At least 2,000 participants in Iran demo in Zurich Economic historian explains shop deaths: “Consumers bear main debt”

Between 2,000 and 3,000 people demonstrated in Zurich on Saturday afternoon for the concerns of the protest movement in Iran and against the repressive policies of the government there. There was also criticism of Switzerland’s official course.

The demonstrators moved from Helvetiaplatz to Bürkliplatz. Speakers included Doris Fiala, national councilor of the Zurich FDP, and Alexandra Karle, director of the Swiss chapter of the human rights organization Amnesty International. The demonstrators chanted slogans such as “Woman – Life – Freedom” and “Mullah must go”.

A photographer from the Keystone-SDA news agency estimates the number of participants at about 2,000, the organizers assumed about 3,000 demonstrators.

Criticism of the Bundesrat

The organization Free Iran Switzerland called for the meeting. The organizers reiterated their call for a change of direction in Switzerland’s Iran policy. In particular, they demanded that the Federal Council approve EU sanctions against the government in Tehran. The Revolutionary Guards and Basij militias would also be classified as terrorist organizations.

The organization had already submitted two petitions in November with more than 25,000 signatures with the same concern. The Federal Council has so far rejected sanctions against Iran in connection with the protests. He justifies this in particular with Switzerland’s mandate to protect power: Switzerland has represented US interests in Iran and those of the Islamic Republic in the United States since 1980. The two countries have not maintained diplomatic relations since the hostage-taking at the US embassy in Tehran.

Hundreds killed in Iran

The protests in Iran were sparked by the death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in September. The Iranian moral police arrested her for not following the rules for wearing a headscarf. The young woman died in police custody – the opposition said she had been assaulted before.

More than 500 people, including 70 minors, have been killed in the protests so far, according to the latest estimates by the US-based organization Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). More than 19,000 protesters were arrested.

On Saturday, Iranian authorities announced that two more protesters had been executed in the early hours of the morning. According to justice, the men were responsible for the death of a security guard. This increased the number of protesters executed during the more than three months of systemic protests to four. (sda)