Crowds upon crowds shout with anger. Fists are in the air as they take up entire streets and roads in Iran. They shout “Death to the dictator. Death to Khamenei” in chorus. Hijabar gets brown or floats in the air. At university, students gather to remember women who have died in the custody of the morality police. Smoke billows up from the city skyline. The demonstrators destroy shops and set fires in the streets. On mobile videos from Iran, enforcement forces can be seen and heard cracking down on the protesters with batons, tear gas and firearms. At least 300 people have been killed during the protests. Over 40 of these must be children, according to human rights groups. At least 14,000 demonstrators have been arrested for taking part in demonstrations against the regime. Picture is from 27 October 2022. Photo: AP Are desperate The demonstrations have raged in several places in Iran since the murder of the young woman Masha Jina Amini (21) in September. At least 14,000 protesters have been arrested. Now Iran has given up its first death penalty since the riots started, writes the website Mizan Online. AFP reports. The defendant was sentenced to death for setting fire to a public building, disorderly conduct, “assembly and conspiracy with intent to commit an offense against national security”, as well as “being an enemy of God” and for “corruption on earth”. – Everything indicates that the authorities intend to use the execution of arrested protesters to spread fear, says head of Iran Human Rights (IMR) Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam to news. No protest has lasted this long since the Iranian Revolution in 1979, according to Amiry-Moghaddam. – Right now, Iran’s regime needs to do something. – And it doesn’t look like people intend to give up. Therefore, the regime must use even stronger means, he says. The protests in Iran are the biggest threat to the Iranian regime since the revolution in 1979. The picture is taken from a video from 30 October. Photo: Privat / Reuters Asking for “tough punishment” The Iranian parliament has signed a statement asking the courts to “firmly deal” with the arrested protesters. 227 out of 290 members of parliament voted for this award. The head of the court, who is appointed by Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, is said to have urged the courts on Thursday not to show “unnecessary sympathy” and “give a tough punishment” to those who are guilty. In the past, he has urged the courts to work more quickly with the cases. Both the UN and several human rights groups, including IMR, fear that this means the death penalty. Protesters burn headscarves in the streets. According to Iran Human Rights (IMR), at least 19 men and one woman have been charged with the death penalty. – We are concerned that some of the death sentences may be carried out within a short time, says IMR leader Amiry-Moghaddam. Now the first death sentence has been handed down. Exactly how many of the arrested protesters risk the death penalty is uncertain. Wants Norway to react One of those who risk the death penalty is the Kurdish rapper Saman Yasin (27). He was arrested in his own home after he showed support for the demonstrations on social media, writes The Guardian. He is accused of waging “War against God”, which according to Iranian law can lead to the death penalty. The Kurdish rapper Saman Yasin risks the death penalty for showing support for the demonstrations on social media. Photo: Privat / Instagram (screenshot) Amnesty ambassador in Great Britain, Nazanin Boniadi, has named ten people who are currently in danger of being, or are being, tortured in Iran for protesting against the regime. Amiry-Moghaddam says that the arrested protesters have not had the opportunity to choose their own defense. – They do not have a rule of law. The only thing that can save them, according to Amiry-Moghaddam, is pressure from outside. – At this stage, there is a need for a strong reaction. For many years, Norway has been one of the world’s leading opponents of the death penalty, so it is absolutely appropriate that Norway comes with a strong warning, he believes. EU: New sanctions The EU is currently working on a new sanctions package against Iran, according to Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis. The sanctions are both a response to the regime’s deadly reactions to the demonstrations in the country, as well as their support for Russia during the war in Ukraine, says Landbergis. According to Lithuania, the EU will agree on the sanctions on Monday. The EU has previously introduced sanctions against Iran as a result of the suppression of demonstrators. These are aimed at both the moral police, the law enforcement forces and eleven authorities for their alleged involvement in this repression. On Saturday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that they will support EU sanctions. This is one of the ways Germany will increase the pressure on the regime in Iran, writes Scholz on Twitter. – We will continue to increase the pressure on the Revolutionary Guard and the political leadership, says Scholz in his video speech. The speech came after the UN ambassadors to Germany and Iceland asked for an extraordinary meeting about the unrest in Iran in the UN Human Rights Council. According to the letter, 44 countries must support the call. The letter from the ambassadors states that the meeting should be held before 24 November or another day in the same week.
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First death penalty given after demonstrations – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
