Human Rights Watch: The Iranian government continues to punish the families of those seeking justice

Human Rights Watch announced that Iranian government officials have arrested, threatened, or harassed family members of dozens of individuals who were killed, executed, or imprisoned during the protests over the past two years on false charges. According to the report, two years after the start of the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests in 2022, the Iranian government continues to silence and punish the families of those who demand accountability for the violations of their relatives' rights. Nahid Nasrabadi, a temporary Iran researcher at Human Rights Watch, stated: "Iranian officials commit injustice against the people twice; they execute or kill a family member and then arrest their loved ones for demanding accountability." This human rights organization has urged the Iranian judiciary to "immediately release the unlawfully detained family members and ensure fair trials and transparent judicial processes for anyone accused of a crime." Reports indicate the arrest of several individuals in Kurdish regions of Iran ahead of the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death. Iranian officials have a long history of exerting pressure on grieving families. These threats and pressures include families from the November 2019 protests as well as the families of those killed in the PS752 flight, the Ukrainian plane shot down by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in 2020, to deter them from seeking accountability. Ms. Nasrabadi emphasized, "It is crucial for governments interacting with Iran to openly condemn these horrific injustices against individuals whose loved ones have already faced serious violations by the ruthless Iranian government." The report details instances of harassment and detention of families seeking justice across various regions of Iran. Recently, the criminal court in Nazarabad, Alborz Province, sentenced Mashallah Karami, the father of Mohammad Mehdi Karami, one of the executed protesters, to 8 years and 10 months in prison on charges of "money laundering" and "illegitimate acquisition of property." He also faces fines and asset confiscation as part of his sentence. Matin Hosseini, a victim of eye injuries during the protests, was imprisoned. Meanwhile, Ali Sharifzadeh Ardekan, Mr. Karami's lawyer, stated in an interview that the funds and assets were public donations to support this family, and none of the donors have filed complaints for repayment. The juvenile court in Razavi Khorasan Province recently issued an eight-month prison sentence for Faramarz Abil Barahui, the 15-year-old brother of Ismail Abil Barahui, a victim of the "Bloody Friday" crackdown on protesters in Zahedan. According to the Halosh website, which covers news related to Baluchis in Iran, Faramarz Barahui was arrested after visiting his brother's grave. Last week, security agents raided the home of the family of Zanyar Abubakri, who was shot and killed during the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests in Mahabad, and arrested his 16-year-old brother, Ramyar. This report comes ahead of the second anniversary of the death of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini while in the custody of the morality police in late September 2022, which turned Iran into a scene of nationwide protests.