-2 that future trials would be thrown open to 'serious', absolutely neutral reporters, but if some kind of jurist from this or that organisation that we know to be completely penetrated by the communists, want to send some one, we shall say "none of your damned business!" And of course our readers could themseles judge the truthfulness of the Dictator's statements. In conclusion, we deem it our duty to express our gratitude to the Amnesty International, U.N.Committee on Human Rights, many lawyers, jurists,M.P.8, journalists and others who have, through their efforts, either helped the lot of the political prisoners or contributed in making the theme of inhuman torture in countries like Iran and Brazil an international issue. members Iranian Research & Publication Group men of conscience in foreign countries. We have also translated the report by Nuri Albala, the French lawyer who attended one of the military trials in Iran as well as the defences of some political prisoners who have either been murdered by firing-squads or sentenced to life im prisonment. Three of these patriots belonged to the Organisation of People's Combatants (Mojahedin)- OPC, and one to the famous Palestine Group. Unfortunately, the accounts of the defences of the other revolutionary Organisation, Cherikhaye Fadayie Khalq- GODP-, who have been the vanguard of the revolutionary struggle against the Dictatorship since 1970, has not reached us up to now. But the casualties and losses of this Organisation have been numerous: dozens murdered by firing-squads or under torture in jails and hundreds imprisoned. It would probably be opportune in this pamphlet on political tortures in Iran to quote the Shah who is directly responsible for the crimes committed by his inhuman agents against the freedom-loving people of Iran in order to elucidate the matter a little further. In an interview published in the Times ( 26th Jan., 1971) he said: ".... foreigners seize the opportunity to say that people like Paknezhad (read his account of tortures on page 451 are tortured in Iran. I am speaking of foreigners who write sensational articles or are paid to write them. I am talking of the so-called Confederation (of Iranian Students), the Foreign Lawyers Association and the parliamentary deputy who fancies writing anti-Iranian articles. These people have taught Paknezhad to say he has been tortured. Well, Mr. Paknezhad is sentenced to life-imprisonment and could be tortured for the rest of his life"? He might spend the rest of his life in jail without being seen by anyone", so why should he have been tortured before tria13)? And in an interview with David Hirst of the Guardian, 9th Aug., 1972, the Shah put his foot in it in a more revealing way. We quote : Hirst : What about the charges of torture? Shah : We are a little more sophisticated than that; new methods are much more rewarding than torture, scientific methods of cross-examination, placing them before people who have already confessed something or exploiting some sentimental side. Torture is silly it does not pay. David Hirst then writes:" the Shah promised, however, 1- In other words, there will be no checks whatsoever! 2- No one is allowed to see prisoners in Iran! 3- In order to obtain "confessions", if His Majesty is so naive ! 4- In Persian courts cross-examination is not allowed;what the Dictator means is the 'interrogations' by Savak ! 5- Torture is not only silly but criminal and the Shahinshah, Sun of the Aryans, knows perfectly well how his Aryan people are tortured; he recieves daily reports about their reactions and resistance. 6- As usual, the Shah did not keep his word.
