1981–1982 Iran Massacres

Aiming to transform Iranian society into a Shi'ite theocracy, Khomeini issued several fatwas and executive orders to "purify" public institutions and higher education from Marxist, non-Islamic, Western, and liberal influences.

Initiated by an order from Ayatollah Khomeini on June 14, 1980, the revolution aimed to "purify" higher education by removing Western, liberal, and leftist elements, leading to the closure of universities, the banning of student unions, and violent occupations of campuses.

During this period, Shi’a clerics imposed policies to Islamize Iranian society, including mandatory hijabs for women, the expulsion of critical academics, the suppression of secular political groups, and the persecution of intellectuals and artists.

[1][2] Following Khomeini’s order, hundreds of young protestors (including teenage girls) and critics were arrested, and many were sentenced to death by the Islamic Revolutionary Courts.

[1][10][11] On 21 June 1981, Saeed Soltanpour, a prominent poet and playwright, along with 14 other leftist dissidents, were subjected to summary executions on charges of 'enmity against Islam, Allah, and his prophet' and 'spreading corruption on earth'.

Between June 1981 to March 1982, thousands of dissidents were subjected to systematic torture, summary, and arbitrary executions on religiously motivated charges of moharebeh ('enmity against Allah'), ifsad-fil-arz ('spreading corruption on Earth'), and irtidad (apostasy).

Many of these underage victims were subjected to arbitrary detention, brutal torture, and summary executions on charges of moharebeh (enmity against Allah) and ifsad-fil-arz (spreading corruption on Earth).

[2][3] According to official records the Iranian government labeled all its political opponents as "moharebs," "mufsids," counterrevolutionaries, "hypocrites," terrorists, "apostates," or pro-Western mercenaries.

These included liberals, nationalists, ethnic minorities, communists, Mujahedin-e Khalq (the largest opposition group), socialists, social democrats, monarchists, or followers of the Baháʼí Faith.

[1] During the massacre, hundreds of minors were also subjected to arbitrary detention, torture, and summary executions on ideologically motivated charges of ifsad-fi-alarz and moharebeh by the revolutionary courts.

"[23][24] In a TV interview, Tehran Revolutionary Prosecutor Asadollah Lajevardi acknowledged that flogging and physical punishment were employed as effective strategies to promote "repentance" and to help integrate "political prisoners into the Islamic Republics order".

This methodical use of torture aimed to alter prisoners' religious beliefs, political views, and worldviews, while also pressuring them to make false public confessions.