Ashura of 2009 and the 'Thugs and Rascals'

Six years have passed since the bloody Ashura of 2009; aside from the continuity of aspects and dimensions of this important event, new data has also been published in connection with it. These data reveal how the bloody event unfolded and refine and strengthen the assessment and judgment of an impartial observer. The recent and very important data relates to a strange report from a senior commander of the IRGC: General Hossein Hamadani. After his death in Syria, his involvement in the bloody suppression of civil protests against the official results of the 2009 election became increasingly clear. This data also once again brings a social group into the discussion; those who are described by the official media of the Islamic Republic as 'thugs and rascals.' However, in the government narrative, 'thugs and rascals' do not only describe individuals who cause social insecurity; during the peak of the Green Movement, the national media (IRIB) and other propaganda and media arms and official platforms of the Islamic Republic (such as Friday prayers) referred to a range of protesting citizens as 'thugs and rascals.' This government perspective and narrative is still ongoing. Just a few days ago, Mohammad Iraqi, a member of the Expediency Discernment Council, stated: 'Thugs and rascals and seditionists boldly proved that they have problems not only with the Islamic Revolution and the Guardian Council but also with Imam Hussein and the culture of Ashura.' But which side did the group described as 'thugs and rascals' stand on during Ashura 2009? This may be the most documented and important narrative regarding the position and role of 'thugs and rascals' in suppressing the Green protesters and during Ashura 2009; General Hossein Hamadani states: 'We identified 5,000 individuals who were present in the riots but were not part of political parties and movements; rather, they were from the thugs and rascals, and we controlled them at their homes. On the day they called for protests, these individuals were controlled and were not allowed to leave their homes. Then I organized them into battalions. Later, these three battalions showed that if we want to train fighters, we need to bring such individuals who deal with knives and daggers into action.' The senior IRGC commander, who was killed a few weeks ago in Syria, explains: 'When the Security Council meeting of Tehran Province was held on the night of Ashura, all assessments indicated that Tehran would be calm the next day. My assessment was that events were ahead on Ashura. For this reason, we requested an extraordinary meeting two more times, and the meeting was held, and we declared readiness. I rented all the cinemas in Tehran. We took over all the schools and mosques. The kids were present in the square wearing black. We also prepared about 30 groups that were connected to me and told them to bring the groups towards the university square.' He emphasizes that '45,000 Basijis were present in this scene' during the suppression of the Green Movement. Aziz Jafari, the commander of the IRGC, confirmed General Hamadani's report, stating: 'Disrupting the enemies' plot during the 2009 sedition was another significant activity that was accomplished by General Hamadani with divine assistance.' He praises his senior officer, adding: 'If it weren't for General Hamadani's wisdom and management during Ashura 2009, it would have been difficult to suppress this sedition.' The IRGC commander also emphasizes that Hamadani, after suppressing the Green Movement, 'was restless and voluntarily' went to Syria to suppress the protests of the people against the authoritarian government of Bashar al-Assad: 'The backpack of experiences of the general in Syria helped him.' Hassan Firouzabadi, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, also reacted similarly, affirming Hamadani's words and actions in the bloody suppression of the Green Movement; he said: 'General Hamadani did not spare any effort in various fronts of defense and protection of the Islamic Revolution and its achievements, an example of which can be recalled in confronting the American coup of the 2009 sedition.' However, neither Jafari nor Firouzabadi provide an explanation about the connection between the 'IRGC and Basij' with the 'thugs and rascals' and do not mention the implications of this for the Islamic Republic. Six years after the bloody Ashura of 2009, the leaders of the Green Movement remain under house arrest (for more than 1710 days). The reactions of Mousavi and Karroubi to the bloody suppression of the Green protests, and their list of demands, remain noteworthy. Mir Hossein Mousavi, in a meaningful reaction after Ashura 2009 — some evidence of which has been revealed in General Hamadani's report — stated that 'unbelievable violence, such as running over the protesters, shooting by plainclothes forces whose identities are no longer hidden, and day by day, the veil is lifted from their faces and their leaders, created a catastrophe whose effects will not soon leave the political scene of our country.' Mehdi Karroubi also, in response to the bloody events of Ashura 2009, meaningfully reported that 'on the night of Ashura, a group of hired thugs violently attacked the Jamaran Hosseiniyeh, beating men and women with insults and curses and destroying their property.' This report was later confirmed six years later by senior IRGC officials. Karroubi also protested against the 'unprecedented violence' against Iranian citizens during Ashura 2009, describing it as a 'great calamity' and an 'unforgivable sin,' and by recalling the famous words attributed to Hussein ibn Ali, he said: 'I shout that if you have no religion, at least be free men.' Despite the acknowledgment of General Hamadani and other senior government officials (including the commander of the IRGC) regarding the bloody suppression of the Green protesters, the political authority has still not accepted its responsibility, and no one is held accountable for the families of the victims of Ashura 2009 and other fatalities. As the imprisonment of several Green Movement activists (including Rahnavard, Mousavi, and Karroubi) continues, Shahnaz Akmali, the mother of Mostafa Karim Beigi — who died from a bullet — emphasized that she seeks a fair trial. The sister of Shahram Farajzadeh, another victim of Ashura 2009 who was run over by a police vehicle, also stated that security and judicial officials, instead of being accountable, have behaved with insults, mockery, and humiliation. Mohammad Yeganeh Tabrizi, a protesting citizen who was injured during Ashura and still suffers from the remnants of the bullet in his body, also said: 'The removal of the house arrest of Mousavi and Karroubi is one of our demands, and until they are freed, the space for justice will not open.' While the imprisonment and threats against the leaders and activists of the Green Movement continue, 'thugs and rascals' are still honored and trained by the IRGC.