Human Rights Watch: The Islamic Republic Commits Injustice Twice, Executing or Killing Family Members and Then Arresting Their Loved Ones

As the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death in custody approaches, Human Rights Watch announced that Iranian officials have arrested the families of victims of the 2021 protests with "false charges" over the past two years. According to the statement released on Tuesday, September 20, "Two years after the eruption of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests in 2021, the officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran continue to silence and punish families seeking justice for their loved ones." The statement cites the arrest and sentencing of Mashallah Karami, the father of Mohammad Mehdi Karami, a young protester executed by the Iranian judicial authorities, as well as the arrest of several other plaintiffs, including Solmaz and Ahmad Hassan Zadeh, Siavash Soltani, and Ramiar Aboubakri. Nahid Naghashbandi, the head of Iran research at Human Rights Watch, has called for the immediate release of plaintiffs who are "illegally detained" and stated that Iranian officials "commit injustice against the people twice: executing or killing a family member, and then arresting their loved ones for demanding accountability." On Tuesday, Prince Reza Pahlavi commemorated the birthday of Pouya Bakhtiari, one of the victims of recent anti-government protests, referring to the slain opponents of the Islamic Republic as "the immortal names of the Iranian national revolution" and appreciating the "proud steadfastness" of their families. He considered the "birthday of the immortal heroes of the homeland, such as Pouya Bakhtiari" as an opportunity to reaffirm the pact made with them and to guide their noble goals and patriotic resolve in action. Protests in Iran have intensified in recent years but faced severe repression from government forces. In incidents such as those in December 2017, November 2019, and the widespread protests of 2021, hundreds of protesters were killed by Islamic Republic agents in the streets of Iran, and thousands were injured and arrested. Additionally, some detained protesters were executed following trials deemed "unfair" by international human rights organizations. Following the death of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini in the custody of the morality police on September 16, 2022, a widespread wave of protests erupted across Iran, continuing for months in the streets, universities, and schools. As the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death approaches, a wave of arrests has begun in various cities of Iran by Islamic Republic officials.