Sister of Justice-Seeker Javad Heydari: My Father and Brothers Are Under Pressure for 'Forced Confessions'

Fatemeh Heydari, sister of Javad Heydari, one of the victims of the nationwide protests in 2022, reported on Sunday, September 24, about the ongoing pressure on her family. In a post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), she stated that her father and brothers have been transferred to Chubindar Prison in Qazvin and are 'still under pressure to extract forced confessions.' Ms. Heydari, referring to her brother Morteza, who has diabetes and has been on a hunger strike for three days, warned that 'his life is in danger.' She also mentioned that her mother is not in good health due to the immense psychological and physical pressure. On Saturday, September 23, she had shared images of the attack by Islamic Republic security forces on her family home, accusing them of using 'bullets and tear gas,' which also affected her two-year-old child and led to her mother's hospitalization. Fatemeh Heydari further accused the Islamic Republic officials of 'holding her father and brothers hostage' to distort the reality. Earlier, she announced that her brother Morteza had been transferred to detention after being discharged from the hospital and that he remains on hunger strike. On Thursday, September 21, Islamic Republic security forces attacked the Heydari family in anticipation of the anniversary of Javad Heydari's death during last year's protests, injuring several family members. Fatemeh Heydari stated that the security forces attacked her family 'with live ammunition' on the anniversary of her brother's death. She warned, based on information from an acquaintance who managed to escape from their village, that internet and other communication channels have been cut off, leading to a 'humanitarian catastrophe.' Expressing concern that the Islamic Republic officials might intend to kill her family after her brother's death, she called for immediate support for her family. In videos shared on social media, children and women can be seen screaming in response to the attacks by Islamic Republic law enforcement. In other videos, two children from the Heydari family are seen being attacked with tear gas and beaten. Voice of America cannot independently verify all these accounts and their related narratives. Fatemeh Heydari also published another photo of two young family members whose faces were severely injured and affected by tear gas. She accused the Islamic Republic of 'holding her family hostage' and cutting off the internet in their village, expressing concern about what might happen to her family. The day before, Fatemeh Heydari had reported the arrest of her brother and some relatives aimed at 'increasing pressure on the family to prevent the anniversary ceremony' for her brother. This member of the justice-seeking families emphasized that they have 'no fear' of the government's 'mercenaries.' On Thursday and Friday, September 21 and 22, marked the anniversary of the deaths of over 40 Iranian protesters against the killing of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini while in custody. In recent weeks, the Islamic Republic has intensified pressure and arrests of many families of victims and justice-seekers, attempting to prevent them from holding anniversary ceremonies. Javad Heydari was shot by Islamic Republic security forces on September 22 last year during protests against Mahsa's death near Mellat Park in Qazvin and died hours later. During the fortieth-day ceremony for Javad on November 3 last year, dozens of residents from the village of Rahmatabad Bozorg Dashtabi were arrested for participating in it. The intensification of pressure on justice-seeking families and the continued detention of citizens reflects the Islamic Republic's efforts to prevent the holding of anniversary ceremonies for the victims of protests.