Pouya Bakhtiari's grave is "besieged by security forces"

Relatives of Pouya Bakhtiari's family told Deutsche Welle Farsi that the burial site of the victim of the November protests in Behesht Sakineh, Karaj, has been completely "surrounded." Some have visited Pouya's grave "in the presence of security officers" and then been led to their cars.

According to relatives of Pouya Bakhtiari, the unarrested members of Pouya's family have attempted to hold the 40th anniversary of the death of the November protests victim at Behesht Sakineh in Karaj, but have not been able to do so due to the "complete siege" of plot 26 of the cemetery by security forces.

Manouchehr Bakhtiari and Nahid Shirbisheh, the parents of Pouya Bakhtiari, who was shot dead by security forces in Mehrshahr, Karaj on November 15, had announced before their arrest that they would hold their child's 40th birthday ceremony today, Thursday, January 25, in Behesht Sakineh, Karaj, against the wishes of Iranian intelligence agencies.

Bahman Sadeghi Noor, the cousin of Nahid Shirbishe, Pouya Bakhtiari's mother, told Deutsche Welle Farsi: "The security forces of the Islamic Republic have arrested the main members of the Bakhtiari family and have also severely pressured the members who were not arrested. The remaining members of the family went to the Behesht-e Sakineh cemetery to hold the ceremony."

However, members and acquaintances of the Bakhtiari family have told Mr. Sadeghi Noor that security forces have "closed off Plot 26, the plot where Pouya's grave is located, and have placed a police cordon around it."

According to Bahman Sadeghi Noor, Manouchehr Bakhtiari's mother, her sisters, and Nahid Shirbisheh's brothers are among those who, along with a number of other family friends and acquaintances, went to Behesht Sakineh Cemetery to hold the ceremony.

At the grave "in the presence of the officer"

Mr. Sadeghi Noor and his wife also say that some relatives of the Bakhtiari family were only allowed to attend Pouya's grave "in the presence of security officers," and then, without being able to gather and hold a ceremony, they were led to their cars by the same officers.

Mr. Sadeghi Noor's wife told Deutsche Welle Farsi: "Two relatives of Pouya's family contacted me and said that they were able to attend Pouya's grave only with the presence of security officers, and that they were escorted to their car with the officer. And thus, they did not allow anything like a ceremony to be held."

The 40th Ceremony Under the Shadow of “Threat”

According to Bahman Sadeghi Noor: "As Pouya's grandmother said, Pouya's 40th birthday ceremony will be held even if all family members are arrested. Even if they don't let us hold the ceremony at home, we will hold Pouya's and other Pouya's ceremonies wherever possible. Even if it takes until late at night and a time and place away from security forces is found, the ceremony will be held."

This member of the Bakhtiari family emphasizes: "Many friends who are connected to the Pouya family and consider themselves sympathizers and comrades-in-arms with Pouya and the Pouyas have contacted the family and have also gone to the tomb. But holding the ceremony and their presence there depends on government pressure."

Mr. Sadeghi Noor also reported the "threat" of the non-arrested members of the Bakhtiari family, saying: "Intelligence agents have warned both the non-arrested members of the family that you do not have the right to hold the ceremony, and they have warned me and my family in Iran that you should not continue, and they have threatened that your efforts are in vain and that you will pay more than this."

“It’s like there’s a war going on here.”

Bahman Sadeghi Noor's wife also emphasized the "highly security atmosphere" prevailing at the Behesht Sakineh cemetery, saying: "Section 26 of Behesht Sakineh is completely surrounded. A friend wrote to me that it was as if there was a war here."

At the same time, users of Deutsche Welle Persian social networks have also confirmed the “highly security atmosphere” and the blocking of section 26 of Behesht Sakineh by sending messages. These users have also reported in their messages that the internet has been cut off or severely restricted, including in the cities of Mashhad, Shiraz, Ahvaz, Dezful, Kermanshah, Sanandaj, Nasimshahr, Rasht, Hashtgerd, Tabriz, Islamshahr, Foladshahr and Pakdasht. Some users have also written that it has become impossible to connect to the filter breaker “especially on the iPhone”.

Some messages also indicate a strong presence of security forces in Tehran, including in "Fatemi, Valiasr, Haft-Tir squares, and even small squares and side streets," and patrols by "Basij and IRGC plainclothes forces" in these areas of Tehran.

Recently, a number of mothers of political and civil victims of the last four decades in Iran, including Nahid Shirbisheh, mother of Pouya Bakhtiari, issued a call: "Let's declare January 25, the 40th day since our children were killed, as the International Day of Respect for the Victims of Aban, and hold a memorial ceremony and observe a minute of silence. Or, in any way we can, honor the memory of our loved ones and condemn these crimes."

However, in the early hours of Tuesday morning, Pouya Bakhtiari's parents, along with a number of other family members of the deceased from the November protests, were arrested by intelligence agents.

Two days ago, Reuters, citing three sources close to the Supreme Leader and another government official, reported that the number of victims of the recent protests was “around 1,500.” The Islamic Republic’s authorities have denied this figure, but at the same time, despite the fact that more than forty days have passed since the protests began, they have remained completely silent about the number of deaths. Amnesty International, in its latest report, put the number of victims at “at least 304,” but stressed that the real figure could be much higher.

Source: DW