As we enter the 10th week of Iran Revolution, UN Human Rights Council is to hold an emergency session on Iran and how Islamic Republic is violating its people’s human rights, on November 24, 2022. According to Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), between September 17, 2022, and November 22, 2022, Islamic Republic has killed at least 437 during nationwide anti-regime protests, including 61 minors. The organization estimated 18,055 have been arrested with only 3,162 being identified, 549 of whom are university students.
Since the beginning of protests after the state-murder of Mahsa Amini on September 16, Islamic Republic has been blaming everything on “enemies and their media!” Ali Khamenei has repeatedly called the protests “riots” and promised “they will be handled soon!” On October 12, 2022, he said: “The riots are enemies’ ignorant and idiotic plans in reaction to the advancements of Iran!” Other regime officials have followed the same line and pointed the fingers at “separatists” in Sistan & Baluchestan, Kurdistan, Khuzestan and Azerbaijan provinces.
They have been using that excuse to massacre dozens In Mahabad, Bukan, Piranshahr, Javanrud, Zahedan, Sanandaj,… by the use of military equipment as it is evidenced in videos released on social media. Islamic Republic officials also have admitted to the use of military forces and weapons. Today, Esmaeil Kosari, a member of Islamic Consultative Assembly, proudly spewed the same nonsense about “separatism” and confirmed IRGC Ground Forces have been deployed to the west of the country. The same forces who are equipped and trained to stand up against enemy combatants, stood against empty-handed people firing DShK! Some of those people were children who could not even hold a rock in their small fists but were shot and killed.
On November 19, 2022, people of Mahabad attended Kamal Ahmadpour’s funeral who was killed by regime thugs. They were chanting: “Kurd, Baluch, Azeri, freedom and equality!” They were attacked but resisted and took control of the streets, burning Khomeini and Khamenei portraits, while chanting anti-regime slogans. Locals reported IRGC and oppressive forces were deployed from Urmia to suppress the protesters. That night, only gunshots and screams of undefended people could be heard in the city. The next day was no better.
IRGC media admitted to shooting directly at people in Javanrud on November 21, 2022. In the report, Fars News admits 2 people were killed on November 20, 2022 in Javanrud during protests with Kalashnikov bullets! It continues, on November 21, Islamic Republic oppressive forces had to shoot at people!
Regime goons began using military equipment as soon as they arrived in Javanrud, which had risen up to support Mahabad. In the following video, people are falling like leaves, and others run for their lives. One of the cameramen says: “They’ve come to the middle of the streets with DShK! Even Syria was not like this!”
According to international humanitarian laws, also known as war laws, Islamic Republic has been committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. War crimes are described as “serious violations of international humanitarian law that include willful killings, direct attacks on civilians, torture, use of prohibited weapons, the murder or ill-treatment of prisoners of war or others who have been captured, surrendered or injured and crimes of sexual violence.” All of which are committed by the Islamic Republic and its goons all across Iran, not just Kurdistan, Sistan & Baluchestan, Khuzestan!
The same laws define crimes against humanity as “crimes committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack by or on behalf of a state or an organization against a civilian population during peace or wartime. There are 11 crimes against humanity including murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation or forcible transfer of a population, torture, rape and other serious forms of sexual violence, enforced disappearance and apartheid. Crimes against humanity may be committed in armed conflict or in peacetime.” Examples for each of these 11 crimes carried out by the theocratic regime are endless and not at the scope of this article. However, killing of children, forced disappearance of schoolgirls/boys and university students, arresting peaceful protesters by violence, murder in custody, sexual assaults in custody, gender apartheid,… just in the past 67 days have been in front of everybody’s eyes!
Islamic Republic have been blaming “enemies” for “everything” since its inception in 1979. However, this time, everything is different! People in more than 1000 cities across Iran participate in daily anti-regime protests. They have declared it a ‘revolution’ as they chant: “This is not protest anymore, it’s a revolution!” Thousands of videos circulating on social media from Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, Bandar Abbas, Kerman, Rasht, Sari, Noshahr, Babol, Gorgan,… showing Khamenei, Khomeini, Soleimani’s banners and symbols set ablaze by crowds. People continue chanting: “Islamic Republic we don’t want, we don’t want!” Separatists do not have any place in Iran, even Kurdistan, Zahedan, Tabriz,… residents have said it in their chants: “From Kurdistan to Zahedan, I’ll sacrifice my life for Iran!” Everything is an excuse for the regime to quell legitimate revolution of people of Iran.
UN Human Rights Council must hear Iranians’ voice and take tangible action against the corrupt and brutal Islamic regime.