Pouran Nazemi: The Government Has Increased Pressure by Cutting the 'Economic Lifeline of Activists'

A human rights activist in Iran spoke to Voice of America about the increasing pressures from the Islamic Republic on prisoners and political and civil activists, stating that the government has no intention of reform or retreat. Pouran Nazemi, a human rights activist in Iran, told Voice of America that the security pressures imposed by the Islamic Republic on activists are "greater than ever before" and that "it doesn't matter if you are an environmental activist, a civil activist, or a political activist." Nazemi emphasized that the officials of the Islamic Republic "do not tolerate any protests or criticisms," asserting: "This government has no intention of reform or retreat whatsoever." According to this human rights activist, one of the government's actions is to "cut off the economic lifelines of all these activists." Nazemi stressed that even a minute of imprisonment for protesters and critics is "gross injustice," adding: "Unfortunately, international organizations are indifferent to this issue. The only government that is the biggest violator of human rights in the world occupies the most important seat of human rights in the world, which shows that the world is indifferent to what is happening in Iran and to the suffering that we and the people of Iran endure, and our political activists must think about this issue." Nazemi also referred to the prison sentences issued for Hoori Khanpour and Asadollah Fakhimi, calling them "true Muslims" and accusing the Islamic Republic of "exploiting religion for its own purposes," stating: "In a situation where poverty, corruption, and misery prevail in the country, some of those who try to alleviate these pains and help prisoners are arrested and baseless accusations are made against them." This human rights activist, who has been imprisoned multiple times and is currently free on bail, added: "The organization that supports the families of prisoners receives funding but does nothing for them, and when activists try to take on the government's responsibilities, they are accused of having helped the 'deceased.'" She asked: "Aren't these 'deceased' the families of those you said were killed? You said we didn't kill them, and that people in police uniforms killed them? Then why don't you support them?" Nazemi also urged everyone not to remain silent in the face of accusations made against these activists by the intelligence and judicial bodies of the Islamic Republic. The economic pressure on political and civil activists that Pouran Nazemi referred to has a history. For instance, Fatemeh Sepehri has repeatedly stated in messages that her salary and benefits have been cut, blaming this action on Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic. Additionally, Mohammad Hossein Sepehri, an opposing teacher, has been dismissed from education after years of teaching. Another example of economic pressure on civil activists is the ruling for the buyout of Jaafar Ebrahimi, a union activist, after 23 years of service in the education department of Tehran province. Nazemi's comments highlight the ongoing repression faced by activists in Iran, where the government continues to suppress dissent and undermine human rights.