Reactions of Artists and Athletes to the Executions of Mohammad Qabadi and Farhad Salimi

The execution of Mohammad Qabadi and Farhad Salimi on Tuesday, January 23, in Qazalhasar prison in Karaj by the Islamic Republic faced widespread reactions from Iranian users on social media. Among them, a number of artists, athletes, and prominent figures expressed their sorrow over the execution of these two political prisoners, protesting against the Islamic Republic through written, visual, or audio messages. Ebi, a singer, expressed condolences to the grieving people of Iran and Qabadi's family on Instagram, stating: "I am astonished by this level of audacity, by this level of crime, and most strangely, by the international silence regarding a regime of oppression and youth killing that openly takes the lives of its own people, causing division in its region, with no one taking action against it." Nazanin Afshin-Jam, a human rights activist and former Miss Canada, in a message on X, pointed out that despite global requests and campaigns to revoke Mohammad Qabadi's sentence, the Islamic Republic executed him, stating that this regime's action "should not only be condemned by liberal democracies in the West but should also have consequences." She further called on the U.S. State Department to revoke Amir-Abdollahian's visa and urged other countries to recall their diplomats from Iran. Nazanin Boniadi, an actress and human rights activist, stated that "the Islamic Republic has murdered another innocent Iranian," adding that Mohammad Qabadi was executed "without a fair trial, without legal proceedings, and under forced confession due to torture." She emphasized that "anyone who shakes hands with the Islamic Republic's foreign minister during his trip to New York today is complicit in strengthening this oppressive regime." Ali Karimi, a former national football team player and opponent of the Islamic Republic, repeated the slogan "Death to the criminal Khamenei" and shared a poem on X: "In the wake of all the blood that has fallen on this soil, shame on this life, shame on this bread, we sat and watched." Golshifteh Farahani, an Iranian actress, shared the news of Mohammad Qabadi's execution on Instagram, writing: "Shame on you, bloodthirsty government, shameless and devoid of everything..." Shahin Najafi, a protest singer, shared an image of Mohammad Qabadi's father behind the walls of Qazalhasar prison in Karaj, stating on Instagram: "Tonight is not a moonlit night; no night is moonlit with the Islamic Republic." Mahnaz Afshar, an Iranian actress, wrote on X: "Curse on the executionist government that brought nothing but death and misery to Iran and its people. Curse on the Islamic Republic and its supporters, and shame on those who endorse this cycle of anger and violence." Hamed Fard, an Iranian rapper, also stated on X: "They killed Mohammad Qabadi; curse on the Islamic Republic and its supporters." Milad Zeynidpour, a former national football player, repeated the slogan "No to the Islamic Republic" on Instagram, writing: "Curse on all those who brought about the 57 Revolution, which has yielded nothing but murder, oppression, and corruption for 44 years. He added: "The policy of the clerical regime is based on shedding the blood of the people." Emad Qavidel, an Iranian rapper, shared an image of Mohammad Qabadi's father behind the walls of Qazalhasar prison on Instagram, stating: "If there is a God, curse you, damn..." Salar Gholami, a former captain of Iran's boxing teams, wrote on Instagram: "The serial killer has committed another crime. I wish someone would wake us up to see that 45 years have only been a nightmare." Gol-Azin, an Iranian singer known as "Gola," pointed out that "Mohammad Qabadi, like thousands of others, was murdered by the Islamic Republic," writing on Instagram: "Until we put an end to this religious government, nothing will be right in our land. Please put aside the niceties; as long as religion and faith remain in the homes of believers, we will always witness such atrocities. Damn your filthy religion and damn your filthy God." Mahoor, an Iranian singer, expressed condolences to the Iranian nation on Instagram, stating: "Mohammad Qabadi was unjustly killed by the terrorist regime of the Islamic Republic. He added that "we will bring each and every one of you criminals to justice for your actions; wait for it, there is no escape for you." Jamal Rahmati, a well-known designer and cartoonist, created a piece titled "The Loneliness of a Father" based on a photo of Ali-Madad Qabadi, Mohammad Qabadi's father, on the eve of his son's execution in front of Qazalhasar prison, and shared it on Instagram, writing: "An image of a father's loneliness on the eve of a day that is remembered in the calendar as Father's Day." Mohammad Qabadi was among the detainees of last year's widespread protests in Iran, accused of "corruption on earth" through "a widespread act against the motorcycle officers of the police force, resulting in the death of officer Farid Kermpour and the injury of five police officers." Amir Reisiian, Mohammad Qabadi's lawyer, announced on Tuesday that he had received a "notification of execution" for this young protester, stating that his client was to be executed on Tuesday, January 23. Many figures, organizations, and social media users had widely called for a halt to his execution. Dozens of political and ideological female prisoners in Evin are on hunger strike in protest against the executions. Reactions to the executions of Mohammad Qabadi and Farhad Salimi: "Retribution" by the Islamic Republic against the people of Iran. Two executions in one day; Hengaw: The Islamic Republic also executed Farhad Salimi. Reactions to the execution of Mohammad Qabadi; extrajudicial killing and crime; Khamenei must be held accountable. Mohammad Qabadi, a young protester, was executed by the Islamic Republic early on Tuesday.