A Letter and Its Consequences; Signatories Demanding Khamenei’s Resignation Arrested, Beaten, or Threatened
According to multiple reports, signing a letter demanding the resignation of Ayatollah Khamenei has had serious consequences for those who signed it.
In recent weeks, Javad Laalahmadi and Mohammad Hossein Sepehri, among the signatories of the letter, received threatening messages, Reza Mehregan was attacked, and Mohammad Nourizad and Mohammad Reza Mahdavifar were arrested.
In late June of this year, 14 civil and political activists inside Iran signed a letter calling for Ali Khamenei’s resignation from leadership and a fundamental change to the Constitution.
In this letter, referring to “years of losses,” during which individuals who compassionately and civilly tried to prevent the leader of the Islamic Republic and its officials from their “destructive wrongdoings” were either imprisoned or killed, the people and activists were called upon to: “step forward clearly into the arena and, by demanding a fundamental change to the Constitution and the resignation of a leader who unlawfully expands his authority each day, be at the forefront of this national movement.”
The letter’s signatories subsequently called the president and representatives “the leader’s procurers.”
Several weeks after signing this letter, Reza Mehregan, one of the signatories, announced by posting a video on social media that he had been attacked and beaten by unknown individuals using a stun gun.
Before that, Javad Laalahmadi, a member of the Mashhad Teachers’ Union and one of the signatories, announced that he had received threatening messages several times, and Mohammad Hossein Sepehri, another signatory, posted a video saying that someone had stabbed his door lock with a knife, and even after calling 110, no officer came to investigate.
Beyond these incidents, Mohammad Nourizad, another signatory of the letter, was arrested on Wednesday, July 10, after visiting the first branch of the Avam District Prosecutor’s Office in Evin.
Mohammad Reza Mahdavifar was also arrested on July 22 in the city of Aran and Bidgol. His family members cited “insulting the leader” as the reason for his arrest. Mr. Mahdavifar, who had been imprisoned multiple times before and was serving his exile period, was on leave when arrested.
The arrest of the letter’s signatories comes as Ayatollah Khamenei has stated in his speeches that people are free to criticize him. However, not only is there no criticism of the Islamic Republic’s leader visible in the media, but even the slightest criticism raised by activists comes with accusations of insulting the leader.
In recent months, Mike Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of State, called Mohammad Javad Zarif and Hassan Rouhani “the showcase of corrupt religious mafia” and said that the U.S. government knows it is Khamenei who makes final decisions.
Mr. Pompeo also posted messages on Twitter with the hashtag #FortyYearsOfFailure, writing about the deterioration of economic conditions and human rights over the past forty years, and announced that the leaders of the Islamic Republic prioritize ideology over the people’s interests.
Source: Voice of America
