Reactions to Gohar Eshghi’s Assault; Hamed Esmailiyon: Depravity, Ignorance, and Crime Are Not Permanent

FCNN EditorDecember 13, 2021

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Following the release of images and news regarding an attack by two unidentified individuals on Gohar Eshghi, mother of Sattar Beheshti, over the past few days, many social media users have reacted to this assassination attempt.

Sattar Beheshti was a blogger and labor activist who lost his life nine years ago in the custody of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s law enforcement.

Masih Alinejad, an independent journalist and host of the Tablet program on Voice of America, wrote on Twitter: “Gohar Eshghi’s wounded yet steadfast gaze, the mother of Sattar Beheshti, is a symbol of the humiliation of a tyrannical government. The true dregs of this government are those who are so terrified of a mother seeking justice that they resort to savagery to silence her.”

Ms. Alinejad continued: “Gohar Eshghi’s face and voice are symbols of the grief and power of Iran’s mothers seeking justice.”

Hamed Esmailiyon, spokesman for the families of the victims of Flight 752, following the news of the assassination attempt on Gohar Eshghi, posted a message on Twitter stating: “They told his mother they laughed while they tortured him; yesterday they reported to their superiors that they beat his mother on the way to the cemetery.”

The tweet continued: “The murderous government is not permanent. Depravity, ignorance, and crime are not permanent.”

Batool Hosseini, mother of Behnam Mahjoubi Darvish Gonabadi, a prisoner who lost his life last year at Lohman Hospital in Tehran, also posted a picture of Gohar Eshghi after the assassination attempt against her, writing: “Since the day Behnam spoke of the decline of humanity, I have seen this decline of humanity more and more. The day of reckoning is near, and you will be held accountable in the court of justice. Do not doubt it.”

Ismail Bakshi, a labor activist and former prisoner, also posted a drawing of Ms. Eshghi’s face on Twitter, noting that Gohar Eshghi was beaten because they fear her.

Saeed Afkari, brother of Navid Afkari, a wrestler executed in Iran, also reacted to this attack in a message on Twitter, writing: “You could not silence Sattar with your threats; you will not be able to silence his mother either.”

On the other hand, Saeed Dehghan, a lawyer, reposted the image of Ms. Eshghi’s injured face and bandaged head, writing: “The image of seeking justice in the Islamic Republic system is a symbol of steadfastness among the people.”

Earlier, Prince Reza Pahlavi reacted to the news of the attack on Sattar Beheshti’s mother by posting a tweet with an image of Ms. Eshghi, writing: “The message of this photo is clear: Ali Khamenei, the leader of the region’s terrorists, is afraid of the steadfast mother seeking justice, Sattar.”

The tweet continued: “One Iran stands with Gohar Eshghi.”

The Sattar Beheshti Foundation announced on Friday, December 10, on its Instagram account, while releasing an image of Ms. Eshghi, that she was attacked on December 9.

In a video released on Saturday, December 11, just two days after the apparent assassination attempt against her on the Sattar Beheshti Foundation’s Instagram account, Gohar Eshghi spoke about the incident: “I was going to the shrine. There were two people on a motorcycle. One got off and pushed me onto the gears. Then I didn’t know where I was. When I opened my eyes and regained consciousness, I found myself in the hospital.”

Mousa Ghazi Askarooni, head of the legal and judicial committee of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, on Sunday, December 12, one day after the release of this video, in the first reaction by officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the assassination attempt against Gohar Eshghi, in an interview with the news website “Asr-e Iran” and referring to the attack by unknown motorcyclists on Sattar Beheshti’s mother, said: “The law should protect anyone living in the Islamic Republic of Iran; it doesn’t matter who they are, whether they are Muslim or non-Muslim, revolutionary or counter-revolutionary.”

He continued: “It is possible that there may not be an opportunity to identify the attacking motorcyclists, but security and law enforcement agencies should take necessary measures.”

In early November, on the eve of the anniversary of Sattar Beheshti’s death, Gohar Eshghi, in a video reviewing the events of the day her son was arrested, said: “Khamenei, may you sit on your son’s grave!”

It was after that when security officials arrested her on November 12 along with her daughter and son-in-law to prevent the holding of Sattar Beheshti’s anniversary ceremony.

Ms. Eshghi also emphasized in an exclusive interview with Voice of America in response to Masih Alinejad’s question about their conversations with mothers seeking justice: “We say do not remain silent so that the Islamic Republic is destroyed and our youth are not killed.”

Stating that “my heart is burning; not only for Sattar Beheshti but for all the young protesters who were killed,” she said: “We say they should not remain silent and should be united.”

Gohar Eshghi is an outspoken critic of the Islamic Republic and Ayatollah Khamenei, and many consider her a symbol of resistance.

Source: Voice of America

FCNN Editor

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