots of talk about Iran, but the regime will just continue on its path of supporting terrorism, building nuclear weapons, repressing its citizenry, and trying to destabilize Iraq.