52 People Arrested During Protest Rally in Mashhad
Hassan Haidari, the acting prosecutor of Mashhad’s Revolutionary Court, stated on Thursday, December 7th, that 52 people were arrested during a protest rally in the city.
According to media reports and social networks, the cities of Mashhad, Nishapur, Kashmar, and Shahroud witnessed protest gatherings on Thursday under the banner “No to Price Hikes.” Based on some videos circulated on social networks, the protest rally in Mashhad escalated following the law enforcement’s response and officers used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.
According to the FARS news agency, Hassan Haidari said regarding the protest rally in Mashhad: “This morning a gathering took place in Mashhad’s Martyrs Square and some provocateurs chanted radical slogans which were dealt with.”
The acting prosecutor of Mashhad’s Revolutionary Court, referring to the arrest of 52 people during Thursday’s protest rally, stated: “The law has no tolerance whatsoever for those who wish to exploit social conditions to cause inconvenience to other citizens and disrupt security.”
Some reports published on social networks indicate that a number of people were injured during Thursday’s protest rally in Mashhad, but so far no confirmed reports of casualties from this gathering have been published.
According to ISNA, Mohammad Rahim Norouzian, the governor of Mashhad, also said regarding Thursday’s protest rally in the city: “This gathering was illegal, however the law enforcement dealt with the demonstrators with considerable restraint.”
Based on videos circulated on some Telegram channels, hundreds of participants gathered in front of Mashhad’s Municipal Building in Martyrs Square, and while protesting against price hikes, chanted slogans such as “Death to the dictator” and “Death to Rouhani.”
Among other slogans chanted by the demonstrators were “You turned Islam into a ladder, you humiliated the people,” “May Reza Shah’s spirit rest in peace,” “What mistake did I make by staging a revolution,” “Police go catch thieves,” “Not Gaza, not Lebanon, my life for Iran,” and “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, we are all together.”
Protest Rally in Nishapur
Reports indicate that on Thursday a protest rally against price hikes was also held in Nishapur.
Saeed Shibani, the deputy governor and governor of Nishapur, told ISNA that this rally was held despite warnings from government officials.
The governor of Nishapur stated: “This gathering, as announced the previous day, had no permit and we informed citizens that the gathering for which calls were made on virtual networks was illegal and had not received permission, yet it took place.”
The governor of Nishapur said no one was arrested during the protest rally in the city.
Videos circulated on social networks show that protesters in Nishapur, while protesting against price hikes and unemployment, chanted slogans saying: “Think of our condition, leave Syria alone,” “O Iranian youth, rise up, rise up,” “The thief plunders, the government supports.”
These gatherings took place at a time when in recent weeks Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s president, has been criticized by his opponents and critics over price increases in goods and consumer products.
Meanwhile, Mahmoud Sadeghi, Tehran’s representative in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, on Thursday called for the people’s voice to be heard in response to Mashhad residents’ protest rally.
Mr. Sadeghi wrote on his Twitter account: “The people’s protest gatherings in Mashhad and some other cities are in fact a protest against the chaos and shortcomings in the country’s macro-management and governance system throughout different periods; instead of trying to silence them and portray them as political and factional, let us listen to the people’s voice and think of solutions for them.”
According to IRNA, Ahmad Alamolhoda, the Supreme Leader’s representative and Friday prayer leader in Mashhad, also said: “In Thursday’s Mashhad gathering, which was illegally organized by an unknown entity, some took advantage of people’s demands.”
Source: Radio Farda
