Statements from Amnesty International and the Association of Families of Victims of the Ukrainian Flight on the Anniversary of November 98

Amnesty International and the Association of Families of Victims of Flight PS752 expressed solidarity with the families of those who lost their lives during the nationwide protests of November 98, emphasizing the need for the prosecution of those responsible for the "atrocities of November." In a statement on Thursday, November 25, Amnesty International highlighted the "crisis of impunity" for Iranian officials and the "insufficient actions of the international community" as reasons for the Iranian government's resort to "increasing violence." The human rights organization expressed solidarity with the survivors seeking "truth and justice" by publishing the names of some victims of the "Bloody November 1398" protests. The Association of Families of Victims of the Ukrainian Flight described the "murder" of over 1,500 protesters in November 1398 as a "massacre" and "unforgettable crimes" committed by the Islamic Republic. The association's statement recalled the "disrespect" shown to the bodies of many victims and the "severe security pressure" on their families, noting that "some family members remain imprisoned for crimes they did not commit." Manoochehr Bakhtiari and Nahid Shirpich, parents of the activist Pouya Bakhtiari, are among the families of victims of the November 98 protests who are currently imprisoned. The Association of Families of Victims of the Ukrainian Flight expressed its solidarity with each family affected by the November events, calling for "independent and impartial courts in the future Iran" and punishment for those responsible for the "atrocities of November." The association emphasized, "We do not forget or forgive the killers of Iran's children." The November 98 protests began following a sudden increase in gasoline prices and quickly escalated into widespread protests against the Islamic Republic. The Iranian government simultaneously cut off the internet and violently suppressed protesters, killing and injuring hundreds and arresting thousands more. Reuters reported that the number of protesters killed during the government crackdown was 1,500. The New York Times described the November 98 protests as the "worst unrest" in Iran in the past 40 years, with most protesters being unemployed or low-income youth. On the fourth anniversary of the bloody suppression of November 98, several citizens also commemorated the fallen protesters, including Pouya Bakhtiari.