TY  - GEN
T1  - Tortured confessions : prisons and public recantations in modern Iran
A1  - Abrahamian, Ervand, 1940-
LA  - English
PP  - Berkeley
PB  - University of California Press
YR  - 1999
UL  - https://ebooks.jgu.edu.in/Record/jstor_eba_ocm44963962
AB  - The role of torture in recent Iranian politics is the subject of Ervand Abrahamian's important and disturbing book. Although Iran officially banned torture in the early twentieth century, Abrahamian provides documentation of its use under the Shahs and of the widespread utilization of torture and public confession under the Islamic Republican governments. His study is based on an extensive body of material, including Amnesty International reports, prison literature, and victims' accounts that together give the book a chilling immediacy. According to human rights organizations, Iran has been at the forefront of countries using systematic physical torture in recent years, especially for political prisoners. Is the government's goal to ensure social discipline? To obtain information? Neither seem likely, because torture is kept secret and victims are brutalized until something other than information is obtained: a public confession and ideological recantation. For the victim, whose honor, reputation, and self-respect are destroyed, the act is a form of suicide. In Iran a subject's "voluntary confession" reaches a huge audience via television. The accessibility of television and use of videotape have made such confessions a primary propaganda tool, says Abrahamian, and because torture is hidden from the public, the victim's confession appears to be self-motivated, increasing its value to the authorities. Abrahamian compares Iran's public recantations to campaigns in Maoist China, Stalinist Russia, and the religious inquisitions of early modern Europe, citing the eerie resemblance in format, language, and imagery. Designed to win the hearts and minds of the masses, such public confessions--now enhanced by technology--continue as a means to legitimize those in power and to demonize "the enemy.".
OP  - 279
CN  - HV8599.I7 A37 1999eb
SN  - 9780520922907
SN  - 0520922905
SN  - 0585081263
SN  - 9780585081267
SN  - 9780520216235
SN  - 0520216237
SN  - 9780520218666
SN  - 0520218663
KW  - Torture : Iran.
KW  - Political prisoners : Iran.
KW  - Confession (Law) : Iran.
KW  - Punishment : Iran.
KW  - Iran : Politics and government.
KW  - Prisonniers politiques : Iran.
KW  - Confession (Droit) : Iran.
KW  - Iran : Politique et gouvernement.
KW  - SOCIAL SCIENCE : Penology.
KW  - HISTORY / Middle East / General
KW  - Confession (Law)
KW  - Political prisoners
KW  - Politics and government
KW  - Punishment
KW  - Torture
KW  - Iran
KW  - Politischer Gefangener
KW  - Folter
KW  - Politieke gevangenen.
KW  - Martelen.
KW  - Bekentenis.
KW  - Social Welfare & Social Work.
KW  - Social Sciences.
KW  - Criminology, Penology & Juvenile Delinquency.
KW  - Prisons : Iran.
KW  - amnesty international reports.
KW  - banned torture in 20th century.
KW  - chilling.
KW  - confessions a primary propaganda tool.
KW  - disturbing.
KW  - documentation of use under shahs.
KW  - islamic republican governments.
KW  - prison literature.
KW  - role of torture in iranian politics.
KW  - systematic physical torture.
KW  - torture and public confession.
KW  - victims accounts.
ER  -