Celebration of Sizdah Bedar in Various Regions of Iran Despite the Presence of Officials; Complainants Visited the Graves of Protest Victims

Reports from various regions of Iran indicate that despite the presence of government officials in parks and recreational areas, many Iranians celebrated the Sizdah Bedar ritual with dancing and joy, and in some areas, the gatherings took on a tone of protest. According to reports received by Voice of America and shared on social media, a number of citizens spent the thirteenth day of Nowruz in nature despite government pressures due to its coincidence with the 21st of Ramadan, while some visited the graves of protest victims and human rights violations to honor their memory. In response to the announced restrictions for holding Sizdah Bedar, particularly the statements of the Friday prayer leader of Shiraz who said, 'Imagine your father is dead and do not have fun,' a message was sent to Voice of America from a citizen in Isfahan emphasizing their wish for the 'destruction' of the clerics and in memory of the 'martyrs of freedom who are no longer with us.' Among them, the family of Erfan Khazaei, one of the victims of the nationwide protests in 2021, traveled to Ilam and visited the grave of Mohsen Ghaezeri, another victim of these protests. Mohsen Ghaezeri, a 32-year-old protester, was shot dead by a special forces officer near the children's park in Ilam. Additionally, the family of Abolfazl Adineh Zadeh, a teenage protester killed in Mashhad, spent Sizdah Bedar at his grave. Marzieh, the sister of Abolfazl Adineh Zadeh, shared a photo of their mother at the grave of this deceased teenager, writing on Instagram: 'For two years, we have been at your grave for all occasions. In previous years, you were busy playing and being mischievous. What should we do this year with the sorrow of your absence?' The aunt of Pouya Bakhtiari, one of the victims of the November 2019 protests, commemorated him by sharing a video from Sizdah Bedar in 2017, referring to Pouya as 'full of life' and noting the 'heartfelt laughter' of his mother, Nahid Shirpich. The brother of Ameneh Shahbazi, another victim of the nationwide protests in November 2019, shared a video of his sister's last Sizdah Bedar, remembering her as 'always happy and smiling,' and someone who always sacrificed for others. A video sent to Voice of America showed government vehicles patrolling on Sizdah Bedar in Gorgan. Another report indicated that Islamic Republic officials blocked the entrances to the Persian Gulf lake in Tehran simultaneously with Sizdah Bedar. Furthermore, an image shared on the domestic platform 'Eitaa' showed Hassan Gharib, the prosecutor of Qom, among the forces of the IRGC and Basij in one of the parks in Qom. This group, titled 'Demanding Hijab,' called on other Basijis for 'enjoining good' and 'dispatching to parks.' Meanwhile, numerous images of groups of people dancing and celebrating on Sizdah Bedar have been shared on social media. Nowruz 1403 coincided with the days of Ramadan, during which government officials imposed restrictions on citizens as part of a 'special Ramadan plan,' yet many Iranians still engaged in dancing, joy, and visiting historical sites during the New Year.