Parviz Sabeti, who was said to have run that secret police and tortured dissidents for the last Shah of Iran is soon to be brought to justice. He faces $225 million in lawsuits in Florida. This lawsuit comes on the heels of grave allegations of human rights abuses. These abuses were reportedly perpetrated while he served with Savak, Iran’s notorious internal security and intelligence arm. This legal struggle comes after Sabeti was named as the man by one of his daughters earlier this year. He apparently had been leading a relatively low-key life in Florida under the assumed name of “Peter.”
Sabeti fled Iran in 1978 and has since led a successful and anonymous life with his family in the upscale community of Windermere, Florida. He and his wife, Nasrin, along with their two daughters, have been involved in several business enterprises listed on the state’s business database. Their opulent lifestyle includes a lakefront mansion worth an estimated $3.6 million.
The lead plaintiffs, all between 68 and 85 years old, have filed the suit. They might call themselves self-identified former political prisoners. They recount how Savak operatives kidnapped them in the middle of Tehran. They suffered brutal physical abuse to extract wrongful confessions and were wrongfully incarcerated. The plaintiffs’ accounts detail the brutal torture methods employed under Sabeti’s direction, including rape, electric shocks, near-drownings, and forced nail extraction.
Now a district court judge has ruled that Sabeti must stand trial for these allegations. This ruling is a major milestone in the fight for justice for Savak’s alleged victims.
“These decisions are a positive result for survivors of torture who are seeking accountability and justice. This case is not only about ending impunity; it is about affirming that survivors have the right to pursue justice and reclaim their dignity without fear,” – Sara Colón, an attorney for the plaintiffs.
If in February 2023, Sabeti’s identity was just recently revealed, how would this work, then? His daughter, Pardis Sabeti, a noted Harvard University professor of evolution and organismal biology, tweeted this photo of him at a LA march. At this rally, he condemned Iran’s existing Islamic regime. This sudden public exposure has renewed interest in Sabeti’s past actions and the ongoing criminal case against him.
The plaintiffs contend that the roots of today’s brutal policies implemented by the Islamic Republic of Iran are intertwined with the torture methods enacted by Sabeti and Savak. To them, giving survivors justice means holding Sabeti accountable. It delivers a powerful message of deterrence to those who might seek to reimpose abusive practices inside Iran.
“The roots of the brutal policies being carried out today by the Islamic Republic of Iran are connected to the torture methods enacted by Sabeti and Savak. [The case] should stand as a rejection of a future Iran that re-establishes Savak or seeks to provide blanket amnesty to current security forces who have been involved in torture and repression,” – a spokesperson for the group.
In 1977 Sabeti denied this charge of torture, asserting that he “was always against torture” while working for Savak. Plaintiffs offer overwhelming evidence that exposes his hand and deep involvement in despicable, sustained abuse directed at political opponents. This occurred during a highly destabilizing time on the eve of Iran’s 1979 revolution, regardless of his protestations to the contrary.
Savak arrested and tortured an estimated 100,000 people. This terrible treatment went on from the agency’s creation in 1957 all the way until its dissolution in 1979. In fact, reports show that several hundred more died in the agency’s custody. The plaintiffs’ allegations paint a picture of the long-lasting impacts of state-sponsored violence. They want to bring to light the systemic oppression that persists today.
As the trial approaches, advocates for human rights continue to stress the importance of accountability in cases involving historical abuses. They claim we need to listen to every victim’s story. Third, they insist that justice be served so that these atrocities cannot continue to be repeated into the future.
“All victims deserve justice, and everyone engaged in torture and repression should be held accountable,” – a spokesperson for the group.