For weeks now, people in Iran have taken to the streets to express their displeasure with the regime of the mullahs. But it shows no pity for the demonstrators and does not shy away from violence or other atrocities.
The resistance fighters can be arrested at any time, be it in the middle of the night or on their way to work. Sometimes they just disappear and never reappear. Even her relatives are in the dark.
Violence against security officials as grounds for death sentence
According to information from the Iranian human rights organization “Hrana”, more than 19,000 people have been arrested since the beginning of the protests against the Islamist regime of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (83). Only a few are released. Often it concerns alleged violence against Iranian security forces or riots during the protests.
Most of those detained by the regime face dire consequences. There have even been executions. Four, to be exact, have already been hit. According to the Iranian judicial authority, the two men Mohammed-Mehdi K. († 22), a karate fighter and martial arts teacher Sejed-Mohammed H. († 39) were hanged in the early morning hours on Saturday.
They were accused of killing a security agent and member of the Revolutionary Guard’s notorious Basij paramilitary unit during protests against the system in November.
Mohammed-Mehdi K. grew up with his parents in a small village in the Kurdistan region. Most recently, according to a report by “Spiegel”, he is said to have lived in Karaj, west of Tehran. However, little is known about the second man executed, Sejed Mohammed H. According to social media reports, he has been battling mental health problems since the death of his parents. As a martial arts teacher, he is said to have taught socially disadvantaged children. In addition, he would have earned his living on a poultry farm.
Sanctions are crashing Iran’s economy
According to the judicial authority, the two men had admitted in court to stabbing a supposedly unarmed security officer with a knife during protests in Karaj, a suburb of the capital Tehran. The pardon petition of the two suspects was rejected by the Supreme Court and the death sentence was upheld.
Last December, two death sentences were handed down to rap musicians Mohsen S. († 23) and Majid-Resa R. for the alleged murder and attempted murder of two Basij members. The executions caused horror at home and abroad. For example, the EU then decided on further sanctions against Iran.
According to experts, these have exacerbated an already acute economic crisis and inflation. The national currency, the rial, lost more than 25 percent of its value after the protests. Given the developments in the country, there is no end to the financial crisis in sight. Some observers even fear an economic collapse in the oil-rich country.
Fewer protests, but in a different form
There are now fewer street demonstrations, against which the security apparatus reacts with the greatest harshness. However, according to observers, the poverty of millions of Iranians could trigger a new wave of protests.
The protests continue in other forms. Especially in big cities, many women refuse to wear the mandatory headscarf. In December, dozens of shopkeepers did not open their stores for days in protest.
The reason for the nationwide protests in Iran was the death of the Iranian Kurd Jina Mahsa Amini in mid-September. She died in police custody after being arrested by the so-called vice police for violating Islamic dress codes. Since then, there have been repeated protests against the repressive course of the government and the Islamic regime. (ced/SDA)