Mahmoud Mehrabi, Condemned Protester: Change of Islamic Republic President Does Not Affect Government's Repressive Policies

Mahmoud Mehrabi, a political prisoner sentenced to death, called for a boycott of the government elections to succeed Ibrahim Raisi and stated that the change of the Islamic Republic's president does not affect the repressive policies of the Islamic Republic. According to the text of Mehrabi's message, which his sister Hajar read in front of the United Nations headquarters in Vienna on Tuesday, July 3, he emphasized that the 'case-making' against him began during Hassan Rouhani's presidency and that 'changing the president has no effect on arrests and repression' and even 'the depreciation of the rial.' Mehrabi, who has been in 'inhumane detention' for 18 months, urged the 'aware majority of society' to 'not participate in the elections, allowing the true face of the government, namely the worse option, to be elected as president.' Mahmoud Mehrabi was sentenced to death by the fifth branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Isfahan due to his activities in cyberspace. Although the Mizan news agency, the media outlet of the Islamic Republic's judiciary, previously denied that the death sentence was issued for Mehrabi 'due to activities in cyberspace,' it explained that the content of Mehrabi's case was based on 'the publication of materials' on social media, claiming that these materials included 'instructions for using homemade weapons, calls for the destruction of public property, incitement to war and killing, and insults to sacred values.' Previously, a group of United Nations experts, including Javaid Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, Jill Edwards, the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and Morris Tidball-Binz, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial or arbitrary executions, issued a statement calling for the immediate cancellation of Mahmoud Mehrabi's death sentence and urged the Islamic Republic to stop issuing death sentences against individuals for their expressions of opinion. The voting between the two candidates considered by the Islamic Republic to succeed Ibrahim Raisi will take place on Friday, July 6. Many opponents describe this political event with terms such as 'election circus' and 'appointment show' and have boycotted it. The Associated Press emphasized in a field report from Iran that distrustful and angry citizens have no desire to 'vote.' The US State Department has stated that the Islamic Republic's government elections in Iran are 'not free and fair.' Yasser Alvandiani, a victim of the protests, stated: 'The house is ruined from the foundation.' The US State Department's view on the government elections in Iran: they are 'not free and fair.' Over '1,285 virtual activists' have been summoned, and 58 field protesters have been arrested during the government 'elections.' The Islamic Republic is awaiting another Friday; opponents say not voting is the most effective form of 'civil resistance.' A source informed Voice of America that Zartosht Ahmadiraghab was transferred to solitary confinement following the boycott of the 'show elections.'