Endless Pressure from the Government on the Bakhtiari Family; A Few Weeks After Pouya's Uncle, His Other Uncle Was Also Arrested

While officials of the Islamic Republic have arrested Mehrdad, Pouya Bakhtiari's uncle, a few weeks ago, on Monday, September 16, Aryan Shirpishah, Pouya's other uncle and Nahid Shirpishah's brother, was also arrested. Mona Bakhtiari, Pouya's sister, and Farid Shirpishah, another uncle, announced this news on social media, stating that government agents stormed Aryan Shirpishah's house at 7 AM, abducted him, and there is no news about his condition. Pouya Bakhtiari was born on September 10, 1992, and was shot in the skull by government agents of the Islamic Republic during the protests in November 2019 in Mehrshahr, Karaj, and was killed. Currently, Monouchehr Bakhtiari, Pouya's father, Nahid Shirpishah, his mother, and Mehrdad Bakhtiari, Pouya's uncle, are imprisoned in the Islamic Republic's jails for seeking justice, and the rest of the family is also under pressure. Nevertheless, the Bakhtiari family stated on August 7, 2024, in a message to the leaders of the Islamic Republic: 'We stand together for Iran until the end of our lives.' Prince Reza Pahlavi, on September 10, 2024, commemorated the birthday of 'the immortal heroes of the homeland, Pouya Bakhtiari,' and praised the 'noble steadfastness and resilience' of the families of the martyrs of the 'national revolution' of Iran. He wrote in a social media post: 'Pouya Bakhtiari, who sacrificed his precious life for the freedom of Iran, was raised in the arms of a noble, brave, and aware mother and father, learning courage and love for the homeland from them. On the birthday of the immortal Pouya, we once again pledge with him and all the martyrs of the homeland that we will continue their path.' Monouchehr Bakhtiari, Pouya's father, has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for launching an international campaign for 'seeking justice for his son and all the martyrs' during the forty years of the Islamic Republic's rule. The Islamic Republic also arrested Nahid Shirpishah, Pouya's mother, on July 9, 2022, accusing her of having connections with a 'foreign intelligence service' and imprisoned her as well. In August 2024, government agents also arrested Mehrad, Pouya's uncle, for protesting against the pressures imposed by the Islamic Republic on his family. The commemoration by Prince Reza Pahlavi of the 'steadfastness and resilience' of the families of victims opposing the Islamic Republic is a pointed remark by the mother of the seeking justice for Mehrdad and Monouchehr Bakhtiari towards the Islamic Republic: 'Create a special prison for this family.' The sister of the seeking justice for Monouchehr and Mehrdad Bakhtiari stated: 'The big-mouthed government takes its 'hard revenge' from our ailing mother.' The arrest of Mehrdad Bakhtiari; Saba Bakhtiari: 'They pointed a gun at my defenseless brother and brutally abducted him.' The Bakhtiari family addressed the Islamic Republic: 'We stand for Iran until the end of our lives.' The sentence of 13 months and 15 days of imprisonment for the father seeking justice for Pouya Bakhtiari was confirmed in the appeals court.