Some of you may have seen the news by Western media that the claims about Iranian executions is fake. As an Iranian woman who was born and raised in Iran, I felt the need to address this claim. And in advance, sorry for the length of this text.
Let me start off by saying that these western journalists have not covered Iran protest during the past few weeks. They did not cover the massacre in Zahedan, they did not cover when war planes landed in Sanandaj, they did not cover the bloody attack on Sharif University students nor did they cover the fire at Evin prison. But all of a sudden, they are claiming with one voice that the claim that 15,000 people will be executed is false. To me, it’s interesting how they are cherry picking the stories to cover.
First, Iranians did not say that 15,000 will be executed. We said there is a real threat that they may be executed. Majority of the so-called lawmakers in the Islamic Republic’s parliament asked the judiciary to find the political prisoners guilty of corruption and execute them. There are videos of the session evidencing this request. Based on this, Iranians said that the lives of 15,000 political prisoners are in clear danger and they may very likely be executed. For non-Iranians, it may be difficult to understand this nuance. Westerns media operate in a democracy and western journalists are applying western standards to the Islamic Republic. They are waiting for actual death sentences to be handed out, without realizing that the Islamic Republic operates differently. This request is a reflection of the regime’s intent and end goal. Islamic Republic is a dictatorship - there are no debates, no real trials. If a request has been made to the judiciary, there is a high probability it will be carried out.This nuance is missed on non-Iranians.
Second, executions take place in secret - Navid Afkari was executed in secret. By not voicing the threat, by not raising alarms, and waiting for the actual death sentence to be handed out, Western media is toying with the lives of innocent people. Once a person is sentenced to death, it cannot be stopped. We can campaign but it won’t make any difference - again, look at what happened to Navid Afkari.
Third, the Islamic Republic has a long history of executing prisoners. In 1988, 30,000 political prisoners were executed by the Islamic Republic. According to an Amnesty International report, “During the first six months of 2022, the Iranian authorities executed at least one person a day on average. The state machinery is carrying out killings on a mass scale across the country in an abhorrent assault on the right to life. Iran’s staggering execution toll for the first half of this year has chilling echoes of 2015 when there was another shocking spike.” You can read Amnesty’s report here. Balouchis are disproportionately affected.
Fourth, the Islamic Republic is executing the protestors every day in front of the world’s eyes. What do you call targeting and shooting directly at protestors with live bullets? What do you call torturing them to death? What do you call torturing them until they commit suicide? Are these not executions? Execution means the act of carrying out a sentence. In Iran, protesting against the Islamic Republic is considered “waging war against God” or “spreading corruption on Earth” and both charges carry the death penalty. Criticizing the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader is considered waging war against God because he is the supposed representative of God on earth. Therefore, when protestors chant “death to Khamenei”, they are waging war against God. Khamenei in a speech called protestors scattered riots designed by enemies. Espionage and assisting the enemy also carry the death penalty. Essentially, Khamenei declared all protestors to be enemies of state. The Islamic Republic’s guards are carrying out the orders of Khamenei - protestors are designed by the enemy, they are assisting the enemy and therefore, should be executed. Trials are a sham in Iran - political prisoners are not permitted to consult their lawyer. In fact their lawyers are either arrested or not allowed to be present during the trial. Political prisoners were found guilty the moment they set foot in the streets demanding human rights and justice. And so each time an Islamic Republic guard shoots at a protestor, they are carrying out an execution.
How could anyone recall Khodanoor’s murder and not call it an execution? Hadis, Sarina, Nika, Minoo, Mehrshad, Khodanoor, Yalda and hundreds more were executed.
I want to end with this. Please do not let this detract us from reality - the point is that 15,000 innocent people are facing the risk of execution. In light of Islamic Republic’s past, this risk is palpable.
Thank you to all who have tirelessly supported our cause and amplified the voices of the people of Iran. Every post, every story, every letter written to or phone call made to a representative, and every protest has helped amplify the voices of Iranians. Please continue sharing. Life in Iran is difficult and life as a woman is precarious. But for the first time in almost 44 years, there is a slim hope for freedom. I never believed we could be free in my life time but it is now a possibility. So please do not abandon the cause.
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