E/CN.4/2001/66 page 121 and disarm. The Special Rapporteur appreciates the challenge posed to the Government by the armed groups supporting independence of areas of the country. However ruthless, such activities do not justify resort to criminal human rights violations by the security forces. It is clear that, whatever may be the policy at the highest political level, the security forces have little hesitation in resorting to such violations, including the most brutal forms of physical torture. Apart from the manifest illegality of such behaviour, it is disheartening that the military seems unable to learn the lesson from East Timor of the futility of such a strategy. Iran (Islamic Republic of) 617. By letter dated 5 October 2000 sent jointly with the Special Representative of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Special Rapporteur advised the Government that he had received information on the following individual cases. 618. Dr. Mahmudali Chehregani, a professor at the University of Tabriz and a prominent member of the Azeri community in Iran, was reportedly arrested in December 1999. He was elected to the Iranian Parliament in the March 1996 elections, but was prevented from taking his seat. On 18 February 2000 the Revolutionary Court reportedly sentenced him to six months’ imprisonment for smuggling shampoo. He was reportedly ordered to pay a US$ 24,000 fine or face an additional 10 years in prison. It is alleged that he has been subjected to torture whilst imprisoned. During his imprisonment he is also alleged to have suffered a heart attack. 619. Morteza Amini Moqaddam and Hamed Nazemi were accused of the murder of a battalion commander of the Revolutionary Guard, the Basiji Militia. On 16 December 1999, they were convicted and sentenced. Amini, who may have been just 17 at the time of his offence, was sentenced to death. On 16 January 2000, he was reportedly taken to a public square where he stood for 30 minutes with a rope around his neck. His sentence was then commuted to a term of imprisonment when the victim’s father forgave him. Nazemi, who is understood to be 13 years old, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment and 74 lashes. 620. The Special Rapporteur has transmitted information concerning peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations in July 1999 in Tehran where around 1,500 people were said to have been arrested. A number of those arrested have allegedly been subjected to torture. Confessions extracted by torture have reportedly been included as evidence during subsequent trials. In particular, the Special Rapporteur has transmitted information on the two following individuals. 621. Ahmad Batebi was reportedly arrested on 13 July 1999 by plainclothes officials during a raid at the Tehran University by police and security officials. He was allegedly beaten at the time of arrest about the testicles, legs and abdomen. He was then transferred to the Zir-Pol Hafez law enforcement centre where he was allegedly beaten with batons. He and other detainees were then reportedly blindfolded with their shirts, tied together around their necks and taken to a cell. They were allegedly beaten with batons. They were then reportedly transferred by bus to another location where Ahmad Batebi was separated from the others. Officials then interrogated him about the demonstrations. He was reportedly handed over to two soldiers wearing commando uniforms who bound his hands and secured them to a pipe. He was then beaten around his head and abdomen and ordered to confess. They cut off his hair, cutting his