The Bakhtiari Family to the Islamic Republic: We Stand by Iran Until Our Last Breath

Saba Bakhtiari, sister of Manoochehr and aunt of Pouya Bakhtiari, reported on Tuesday, August 7, that one of her brothers was beaten by agents of the Revolutionary Court, stating: "We stand by each other and by Iran until our last breath." In this context, Mehrodad, another brother of Saba, along with their mother, displayed the signs of beating on the body of another brother and said: "Today, my brother went to the Revolutionary Court to follow up on the family case, where he was beaten by 10 to 15 agents of the Revolutionary Court with fists, kicks, and batons." He also added: "The Islamic Republic has killed one of us and imprisoned two others for seeking justice, but we will stand by our family and by Iran until our last breath and our last person." Mehrodad Bakhtiari addressed the leaders of the Iranian government, saying: "Do not take your harsh revenge on us, the defenseless nation. This earth is round, and our time will come too." Saba Bakhtiari also wrote in this post: "The Islamic Republic has subjected us to the worst pressures, torture, imprisonment, threats, and assassination attempts over the years, but we will never cease our struggle and quest for justice." She emphasized: "The more you beat and torture us, the stronger we will stand against you, just as we stand by each other and by Iran until our last breath." Pouya Bakhtiari, born on September 10, 1992, was shot in the skull by government agents during the November 2019 protests in Mehrshahr, Karaj, and was killed. Manoochehr Bakhtiari, Pouya's father, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for launching an international campaign for "seeking justice for his son's life and all the victims" over the forty years of the Islamic Republic's rule. The Islamic Republic also arrested Pouya Bakhtiari's mother, Nahid Shirpich, on July 9, 2022, accusing her of having connections with a "foreign intelligence service" and imprisoned her as well. Other members of the Bakhtiari family have repeatedly reported through social media about the pressures from the Islamic Republic on this family in various aspects. Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur, expressed concern in July this year regarding reports of violent arrests, torture, and threats by security agents of the Islamic Republic during interrogations and called for an end to the repression of activists in Iran. Mona Bakhtiari reported an "assassination attempt" on her mother, Nahid Shirpich, in prison. The pressure of the government on the families seeking justice; Maryam Mehrabi was sentenced to six years in prison. Five political prisoners in Qezel Hesar demanded the immediate release of Nahid Shirpich and Rezvaneh Ahmadkhani. Mona Bakhtiari, announcing the assassination attempt on her mother Nahid Shirpich in prison, called for the immediate release of her relatives. Mona Bakhtiari stated that Nahid Shirpich was beaten in prison. The summons of Pouya Bakhtiari's sister to the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Zanjan. Preventing Mona Bakhtiari from visiting her mother Nahid Shirpich due to being "Bakhtiari."