Mahsa Amini's Father: My Family and I Are Not 'Promoters of Any Specific Candidate'; We Have Little Hope for Justice in the Future

On the eve of the second round of government elections to determine a successor to Ebrahim Raisi, Amjad Amini, the father of Mahsa Amini, announced that he and his family are 'not promoters of any specific candidate' and 'have little hope for justice in the future.' On Thursday, July 14, he wrote in an Instagram story that he and his family have 'independent opinions' and hold a 'fundamental position.' Previously, several plaintiffs shared similar texts on social media platforms X and Instagram, emphasizing a boycott of the 'government elections' using the hashtag 'traitorous minority,' urging the general public not to participate in the Islamic Republic's voting to determine Raisi's successor. Families of plaintiffs whose loved ones were killed during various nationwide protests in Iran in recent years or executed by the Islamic Republic published similar statements on social media on Wednesday, July 13, and criticized some positions regarding the 'government elections' using a common hashtag. Fatemeh Heydari, the sister of the plaintiff Javad Heydari, who was killed during the crackdown on protests in Qazvin in 2022, wrote on X: 'Although we lack media and budget, we will not allow this traitorous minority's hollow voice to be louder than us, the majority of the Iranian people.' Yazdan Khazaei, brother of Erfan Khazaei, a protester killed during the 2022 protests in Shahriar, also shared the same text on Instagram. Additionally, Sepideh Gholian, a political prisoner in Evin Prison in Tehran, stated in a statement received by the human rights organization Hengaw: 'Not voting in such circumstances is a form of civil resistance that protests the lack of democratic mechanisms, and participating in the Islamic Republic's sham elections provides it the opportunity to showcase participation images as a facade of its fake legitimacy, especially in international forums.' Meanwhile, Shabnam Eskandari, sister of the plaintiff Mohammad Reza Eskandari, who was killed during the nationwide protests in 2022, described the last moments of her brother's life, addressing supporters of participating in the Islamic Republic's voting for Raisi's successor: 'He was shot with a military bullet on the street; under gunfire, no one could take him to the clinic'; 'What are you talking about, you traitorous minority?' Saeed Afkari, brother of the plaintiff Navid Afkari, a protesting wrestler executed by the Islamic Republic in connection with the 2019 protests, published several texts on X regarding this matter; in one of these writings, he emphasized: 'Words have been spoken. Blood has been shed. The thefts and crimes are clear to all. This minority is traitorous, not deceived.' Mr. Afkari also stated: 'Those who vote are as guilty of my innocent brother's blood as Khamenei. The blood of Navid, Amin, Shahin, Kian, Javad, the blood that has been shed in these years will bring your dynasty to ruin.' Farhad Mahmoudi, brother of the plaintiff Fereydoun Mahmoudi, who was killed during the 2022 protests by government agents, likened 'voters for the Islamic Republic' to those who 'took my half-dead brother from the protesters and blocked the ambulance, preventing him from being taken to the hospital.' Tahereh Bajravani, wife of the plaintiff Ali Fattouhi, one of the victims of the November 2019 protests, mentioned Nika Shakeri, Sarina Ismailzadeh, and Asra Panahi, three of the victims of the 2022 protests, writing: 'They kill, beat, imprison, and rape the daughters of Iran, and then you traitorous minority go stand in line to vote?' Saeed Seyedi, brother of the plaintiff Ali Seyedi, also stated: 'You traitorous minority are the same ones who put a gun to my brother's side. He was crying for help; no one went to him. These are the same ones who are going to vote on Friday.' Mohammad Hashemi, cousin of the plaintiff Majid Kazemi, an executed protester related to the case known as 'Isfahan House,' also emphasized: 'We will not allow this traitorous minority's hollow voice to be louder than us, the majority of the Iranian people.' Mehdi Shahbazi, brother of the plaintiff Ameneh Shahbazi, one of the victims of the November 2019 protests, is another plaintiff who shared the same text on X. While the families of plaintiffs harshly criticize the participating minority in the 'elections,' calling them 'traitors,' reports indicate that in a speech among supporters of Masoud Pezeshkian, one of the candidates favored by the Islamic Republic to succeed Ebrahim Raisi, the name of Mehrshad Shahidi, a protester killed in Arak, was misused. In response to this action, Mehrshad Shahidi's sister stated: 'I saw nothing but audacity.' The second round of voting among the two candidates favored by the Islamic Republic to succeed Ebrahim Raisi will be held on Friday, July 15. According to government statistics, a vast majority of Iranians did not participate in the first round of this political event, which opponents describe with terms such as 'election circus' and 'sham appointments.' Meanwhile, some social media users are trying to encourage citizens to participate in the government voting. Some also accuse these accounts of receiving money and other benefits. Maryam Shakirani, a journalist residing in Iran, stated on social media X that 'reports indicate that some journalists active in electoral headquarters have received amounts exceeding half a billion tomans. Of course, these payments are aside from the positions and privileges they will later obtain.' Opponents say there is 'no difference' between the candidates favored by the Islamic Republic from both reformist and principlist branches, and some consider participation in government elections as 'a vote for more killings and repression.'