Iranians protests the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after she was detained by the morality police last month, in Tehran. Photo / AP
Iranians protests the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after she was detained by the morality police last month, in Tehran. Photo / AP
A mountainside overlooking the southern Iranian city of Shiraz has had the Persian word for “freedom” painted on it, as authorities yesterday announced plans to put 1000 people on public trial in Tehran after anti-government protests.
“Azadi” was daubed on Mt Darak, a popular hiking area northwest of the city on Sunday. Iranians shared videos that showed the graffiti was visible to traffic.
Anti-government protesters marched through the city on Sunday chanting: “Freedom, freedom, freedom”.
Large pro-government rallies also took place after an Islamic State-claimed attack on a mosque killed 13 people on Wednesday.
The Government has struggled to quash dissent that has challenged its hardline stance since the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman, on September 16.
Protesters nationwide defied warnings by the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that Saturday would be the last day “riots” would be tolerated.
The judiciary announced yesterday that activists who had had a central role in the protests would be prosecuted for “subversive actions”, such as assaulting security guards and setting fire to public property.
A police motorcycle and a trash bin are burning during a protest over the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who had been detained by the nation's morality police, in downtown Tehran, Iran. Photo / AP
”Those who intend to confront and subvert the regime are dependent on foreigners and will be punished according to legal standards,” said Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei, Iran’s judiciary chief, indicating that some defendants would be charged with collaborating with foreign governments.
“Without a doubt, our judges will deal with the cases of the recent riots with accuracy and speed,” he told the state-run IRNA agency.
Since October 24, the country’s courts have been hearing the cases of at least 900 protesters charged with “corruption on earth”, a term often used to describe attempts to overthrow the Iranian government and which carries the death penalty.
Yesterday a mother said that her son, Mohammad Qabadlou, had been sentenced to death for participating in “rioting”. The woman said the 22-year-old had been convicted after his first hearing and she feared he would be executed soon, according a video shared by @1500tasvir, a prominent Iranian Twitter account.
Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, said yesterday that the EU was considering imposing further sanctions on Tehran because of its “excessive” crackdown on demonstrators.
”I am shocked that people who are peacefully demonstrating at protests in Iran are dying,” he tweeted.
“We condemn the excessive violence of the security forces and stand by the people in Iran. Our EU sanctions are important. We are reviewing further steps.”
