Tehran, August 2025 — Authorities in Tehran have announced that Section 41 of Behesht-e Zahra cemetery, long known as the burial site of thousands of political prisoners executed in the 1980s, is being converted into a parking lot. The decision, officially justified as an “urban development” project, has sparked outrage among human rights groups, who see it as a deliberate attempt to erase evidence of mass killings.
Section 41 contains the graves of many victims of the 1988 massacre, when thousands of prisoners—mostly members and supporters of the (PMOI)—were secretly executed and buried in unmarked or mass graves. Families of the victims have for decades faced restrictions, intimidation, and the destruction of memorials whenever they attempted to mourn openly.
Former UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, Professor Javaid Rehman, has described the executions of the 1980s as crimes against humanity and genocide. He has urged the international community to hold Iranian officials accountable. The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) has likewise condemned the destruction of Section 41, calling it “an extension of the crime itself” and appealing to the United Nations to intervene.
Tehran’s deputy mayor, Davoud Goodarzi, confirmed the cemetery’s conversion in remarks that drew sharp criticism. “Section 41 had been abandoned for years, and we needed parking, so we obtained a permit and turned it into a lot,” he said. Activists argue that his statement is evidence of the authorities’ direct role in concealing mass atrocities.
Section 41 is not the only site at risk. Opposition sources report that mass graves from the 1980s exist in at least 30 other Iranian cities, including Mashhad, Tabriz, and Ahvaz. Over the years, many of these sites have been bulldozed, fenced off, or otherwise altered to prevent public access. Despite this, groups such as the Mothers of Khavaran have continued to gather at burial grounds, demanding truth and accountability in the face of harassment and arrest.
The massacre traces back to a decree issued by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in the summer of 1988. His order instructed “Death Commissions” to execute prisoners who refused to renounce their political affiliations. Human rights groups estimate that around 30,000 people were killed in just a few months, the majority of them affiliated with the PMOI.
By converting cemeteries into parking lots, critics say, the Iranian government is not only burying bodies but also attempting to bury history. Yet for survivors and families of the victims, these efforts have only strengthened their resolve to keep the memory of the massacre alive. As one activist noted, “As long as even one voice remains, the truth cannot be paved over.”