Frustrated Over Controlling Internet, Iran May Cut It Altogether

Antigovernment protests continued overnight on Saturday in several cities with reports of security forces kidnapping at least two young women from their homes in Tehran’s neighborhood of Ekbatan. 

A large disturbance also broke out in the Central Prison of Karaj, where some of the arrested protesters were being held. According to state media, at least one prisoner was killed during the unrest. Apparently, a fire and tumult broke out when prisoners blocked the entrance of a ward and chanted slogans against the regime and its ruler Ali Khamenei following the transfer of an inmate on death row to solitary confinement. 

In addition to daily protests on streets and sit-ins at universities, strikes continued among employees of many industries, particularly in oil, gas and petrochemical sectors. On Sunday, firefighters in the northeastern city of Tabriz held a demonstration outside the city council building, protesting their low salaries and work conditions. Setting fire to trash cans and government buildings, especially those of the seminaries and bases of Basij paramilitary forces, has become a regular method of protests during the past three months. 

Grassroot groups and activists have also announced calls for another three-day nationwide protests and strikes starting Monday, for December 19, 20, and 21. 

The voices of condemnation by some Iranian religious and political figures, even regime insiders are increasing against the regime’s human rights violations aimed at quashing the ongoing protests that show no sign of ending. 

In a statement on Sunday, hundreds of intellectuals and cultural figures as well as activists strongly condemned the executions of protesters describing them “systematic murders by the regime.” Famous writers, sociologists, and university professors are among the signatories, and their number is still growing.

The signatories said the Islamic Republic has executed two protesters since the beginning of the “Woman, Freedom, Life Movement” in mid-September, while its strategy of intimidation and executions has not managed to ensure its legitimacy and is on the brink of collapse. 

The regime has so far executed Mohsen Shekari and Majidreza Rahnavard, both 23, and based on the latest report by Iran Human Rights Organization, 39 other people are at risk of execution on charges of “war against God” and “corruption on earth.” The Oslo-based group also added that at least 469 people, including 63 children and 32 women, have been killed by security forces in the current nationwide protests in Iran.

It also noted that there is serious concern about the imminent execution of six protesters after one detainee with a confirmed death sentence was transferred from the general ward of Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj to solitary confinement and at least five protesters detained in the western city of Oshnavieh charged with ‘moharebeh’ were transferred from Urmia Central Prison to an unknown location. Moharebeh is an Islamic-Arabic term that in the lexicon of the Iranian regime means “fighting God” and its punishment is death.

Nearly four hundred intellectuals and activists inside and outside Iran, in a statement warned about the suppression of protests saying the government is killing protesters in an organized manner.

The signatories have pointed out that nearly three months after the beginning of the “Woman, Freedom, Life Movement” and the execution of two protestors, the government is facing “lack of legitimacy” and it has resorted to intimidation and executions, “but it will soon see the collapse of its foundations.”

The Islamic Republic has so far executed Mohsen Shekari and Majidreza Rahnavard, both 23, and based on the latest report by the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights Organization, 39 other people are at risk of execution on charges of “war against God” and “corruption on earth.”

"The only real epitome of ‘fighting against God’ and depriving people of security and peace are the same rulers who send their mercenaries to the streets with guns to beat and kill and intimidate,” reads the statement.

“We, the signatories of this statement, have declared our opposition to executions and the systematic state murders, and together with the freedom-loving and egalitarian people of Iran, demand an end to this process as soon as possible,” adds the statement.

The names of famous figures including writers, sociologists, and university professors can be seen in the list, and the number of signatures continues to increase.

Iran Human Rights Organization says as most families are under pressure to stay quiet, this figure is a minimum and the real number is believed to be much higher. 

The Oslo-based group also added that at least 469 people including 63 children and 32 women, have been killed by security forces in the current nationwide protests in Iran.

Iran Human Rights Organization in its latest report said the higher death toll relates to recently verified cases from the first two months of the protests.

Protesters have been killed in 25 provinces, with the most reported in Sistan-Baluchistan, Western Azerbaijan, Kordestan, Tehran and Mazandaran respectively, noted the organization.

It also noted that there is serious concern about the imminent execution of six protesters after one detainee with a confirmed death sentence was transferred from the general ward of Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj, west of Tehran, to solitary confinement and at least five protesters detained in the western city of Oshnavieh charged with ‘moharebeh’ were transferred from Urmia Central Prison to an unknown location.

Moharebeh is an Islamic-Arabic term that in the lexicon of the Iranian regime means “fighting God” and its punishment is death.

Iran has been the scene of nationwide anti-regime protests after the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody in mid-September.

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) says the conflict took place after the detainees protested to the transfer of several prisoners, who had been sentenced to death, to a separate section for execution.

At least 100 prisoners have reportedly been wounded after prison officers opened fire to suppress resistance by prisoners, says HRANA. One government official said a prisoner was killed when others threw rocks, but there is no independent confirmation of how he was killed.

Iranian officials usually either under-report the number of casualties or the information is released belatedly.

It is still not clear what the role of detained antigovernment protesters was in the prison clash, but an jailed human rights activist, Saeed Eghbali, send a message via phone that prison officials in recent days were constantly moving political prisoners to solitary cells, a move usually undertaken before executing people. This action was clearly intended as psychological torture.

“Prison officials were planning the execution of four inmates when a number of prisoners started chanting slogans. The protest turned into a confrontation with the intervention of the guards who shot and injured over one hundred,” an informed source told HRANA.

A man driving near the Karaj prison describes the heavy presence of security forces and firetrucks, as he calls on citizens to drive to the location

A witness who drove to the prison at around 20:00 local time, as calls went out to people to congregate outside to prevent the government from employing violence, told Iran International that it was impossible to approach the perimeter, but he could hear repeated gunshots.

“The prisoners broke a number of doors and cameras in protest against the violent behavior of the jail officials,” HRANA said.

The four prisoners, who are sentenced to death are now in solitary confinement, but their identity has not been revealed yet.

Some activists on social media called on the people to immediately congregate outside the prison to prevent another tragedy like the Evin prison fire in Tehran.

On October 15, a series of incidents including a fire, explosions and automatic gun fire occurred at Evin Prison. At least eight inmates died, and 57 others were injured according to government sources.

Officials said during a fight between several prisoners in Ward 6 and Ward 7, both of which are special prisons for financial and theft convicts, the sewing workshop of the prison caught fire.

However, some journalists and people on social media accused the Islamic Republic of setting the prison on fire intentionally.

This has led to some speculations on social media that the clerical regime is planning another Evin tragedy to kill some prisoners while it is under pressure by the international community for the execution of two protesters last week.

Meanwhile, Chief Justice of Alborz province Hossein Harikandi claimed Saturday that there was just a limited clash between the prisoners of “the drug dealers ward, during which a number of prisoners set fire to some blankets.”

He further alleged that the security of the prison is restored, and the prisoners are safe.

Some reports said the situation was tense near the prison in the evening and internet data is completely unavailable on mobile phones in Karaj.

The father of Abulfazl Adinezadeh, a 17-year-old teenager who was shot dead by 24 bullets in the religious city of Mashhad, harshly condemned the execution of protesters ordered by Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei, Iran’s Chief Justice.

“How is it possible that you issue a death sentence for the death of a Basij militiaman within 23 days, but in my son’s case, the murderer has not been identified after 70 days and you have not allowed our lawyers to investigate the case,” he said in an Instagram post.

Iranian security forces killed Abolfazl Adinezadeh by firing a shotgun at him at point-blank range in the city of Mashhad on October 8. He died as a result of liver and kidney damage caused by birdshot, according to the BBC.

Saeed Eghbali, a human rights activist and political prisoner, in an audio file sent to Iran International from a prison near Tehran, asked people to keep holding demonstrations to stop the execution of protesters in Iran.

Earlier, Amnesty International announced in a statement that at least 26 people who were arrested during the uprising against the Islamic Republic are at risk of execution.