Arrest of Two Members of Sarina Saeedi's Family in Sanandaj; US: 'Regime' Cannot Intimidate the People of Iran

Continuing the government's pressure on the families of victims ahead of the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death, news sources reported that Sarina Saeedi's brother and aunt, the teenager who was killed during last year's nationwide protests, were arrested on Thursday in the Sanandaj cemetery. According to the Kurdistan Human Rights Network, 14-year-old Moeid Saeedi and 17-year-old Rizan Saeedi were detained by government forces in the 'Behesht Mohammadi' cemetery in Sanandaj. The charges and the location of detention for these two have not been disclosed. Sarina Saeedi, a 16-year-old girl, was injured by security forces' batons during protests on October 26 last year and died a day later in the hospital. The summons, arrest, and imprisonment of the families of victims of the nationwide protests of 2022 have intensified, while the Kurdistan Human Rights Network reports that Omid Niazi, the brother of Mohsen Niazi, another victim of the protests in Dehgolan, has also been arrested. His charges and the location of his detention are also unknown. Mohsen Niazi was a young athlete who was killed by gunfire from security forces in Dehgolan. In another development, Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the US State Department, on Thursday, September 14, responded to a question from a Voice of America Persian section reporter regarding the increased pressure from the Islamic Republic on the families of victims, especially Mahsa Amini's father, stating: 'According to reports, the Iranian regime has summoned Mahsa's father for questioning four times in the past two weeks. The regime continues its relentless intimidation of the Amini family and other families of the killed protesters.' The spokesperson emphasized: 'However, the regime cannot force the people of Iran into silence or intimidate them. The world is watching the conditions of these families and the ongoing harassment of journalists and the suppression of peaceful protesters, and we will continue to carefully consider any actions that may be appropriate in response.' At the same time, the UN Human Rights Council's fact-finding committee expressed 'deep concern' on Thursday with a statement marking the first anniversary of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini's death regarding the escalation of repression against girls and women and 'revenge' against protesters and the families of victims. The committee stated in its statement that based on the information received, the Islamic Republic has responded to the protests 'through excessive and unnecessary use of force, arbitrary arrests and detentions, unfair trials, extrajudicial executions, and harassment of victims' families, which continues to this day.' Meanwhile, reports indicate that a number of citizens in Iran are preparing to resume protests. A video report published on Thursday, September 14, shows a banner hung from a pedestrian bridge that reads 'We fight, we die, we take back Iran.'