Reactions to the Execution of Mohammad Qabadi and Farhad Salimi: 'Revenge' of the Islamic Republic Against the People of Iran

The execution of Mohammad Qabadi and Farhad Salimi at dawn on Tuesday, January 23, in Qazalhesar prison by the judiciary of the Islamic Republic sparked a wave of public outrage on social media, with observers labeling these executions as 'revenge' by the Islamic Republic against the Iranian people following the 'killing of its terrorists' in the region. Government news agencies in Iran announced early on Tuesday that Mohammad Qabadi had been executed in Qazalhesar prison, but remained silent about the simultaneous execution of Farhad Salimi. Hours later, human rights sources confirmed that both political prisoners had been executed in Qazalhesar prison in Alborz province. The execution of these two political prisoners elicited widespread reactions on social media. Masoumeh Ahmadi, the mother of Mohammad Qabadi, shared a photo of her protesting son on Instagram after his execution, writing: 'Congratulations on your ascension, my Mohammad.' Amir Raeisiyan, the lawyer for Mohammad Qabadi, rejected the claim by the news agency Mizan regarding the notification of the ruling by the 39th branch of the Supreme Court of the Islamic Republic, emphasizing that 'this ruling was never communicated to us.' He stressed that 'the case was under review for retrial' and questioned, 'How can a death sentence be executed before it is communicated?' Mahmoud Amiri Moghaddam, director of Iran Human Rights, also emphasized that 'the execution of Farhad Salimi, like that of Mohammad Qabadi, is an example of extrajudicial killing, and Ali Khamenei and the officials of the corrupt judiciary of the Islamic Republic must be held accountable for this crime.' He added: 'We call on the people and the international community to protest and respond appropriately to raise the cost of these extrajudicial killings for the regime.' Ali Karimi, a prominent Iranian football figure and opponent of the Islamic Republic, reiterated the slogan 'Death to the criminal Khamenei' on social media, writing: 'In the wake of all the blood that has spilled on this land, we are ashamed of this life, we are ashamed of this bread, we sat and watched.' Prince Reza Pahlavi emphasized in a message: 'The desperate Khamenei regime takes revenge for the killing of its terrorists in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq on the innocent people of Iran, with the aim of giving hope to its few wavering supporters and discouraging the Iranian people in their struggle.' He stressed that 'today is not a time for despair' and 'it is time to stand firm and emphasize the continuation of the struggle until this anti-Iranian and devilish regime is toppled,' adding: 'In the end, we will be victorious in this struggle and celebrate freedom in the streets across Iran, believing that the blood of Mohammad Qabadi and other martyrs of Iran's freedom will not be in vain.' Prince Reza Pahlavi expressed his condolences 'to Mohammad's family, to his grieving mother and father,' telling them: 'Hold your heads high and be proud of your heroic son. Mohammad's star will shine in the sky of Iran from tonight.' Maryam Rajavi, head of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, also declared that 'the mullah regime has left a new record of savagery and crime with these executions,' writing: 'These senseless bloodshed events reflect Khamenei's fear of an explosion of the people's rage and his futile attempts to counter the uprising.' She called on the United Nations and the European Union to take immediate action to 'stop the mullahs' killing machine and save the lives of thousands of prisoners on death row, especially political prisoners and the three co-defendants of Farhad Salimi.' Ms. Rajavi pointed out that since October 7, more than 360 prisoners have been executed, writing: 'Silence and inaction encourage this regime to continue and intensify its crimes inside and outside Iran.' The Left Party of Iran also stated in a statement: 'The Islamic Republic, with its repeated executions of freedom-seeking activists, is struggling to take revenge on the revolutionary movement of 'Women, Life, Freedom' and political opponents, erasing the achievements of this movement, creating an atmosphere of terror in society, and trying to prevent new protests.' This party declared that 'the regime will take its wish to return to before September 2022 to the grave,' adding: 'The transformation that the revolutionary movement of 'Women, Life, Freedom' has created in our society and the steps taken to end the Islamic Republic and all its ominous effects are enduring.' The Left Party of Iran also considered the execution and killing of activists of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement and other political fighters as 'an example of revenge and state murder,' adding: 'As long as the Islamic Republic is in power, these crimes will continue. To end these killings, we must bury a regime that rules through repression and murder.' Nazanin Boniadi, an actress and human rights activist, stated that 'the Islamic Republic has killed another innocent Iranian,' saying that Mohammad Qabadi was executed 'without a fair trial, without a legal process, and under forced confessions resulting from torture,' emphasizing 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.' Masih Alinejad, a human rights activist and journalist, also emphasized: 'As long as the West rolls out the red carpet for the murderers of the Iranian people instead of punishing the Islamic Republic, they will continue to execute more young people in Iran.' Protesting the presence of Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in New York, she said: 'It is shameful that at the same time as the execution of Mohammad Qabadi, the terrorist foreign minister of the Islamic Republic received a U.S. visa and roams freely in New York. The Biden administration must revoke this visa and expel Amir-Abdollahian from U.S. soil.' According to Alinejad, 'Hollow condemnations from Western leaders will never save the lives of young Iranians from execution. Western governments must take practical action. For every innocent prisoner executed, they should expel one Islamic Republic diplomat from their countries.' Jamal Rahmati, a well-known designer and cartoonist, drew a piece titled 'The Loneliness of a Father' based on a photo of Ali-Madad Qabadi, the father of Mohammad Qabadi, on the eve of his son's execution, and shared it on Instagram, writing: 'An image of a father's loneliness on the eve of a day remembered in the calendar as Father's Day.' Clara Bonger, a German legislator and political sponsor of Mohammad Qabadi, published a photo of him with his mother after the execution of this young protester, writing in Persian: 'May his memory be eternal.' Khalilollah Baluch, a civil activist in Iran, wrote on social media: 'I am ashamed of the loneliness of Farhad Salimi, of whom I didn't even know that at the same time as Mohammad Qabadi, his life was also taken. I speak from the utmost darkness and from the utmost night.' Mahsa Pirayi, the daughter of the bereaved Minou Majidi, one of the victims of the 2021 protests, also reacted to the execution of Mohammad Qabadi, saying: 'It is not over! The sea of blood has grown larger, the distance has increased, and the hatred has intensified!' Mehrzad Zarei, the father of the bereaved Arad Zarei, one of the victims of the downing of the Ukrainian passenger plane by the Revolutionary Guards, also repeated the slogan 'By the blood of our comrades, we stand until the end,' saying that 'they killed Mohammad Qabadi' and 'only by overthrowing the Islamic Republic can we find peace.' Arash Sadeghi, a human rights activist in Iran, also reacted to the execution of these two political prisoners, addressing the Islamic Republic officials: 'How did you execute a ruling that had been overturned in court? How did you trial and sentence seven Sunni prisoners in two minutes and execute their sentences one by one?' Amir Hossein Etemadi, a political activist, emphasized: 'Damn the 57 and fifty-sevens.' Milad Mohammadi, the brother of the bereaved Shahryar Mohammadi, one of the victims of the 2021 protests, announced in a video that he had stationed himself like a one-man army in the 'Mel Lsman' square in Toronto to be the 'voice of Iran.' He called on 'all Iranians in Toronto' to join him in protesting the execution of Mohammad Qabadi, Farhad Salimi, and other victims of human rights violations by the Islamic Republic. Ashkan Monfared, a political activist, also referenced the anniversary of the birth of Neda Agha-Soltan, one of the victims of the 2009 protests in Tehran, writing on social media: 'Today is Neda's birthday. When she was killed, Mohammad Qabadi was 9 years old, Nika was 4, Armita Garavand was 3, Sarina was 3, Majidreza was 11. The fate of these children could have been different. The fate of the 4 and 5-year-olds today could also be as dark as the fates of the above names if these vultures remain.' Shima Babaei, a human rights activist, also stated that 'Mohammad [Qabadi] also became a seed' and 'went into the heart of the earth,' naming Iran 'occupied soil' that 'is watered with blood' and that the Islamic Republic 'will reap a harvest of anger for every free seed it plants.' Vahid Bahman, a political activist, also pointed out that 'about 10 years have passed since the issuance of the death sentence for Babak Zanjani in the economic corruption case,' saying 'they execute the helpless child of a victimized family,' but regarding Babak Zanjani, 'because he has dirt on all of you, you do not dare to carry out his sentence.' Some users also viewed the execution of these two political prisoners as the Islamic Republic's reaction to 'humiliation' in the region. For instance, Ehsan Soltani, a student, wrote on social media: 'Their commanders were killed in broad daylight in Damascus, and at night they kill the children of the people to maintain their facade of power over the nation. Inside, they are rabid dogs, outside the borders, they are sewer rats!' Siavash Rezaian, a civil activist in Iran, also emphasized that the execution of Mohammad Qabadi was 'the price of their humiliation in the region,' adding: 'Personally, from now on, I will cheer louder for your humiliations.' Khosrow Alikordi, a lawyer, shared a poem by Hossein Manzavi regarding the execution of two political prisoners before sunrise, writing: 'Our sun is tied to the gallows, do not speak of morning and sunshine here.' Hamid Salimi, another user on social media, also shared a photo of Mohammad Qabadi's father in front of Qazalhesar prison, stating: 'Start your dirty cloudy morning by watching a father who walks alone and helplessly behind the prison doors as his son's death sentence is carried out. This image fully embodies our existence: we are all in line, lonely and desperate, until it is our turn.' Reza Akavaniyan, a human rights activist, reacted to the execution of these two political prisoners, emphasizing that 'execution is state murder,' reminding that 'the executioner republic executed about 800 people in 2023 and three people daily in December.' Kaveh Kermanshahi, a human rights activist, also stated: 'The Islamic Republic of Iran has executed for 45 years, but it has not been able to normalize execution in society. Death has become the profession of the Islamic Republic, while the people's slogan remains life.' Nasim Behrouz, a political activist, also tweeted: 'History will write that one of the murderers, just as the life of #Mohammad_Qabadi was taken, tweeted from Manhattan, New York, announcing participation in the 'International Peace and Security' conference.' Ardalan Shakrabee, a Swedish-Iranian legislator, also reacted to the execution of a protester by the Islamic Republic, stating: 'Mohammad Qabadi, 23 years old, was executed this morning by the Islamic regime in Iran. His crime was wishing for freedom. The tyranny of the Islamic Republic will one day be defeated by the Iranian people.' The account 'Israel in Persian' on social media also wrote: 'The Islamic Republic's attempts to water its decayed roots with the blood of innocents are futile, and this blood will soon uproot it.' The Iran Novin Party also reacted to the execution of Mohammad Qabadi, emphasizing: 'The Islamic regime, which emerged from the life-killing turmoil of 57, was fundamentally established to annihilate the concept of life in Iran, and as we can see, it spares no effort in this regard.' This party emphasized that 'the right to life of Iranians within the framework of the discourse of the fifty-sevens and the regime that emerged from it has no meaning, and the struggle to overthrow this regime is fundamentally a struggle to restore the flow of life to the veins and arteries of Iran.' Additionally, in one of the images sent to VOA from inside Iran, a citizen protesting the execution of Mohammad Qabadi, the young protester, says: 'We will not vote.' The judiciary of the Islamic Republic executed Mohammad Qabadi, a 23-year-old protester arrested during the nationwide protests of 2021 in Tehran, and Farhad Salimi, a Sunni political prisoner, in Qazalhesar prison in Alborz province at dawn on Tuesday, January 23. Images of the mourning family of Mohammad Qabadi in front of Qazalhesar prison were published shortly after the execution of their son. In this video, a woman tells the prison guards: 'You killed my child. He went to the streets for all of you young people.' Amir Hossein Mir Asmaeili, a journalist, quoted sources present outside Qazalhesar prison on social media, stating that the 'special forces' were beating and arresting people, including even Mohammad Qabadi's family. According to him, the agents were 'shooting people and the family of Qabadi with shotguns.' In reaction to the execution of this young protester, Kianoush Sanjari, a journalist residing in Iran, wrote on social media: 'This morning, after the call to prayer, they executed Mohammad Qabadi, just as they killed hundreds of other protesters and opponents of the Islamic Republic in the streets.' According to Sanjari, 'As long as the Revolutionary Court is in session, that cursed revolution has not yet been established. Mohammad, like Majidreza, was one of the honorable and dignified children of this land who stood against oppression.