The National Union of Journalists NUJ has released video tapes that throw light on a conspiracy to conceal the truth about the serial killings of journalists and writers in Iran. Five were killed between November 1998 and February 1999. The Iranian authorities announced that "rogue elements" in the security services had carried out the killings, and some Ministry of Information employees were tried in secret for the murders. The trial was condemned as a sham by the victims' families, their lawyer (who was arrested on the eve of the trial) and human rights and journalists' organisations internationally. It appears that there were a few individuals tried secretely in order to present scapegoats instead of admitting that the killings were approved at the highest level.

The videos (download them in either 33.6 MB MPEG or in 23 MB Quicktime) show the "rogue elements" being beaten and mistreated when interrogated, and then confessing to fantastic "crimes" including working for foreign intelligence agencies, blasphemy, adultery etc. The videos appear to have been made in the detention centre of Iran's military security agency. (Press Release)