Since its inception in 1979, the Islamic Republic of Iran has tried to keep its vast human rights violations hidden from the world and has deflected from the truth when exposed with impunity.

The perception of the Islamic Republic of Iran has been manipulated through the use of propaganda, which conceals the true nature of its actions. This distorted image has been carefully crafted to mislead the international community, particularly the West. Iran’s supreme leader, Khamenei, and his loyal Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders have successfully avoided accountability by utilizing this deceptive propaganda, resulting in confusion and misunderstanding among global observers. Consequently, Iran's leadership has managed to create a significant disparity between the international perception of internal developments within the country and the actual reality on the ground.

An experienced journalist, who has recently returned to the United States from China, asked me about Iran's ongoing nationwide protests following Mahsa Amini's murder. She asked, "Is it true that the Morality Police no longer exists? I read it in a renowned American newspaper." To my surprise, I had to refute this claim entirely, stating that the news was completely incorrect. She then questioned, "I didn't realize that a reputable American newspaper could publish false information. Which media outlet should I rely on for accurate Iranian news?" Before this discussion, I was unaware of the extent to which the Islamic Republic's propaganda had influenced the perceptions of even international journalists when it came to Iran.

It's important to point out that the Islamic Republic’s methods are not original. The theocracy in Iran has been modeled on the experiences of current and past autocracies, such as Communist China, Nazi Germany, and even the Soviet Union. Iran’s ruling clergy borrows practices and has adopted strategies of governance from these infamous governments. Just by a quick look at current and historical examples, one can expose the Islamic Republic's propaganda methods.

Communist China and Xinjiang Muslim Uighurs

The Chinese government stands accused of heinous crimes against humanity and genocide perpetrated against the Uighur population and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups residing in Xinjiang, China's northwestern region. Beijing has effectively transformed Xinjiang into an insidious forced labor camp, employing propaganda as a means to deceive the international community by disseminating false information about the region, and staunchly denying the grave human rights violations taking place within its boundaries.

According to the Council on Foreign Relations, an American think tank, the Chinese government has been involved in the illegal imprisonment of over a million individuals in Xinjiang since 2017. Furthermore, strict surveillance measures, religious restrictions, forced labor, and forced sterilizations have been imposed on those who are not incarcerated. Approximately 11 million Uighurs currently reside in Xinjiang.

The Associated Press estimates that one in every 25 people detained has been sentenced to prison on terrorism-related charges. Similarly, the Islamic Republic often refers to protesters as "rioters" in an attempt to undermine their cause and discredit their grievances.

Xinjiang produces about a fifth of the world's cotton. Human rights groups have said the bulk of cotton exports are produced using forced labor from Uighurs labor. As of December 2020, a BBC investigation unveiled that approximately half a million individuals had been coerced into laboring in the cotton fields of Xinjiang. In addition to this distressing revelation, there is ample evidence indicating the construction of new factories within the premises of concentration camps.

The United States has labeled China's actions in Xinjiang as "genocide." In 2022, a report published by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights indicated that China's recent actions in the region “may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity.” Despite these serious allegations, China vehemently denies all accusations and has further leveraged its permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council as a means to shield itself from any form of accountability.

The Chinese government covertly utilizes media influencers and bloggers to camouflage the human rights violations taking place within China and suppress the spreading of truth beyond its borders. A prime example is the presence of Uighur influencers on YouTube, who present an idealized portrayal of Xinjiang. These influencers post videos highlighting travel, culinary delights, and everyday experiences. They venture into cotton fields, showcasing apparent contentment and freedom. Some even claim in their videos, "Xinjiang has become significantly safer in recent years." Little do viewers know that Beijing subtly incorporates communist propaganda into the narratives and visuals associated with these influential figures on social media, creating an unrealistic perception of Xinjiang. It is worth noting that due to the ban on YouTube in China, all citizens, especially Uighurs, lack access to this platform. Consequently, it is clear that the Chinese government is directly responsible for producing these videos, employing them as a means to manipulate reality.

Similar to the Islamic Republic, the Chinese government also exhibits a sensitivity towards free media, and social networks, including YouTube and Twitter. Naturally, Tehran has taken inspiration from Beijing in attempting to isolate Iran's internet from the global network, employing censorship tactics to control information. In doing so, the government either promotes biased information that serves its agenda or selectively manipulates content. Additionally, the Islamic Republic encourages influential social media personalities, both within and outside Iran, to share travel and tourism videos as a means to divert attention from the harsh reality of life in Iran.

Nazi Germany and the Theresienstadt Concentration Camp

Before a government can deceive the world, it must first learn the art of deceiving its population. Just as the governments of Iran and China propagate their version of reality, Nazi Germany took its first steps towards concealing its crimes within its borders.

The Nazi ideology employed a mixture of indoctrination, intimidation, and propaganda to subjugate the German population. Spearheaded by Joseph Goebbels, the Minister of Propaganda, the German propaganda machinery sought to disseminate the Nazi ideology beyond their borders while simultaneously implementing it within their borders. As part of their destructive agenda, Nazi Germany targeted various groups including Jews, political dissidents, Romani people, and religious figures. These unfortunate individuals were systematically transported to concentration camps, where they met their untimely demise.

Life in concentration camps was marked by unparalleled violence, with prisoners subjected to deplorable living and working conditions. According to the Holocaust Encyclopedia, when news of the mistreatment of the prisoners leaked to the public, the fear of arrest among Germany’s population grew. This fear helped the Nazis maintain control over society.

Similarly, news of severe mistreatment of detained opponents of the Islamic Republic is an attempt to intimidate dissidents like Nazi Germany. Among these reports are the countless testimonies of women detained and tortured in Iran’s prisons for removing the mandatory veil. In addition, the current theocracy in Iran, similar to Nazi Germany, uses public executions as an intimidation tactic.

Among other inspirations, the ruling clergy has adopted from the Nazi party, is exerting influence on the lives of their population through meticulously orchestrated parades, control of radio, media censorship, and manipulation of art, architecture, literature, sports, film, and music. The Islamic Republic, like Nazi Germany, has deployed a comprehensive apparatus aimed at shaping public opinion and projecting a distorted and idealized view of reality.

One of the most well-known Nazi examples is Theresienstadt. Theresienstadt functioned as a deportation camp for Czechoslovak Jews who were later transferred to killing centers and concentration camps located in Poland, Germany, Belarus, and the German-occupied Baltic states.

The German government, through the release of videos and staged productions, successfully concealed the horrifying truth of these camps until the end of the war. Nazi Germany employed propaganda videos to convince the masses that Jews, who had been exiled, were being utilized as laborers in the Eastern regions. Since it appeared implausible for elderly Jews to partake in forced labor, Theresienstadt had also been described as a "spa town" where elderly German Jews could "retire" in safety. The Nazis used Theresienstadt to hide the brutal repression of Jews.

Nazi Germany went to the extent of permitting the International Red Cross to pay a visit to Theresienstadt in June 1944, but this act was merely a facade. Just before the Red Cross delegation's arrival, the Germans forcibly transported numerous Jews from Theresienstadt to their doom in extermination camps, while simultaneously "enhancing" the appearance of the ghetto. They undertook the task of reconstructing the town, adorning houses with fresh paint, and decorating the streets with blooming flowers. The Nazis meticulously orchestrated a false semblance of a thriving social and cultural atmosphere for the visiting inspectors. I visited Theresienstadt in 2014 and found it indiscernible to other surrounding neighborhoods and cities. As soon as the visit concluded, the Germans promptly resumed their gruesome mass killings of Jewish citizens, a macabre practice that persisted until October 1944.

The Islamic Republic's propaganda to hide human rights violations

The Islamic Republic, while brutally suppressing protesters, has also sought to paint an unrealistic image of inside Iran to deceive the world.

During the crackdown on the Woman Life Freedom protests over compulsory hijab, the Islamic Republic employed a strategy to showcase a false sense of freedom for women by dispatching a women's dance and instrument group to Qatar during the World Cup. They intended to present Iran as a nation where people enjoy religious and bodily autonomy. The regime was fully cognizant of the international attention drawn to the games and thus saw an opportunity to exploit this global event for propaganda purposes. By doing so, they aimed to shape an inaccurate portrayal of the country while maintaining their secret violations of Iranian's fundamental rights.

On the other hand, although many videos and photos of the nationwide uprising of Iranians against the regime were shared by citizens and reached abroad, international media reporters published very few photos of the Iranian protests, because the Islamic Republic does not allow international journalists and photographers to participate freely in protests, fearing arrest. This leads to the majority of photos published in international media of the Iranian protests being rejected as “unverified.” For example, photographs of unveiled “free” women in Qatar’s World Cup games were published as a sign of women's liberation. In contrast, women in Iran are not allowed to enter stadiums except for limited and controlled purposes and mainly for advertising.

The Islamic Republic has also tried to show that there is no compulsory hijab in Iran and that it is the essence of the Iranian culture, and any concern of the international community in this regard is "interference in Iran's internal affairs." Similarly, the Chinese Communist Party has denied human rights violations and accuses critics of interfering in China's internal affairs.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is currently engaged in concealing crimes and human rights violations within its borders. Rather than taking steps to address and rectify these issues, the Iranian government is actively employing historical and contemporary authoritative measures to fabricate a false portrayal of the country. Moreover, instead of focusing on improving the socio-economic conditions for its citizens, the government is diverting significant energy and resources towards advancing propaganda, distorting reality, and evading international accountability.

In considering the examples of China and Nazi Germany, it becomes evident that the mere dissemination of information and photographs by a government does not guarantee their veracity. This stark reality underscores the international media's need for a more proactive approach. Instead of merely accepting and amplifying information from these autocratic regimes, the media should actively seek out independent and credible sources. By doing so, they can effectively dismantle the false information bubble perpetuated by such dictatorial regimes. This is essential to foster a more informed and enlightened global society.

The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the politics or position of The Persian Independent.