Protest Statement from Over 460 'Iran-Iraq War Veterans': Execute Us Instead of Tomaj

More than 460 participants and victims of the eight-year Iran-Iraq war issued a strongly worded statement protesting the current situation in Iran, addressing the leaders of the Islamic Republic: 'O rulers! Instead of Tomaj, execute us. We are guilty.' According to Khabar Online, the signatories introduced themselves as 'a group of warriors, families of martyrs, veterans, freed prisoners, and the self-sacrificing.' They added: 'Instead of Tomaj, execute us. We are guilty. It was us who placed the sinful human in a godly position and facilitated the corruption on earth. Come and imprison us for our silence over all these injustices and the humiliation of our youth and daughters.' They also protested the death sentence issued for Tomaj Salehi, stating: 'A government that is not accountable for any of its self-created mega-crises sends armed forces to the streets daily to intimidate and terrorize, and now has issued a shameful death sentence for a young protesting artist.' This group warned the rulers of the Islamic Republic to stop threatening and intimidating the youth and disturbing public opinion 'before it is too late' and not to lead the country 'to the brink of collapse.' The Iran Human Rights Organization reported on Thursday, May 2, that during a two-week period from April 17 to May 1, the death sentences of 63 prisoners in Iranian prisons were carried out. Mahmoud Amiri-Moghaddam, the director of this organization, wrote on social media platform 'X': 'In the past two weeks, the Islamic Republic has executed one person every five hours without incurring any costs.' According to statistics from the Iran Human Rights Organization, the Islamic Republic executed 71 people in April (from April 2 to May 1). Of this number, 44 were sentenced to death for drug-related charges, 26 for murder, and one for rape. The Iran Human Rights Organization states that among those executed, at least 16 were Baluch citizens, 6 were Afghan nationals, and 3 were women. The organization also reported that from January 1, 2023, until May 1, 171 people were executed in Iranian prisons. Mr. Amiri-Moghaddam has called on 'human rights-respecting' countries to respond to the wave of executions in Iran.