From Cyrus’ Mausoleum to Detention
AFP: A spontaneous gathering of thousands of Iranians in Pasargadae resulted in the detention of a number of them on charges of violating norms.
Ali Salehi, prosecutor of Shiraz, in a conversation with reporters, announcing the arrest of individuals as main organizers of this gathering, described the slogans raised by participants as anti-values.
According to Salehi, the detainees will be tried according to law.
According to AFP, it has not yet been clarified what values were threatened in this gathering that warrant legal and judicial action. Judicial authorities have not released any information on this matter either.
One witness to this gathering, in a conversation with AFP, emphasized that the Charter of Cyrus was the focal point of the slogans raised on that day.
Ibrahim, who did not want his full name disclosed, added: Freedom of people, freedom of religions, solidarity and peace are ideals that are being overlooked in Iran these days.
Referring to the indiscriminate arrests of non-Muslim religious activists and politicians critical of the Islamic Republic government, he stated: It appears that Iranian authorities are not satisfied with such arrests and even consider non-political activities and commemoration of historical, literary and cultural figures as crimes.
The fact that thousands of people made efforts to bypass blocked routes to Pasargadae proves that the regime’s forceful approaches in such cases are counterproductive. Especially since a large portion of gathering participants consisted of young people, and it seems that the prominent presence of young girls and boys in Pasargadae has alarmed authorities.
The arrest of Mohammad Reza Aali Payam, pen name Halo, a critical poet and satirist at this gathering, in this citizen’s view, is a clear example of the regime’s hasty and oppressive reactions to popular movements. He emphasized that this poet was arrested by security officers present at the ceremony after reading his poem.
This citizen predicts that many of those who apparently were with the people at the mentioned gathering likely recorded the ceremony to identify participants.
This gathering, without declared political objectives, took place simultaneously with the anniversary of the birth of Cyrus the founder of the Achaemenid dynasty, near his mausoleum.
Cyrus’ mausoleum is located approximately one kilometer southwest of the Pasargadae palaces. This complex is registered in UNESCO’s World Heritage list.
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