Time for Western Democracies to Stand with Iranian People

June 10, 2023 by Homeira Hesami; Townhall

Iran has been rocked by anti-government protests for years but the uprising that began in September 2022 is fundamentally different. With citizens taking to the streets, they are now demanding not only specific political and economic changes, but rather a complete overhaul of the ruling regime itself. These protests have been met with violent crackdowns by authorities, which has resulted in hundreds of deaths and thousands of arrests. The executions of detainees have come in waves, with at least 130 beautiful young lives taken in since April 21 alone, including three young protesters on May 18.

Read more...

Iran’s Future, Democracy and Representative Government

March 23, 2023 by Majid Rafizadeh; Townhall

To borrow from President Ronald Reagan, Reza Pahlavi's monarchist voyage has been "like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other." Everywhere he goes, the son of a hated former monarch of Iran seems to gargle political moonshine and then curtsies away. And, he has never shed the title of "royal highness" or "heir to the throne."
His so-called "European tour," proved to be a complete fiasco in France and the UK as many members of parliament declined to meet with him. According to the International Committee in Search of Justice (ISJ):

“In none of the countries Reza Pahlavi traveled to (Germany, France, England, and Belgium) did any government official, parliament speaker, foreign affairs committee head, or senior parliament members accept him, and only a few representatives with specific political leanings met with him. In the European Parliament, where a powerful publicity machine campaigned to arrange a speech for him on March 1st, only three representatives attended. Many of the groups and parliamentary factions had already announced to their members that they would not participate in the session arranged for Reza Pahlavi.”

Read more...

Iran Targets Physicians, Nurses as Nascent Revolution Reaches Six-Month Mark

March 9, 2023 by Azadeh Sami; Defense Opinion

As the relentless protests in Iran enter their sixth month, the government’s tactics are shifting to a recurring pattern of violence and intensive crackdown against the physicians and nurses treating the wounded protesters. To date, more than 750 protesters have been killed and several thousand arrested with many facing torture and execution. The merciless regime thugs have targeted all members of society, including women and children.

According to Amnesty International’s statement on Feb. 24, Dr. Ebrahim Rigi died at a police station within an hour of his arrest by plain clothes security forces. Dr. Rigi was “beaten upon arrest in the street” and “initial forensic assessment of his body points to subsequent beatings while in custody at the police station.” In his last social media posting, Dr. Rigi emphasized that he was not afraid of death or execution, but rather said he would continue to help the wounded protesters who launch massive anti-regime protests every Friday in Baluchistan.

Read more...

I am a former political prisoner in Iran. I worry the regime will execute female activists

Verbal condemnations of the regime must be reinforced by actions from the international community.

January 30, 2023 by Homeira Hesami; Dallas Morning News

It all sounded too familiar.

The Islamic Republic of Iran executed two more protesters in early January, despite persistent international outcry over two similar executions that were carried out in December. The latest killings sparked a fresh outpouring of public condemnation, as well as new threats of economic sanctions. Yet the following day, the regime’s judiciary proceeded to issue three more death sentences. To me, as a former political prisoner in Iran, this was like déjà vu.

Read more...

Iran’s most powerful weapon isn’t working

January 10, 2023 by Frida Ghitis; CNN 

“Dad, my sentence is death,” Mohammad Mehdi Karami informed his father in a phone call from prison last month. Then, last Saturday, the 21-year-old karate champion was executed by the Iranian regime. Karami, an Iranian Kurd, was hanged on the same day as Seyed Mohammad Hosseini, a volunteer children’s coach who was just 20. Both were accused of killing a member of the Basij paramilitary force. In the phone call, the younger Karami reportedly told his father he was tortured into making a false confession. All 16 accused in that case have denied the charges.

Read more...