Eye on Iran's Protests - December 18, 2022

Four hundred sixty-nine people, including 63 children and 32 women, have reportedly been killed since Mahsa Amini’s death at the hands of the so-called “Morality Police.” Dozens of protesters face execution, torture, and imprisonment by the regime as it resorts to brutal methods  to sustain its rule. The international community must continue to support the protests and UANI has compiled a new resource detailing a list of human rights abusers who should  be sanctioned now. Please click here to explore this important new resource.

The Race To Identify Thousands Of Jailed Iranian Protesters As Regime Executions Continue | CBC 

Two young Kurdish men—Shadman Ahmadi and Shahriar Adeli—were killed by torture last week, on the same day as the execution of Mohsen Shekari. These murders, like many others, were not adequately covered in the media. The numbers of reported killed, tortured, sentenced to death, and detained are likely underestimations, especially given the government-directed internet blackouts and the shut-down of communication services and platforms. 

Iranian Protesters In Germany Stage Hunger Strike | France 24 

Despite Iran’s worsening abuse of human rights and its countless malign and destabilizing activities, the Islamic Republic of Iran is still permitted a consulate in Frankfurt, Germany. Members of the Iranian diaspora community camped outside the consulate in the freezing cold. They went on a hunger strike, showing their support for the protests at home and demanding the consulate’s closure.

Members of the Iranian diaspora movement protested outside the White House, calling on Biden to “wake up!” and stop dealing with the “mullahs.”

Massive crowds chanted against the supreme leader and his loyalist thugs in the IRGC’s volunteer militia known as the Basij. 

Iranian Student Faces Death Penalty After Distributing Chocolates And Hugs | Iran Wire 

21-year-old Mohammad Nasiri was arrested last month for “waging war against God.” He was handing out cookies and offering hugs to people on the street as a means of peaceful protest. The Iranian authorities reportedly used an electric shock against him when they encountered him on the street, and dragged him on the street. He was beaten so badly in prison that his face was unrecognizable. He has been denied a lawyer of his choice. 

Tehran Doctor Tortured And Killed For Treating Wounded Protesters | Iran Wire 

With Iranian authorities pursuing injured dissidents in hospitals, many protesters fear seeking medical attention. Therefore, doctors are treating patients in their offices and at homes. The government of Iran is cracking down on these activities. Aida Rostami, a doctor who had gone to a wounded protester’s house to treat their wounds, disappeared; and her tortured, deceased body was returned to her family a day later. 

Iran Protests Create Lasting Challenge To Government, Security Officials Say | Wall Street Journal 

Israeli officials said that the protests—focused on human rights and freedoms—are bound to continue. The Islamic Republic is incapable of providing its people freedom, so the movement’s core demand, reflected in the prevalent “Death to the Dictator” chants, is regime change. The officials could not predict how or in what timeframe events would unfold, but share in an emerging consensus among Western officials and analysts that the regime has no way of satisfying the movement’s demands. Many believe that the days of the Islamic Republic are numbered.  

Famed Iranian Actress Arrested After Voicing Support For Protests | New York Times 

In one of the highest profile detentions to date, Iranian authorities arrested famous Iranian actress Taraneh Alidoosti after she expressed her support for the protest movement on social media to her 8 million followers. She was arrested for what state news media described as the “publication of provocative material,” and “unsubstantiated comments about recent events.

Iranian revolutionaries call for protests and strikes from December 19th to the 21st.

Iran Central Bank Governor Blames Protests For Currency’s Fall | Reuters 

As Iranians seek to protect their savings from the rapidly devaluing Rial, Iran’s central bank governor blamed the ongoing unrest for the currency’s fall against the dollar. Instead of introspection, the government of Iran is doubling down on blaming protesters and foreign adversaries and implementing violent repression. 

Protest-Hit Iran Arrests Lawyer Of Detained Journalist: Report | Voice of America 

Iran arrested the lawyer of detained female journalists, further underscoring the utter lack of due process in Iran’s court system. Prior to his arrest, Mohammad Ali Kamfirouzi was reportedly the lawyer of Niloufar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi, both of whom were arrested for covering Mahsa Amini’s death.