The fourth anniversary memorial for the victims of the downing of the Ukrainian plane by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was held in Shahidshahr, Tehran, the site of the plane's crash, while government forces prevented citizens from attending and joining the families of the deceased. An eyewitness told Voice of America that on the morning of Monday, January 8, special guard forces were stationed 'in Mahmoodabad Shahidshahr' and 'the Mahmoodabad mosque near the cemetery was full of repressive forces.' The eyewitness, who spoke with the Persian section of Voice of America just hours before the memorial, emphasized that 'all the alleys were filled with agents in personal vehicles' and 'families were chanting slogans despite the complete siege.' This reliable source added that government forces did not allow citizens to join the families of the PS752 flight victims. He also mentioned, 'I tried to join them from two sides, but they blocked my way' and they did not allow filming. According to this eyewitness, since the previous evening, 'the special guard's cars and motorcycles were stationed in one of the large gardens in the area opposite the mosque,' in a garden that he claimed belonged to a retired IRGC member who is a 'multi-billionaire.' He explained that 'the motorcycles and cars of the special guard were in the garden' and 'the forces themselves were stationed in the mosque in front of the garden.' The eyewitness stated that 'the crowd was very large,' but intelligence forces did not allow people to join the families of the victims, yet despite the presence of agents, families 'sang the anthem of Iran with a loudspeaker and chanted death to the dictator.' According to published visual reports on the account of the 'Association of Families of Victims of Flight PS752,' the fourth anniversary memorial for the downing of the Ukrainian plane by IRGC missiles was held on Monday with the presence of some family members of the victims and speeches from some of them. Families present at the ceremony at the crash site in Shahidshahr chanted 'Shout out against this oppression.' The father of Maryam Malek, one of the victims, condemned the holding of a 'show trial' by the Islamic Republic's judiciary to address the case of the IRGC's missile strike on this passenger plane. Families of the victims emphasized that four years ago 'at this time, the security forces of the Islamic Republic were looting the belongings of the passengers and were burying and burning the rest of their belongings and bodies with bulldozers,' but 'the families still demand the trial of all those who ordered and executed' this incident. The Association of Families of Flight PS752 confirmed that the presence of government forces at this ceremony 'was notable and although they were taking photos and videos of the survivors, the families held the ceremony regardless of them.'
Exclusive; Government Forces Prevent Public Attendance at Memorial for Victims of Ukrainian Plane Downing
On the fourth anniversary of the Ukrainian plane downing, government forces in Iran prevented public attendance at the memorial in Shahidshahr, where families of victims protested and chanted slogans against the regime. Eyewitness accounts highlighted the heavy presence of security forces and the families' determination to demand justice despite the repression. This incident underscores ongoing tensions between the Iranian government and the families seeking accountability for the tragedy.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
Iranian government forces prevented public attendance at memorial for Ukrainian plane downing victims.
- Iranian government forces crackdown citizens, families of victims
- families of victims protest Iranian government
- eyewitnesses protest Iranian government forces
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The government's crackdown on memorials underscores its sensitivity to dissent.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%