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UPDATE: 5:30 PM CET
Iran’s Surge of Political Death Sentences Demands Firm International Response
Last week, the NGO known as Justice for the Victims of the 1988 Massacre in Iran (JVMI) published an open letter to Mai Sato, the United Nations special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, in which former world leaders, leading human rights experts, jurists, and Nobel laureates urged her to publicly condemn six recent death sentences handed down to supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran.
The PMOI, or MEK, has long been recognized as the leading source of pro-democracy opposition to Iran’s theocratic dictatorship, and as such, has variously been targeted for extermination by that regime. In 1988, it was the main target of the massacre that began after then-Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa declaring that organized opposition to his rule constituted “enmity against God” and was inherently punishable by death.
UPDATE: 3:00 PM CET
The Fall Of A Dictator And The Lessons You Don’t Learn
A usual Ali Khamenei, only more tired, commented on the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria with these words: “There should be no doubt that what happened in Syria is the product of a shared plan by America and the Zionists. Yes, a state bordering Syria had a clear role, everyone sees it, but the main agents were them.” Dictators will never understand the people, whom they exploit at times when they can rely on their trust. For their crazy plans, dictators drag people into the streets, excite them, and then turn them into cannon fodder. But when the people abandon them and overturn the order of things, dictators seem surprised and blindly resort to scapegoats. Even in a democracy, when in crisis, empty electoral promises no longer work and voters abandon the polls, politicians’ understanding does not go beyond the senseless mea culpa and double-dealing.
Clerical Regime Remains the Leading State Sponsor of Terrorism in 2023, U.S. Report Finds
On December 12, the U.S. State Department released its annual “Country Reports on Terrorism,” reaffirming Iran’s status as the leading state sponsor of terrorism in 2023. The report highlights Iran’s extensive use of proxy groups and state-backed actors to destabilize the Middle East and beyond. “Iran continued supporting acts of terrorism through its proxies, including Hizballah, Hamas, and the Houthis, as well as other U.S.-designated terrorist groups across Iraq, Syria, and Yemen,” the report stated. In the Red Sea, Houthi militants backed by Iran disrupted global trade with attacks on commercial shipping lanes, significantly impacting maritime commerce.
Globally, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) and the Ministry of Intelligence and Security spearheaded efforts to recruit, finance, and carry out terrorist plots across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. According to the report, these activities extended to 33 known assassination or kidnapping attempts in the U.S. and Europe since 2020.
The report further referenced ongoing Iranian plots against dissidents abroad. In one high-profile case, U.S. authorities disrupted a conspiracy to assassinate a prominent critic in New York City, with ties traced back to Tehran’s leadership.
Calling the regime’s actions a “significant threat to international peace and security,” the U.S. State Department urged global partners to take stronger measures to counter Tehran’s destabilizing activities and limit its support for terrorism.
UPDATE: 6:30 AM CET
Iran’s Regime Wages War on Political Prisoners in Fear of Uprisings
In a chilling escalation of its campaign against dissent, the Iranian regime’s judiciary has sentenced six political prisoners to death on charges of supporting the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran. The verdict, delivered by Tehran’s so-called Revolutionary Court Branch 26, underscores the regime’s increasingly harsh measures against its critics. The condemned individuals—Abolhassan Montazer, Pouya Ghobadi, Vahid Bani-Amerian, Babak Alipour, Ali Akbar Daneshvarkar, and Mohammad Taghavi—were sentenced to death on charges of “membership in the PMOI,” “armed rebellion against the government,” and “collusion against national security.” Two others, Mojtaba and Ali Taghavi, were sentenced to imprisonment and exile, allegedly for their familial ties to one of the condemned. The sentences follow months of brutal interrogation and torture in Evin Prison, infamous for its treatment of political detainees.
Examining Poverty and Wealth Disparities in Iran
A recent analysis of official statistics from the Iranian Parliament Research Center reveals that at least 30% of the country’s population lives in absolute poverty. However, available data suggests that the number of people below or near the poverty line exceeds the officially reported figures. A report published in November 2023, though questioned by some experts, indicates a rise in the poverty rate from 2022 to 2023, reaching 30.1%. The Research Center identifies 2017 (1396 in the Iranian calendar) as the beginning of a consistent upward trend in poverty. The highest recorded rate occurred in 2019 when 31% of the population fell below the poverty line. Before 2017, the rate remained around 20%, but it has since climbed steadily.
While one-third of Iran’s population struggles with absolute poverty, the wealth of a small, high-income minority has increased significantly. This minority, largely affiliated with the regime, enjoys disproportionate benefits.
The Global Internet Divide: Iran’s Struggles in the Digital Age
The internet has transformed into a fundamental tool for communication, education, and economic development. Countries around the globe are striving to provide their citizens with faster and more accessible internet. However, a closer look at global rankings reveals stark disparities.
On the opposite end of the spectrum lies Iran, ranking third from last, surpassing only Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. For Iranians, the internet has transformed from a global blessing into a national crisis. The root of this issue lies not in technological incapacity but in systemic mismanagement and deliberate obstruction by the ruling authorities.
Car Manufacturers, Aging Vehicles, Fuel Quality: What Is the Cause of Air Pollution in Iran
Officials of the Iranian regime state that 60% of the air pollution in Iran, which kills 25,000 people annually, is caused by motorized transportation. Could the main cause of air pollution be the non-implementation of the Clean Air Act, the role of car manufacturers, the failure to scrap aging vehicles, or “petrochemical gasoline”? According to statistics, since 2016, the capital has had clean air only 15% of the year, with residents breathing polluted air almost six days a week. The annual death toll attributed to air pollution nationwide is reported to be between 20,000 to 30,000, with 7,000 in Tehran alone.
The annual financial damage caused by air pollution in Iran is estimated at $12 billion. The Iranian regime is facing an environmental crisis, of which air pollution is only a part.
Urban Fringe Slums in Iran Is Causing Environmental Problems
With the rise of urban fringe slums in Iran as a result of soaring housing prices, official statistics indicate that there are now more than six million marginalized residents in the country. The head of the Environmental Protection Organization states that marginalization in Tehran and other major cities has caused environmental problems. Sheena Ansari, head of the Environmental Protection Organization, during a panel discussion at Sharif University, identified migration from small towns to the peripheries and outskirts of Tehran and other major cities as a factor causing environmental issues.
In the past decade, the emergence of environmental issues following the increase in marginalized populations has been frequently highlighted. In July 2021, a conference on this topic was held in Eslamshahr, which was historically one of the hubs of marginalization in Tehran.
Khamenei’s Empty Threats: Resistance Rhetoric After Assad’s Defeat
After four days of silence following the fall of the Syrian dictator, Khamenei has stepped onto the scene. It was already expected that he would try to boost the morale of his demoralized forces in the region and inside Iran. Analysts anticipated that he would deny many realities, but his statements on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, were far stranger and more irrational than regime-affiliated analysts had predicted. Khamenei attributed all the developments in Syria and the downfall of Bashar al-Assad’s dictatorship to foreign factors, specifically the United States, claiming that “soon, young Muslims will reclaim this land.”
Paris, December 11, 2024: MEK Supporters Protest Human Rights Abuses and Death Sentences for PMOI Prisoners
Paris, France—December 11, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a rally and exhibition to protest the Iranian regime’s escalating human rights violations, including the death sentences imposed on six PMOI-affiliated political prisoners. The event condemned the regime’s systematic oppression and expressed solidarity with the ongoing Iranian Revolution.
Gothenburg Rally Backs ‘No to Executions Tuesdays,’ Protests Death Sentences for PMOI Political Prisoners – December 10, 2024
Gothenburg, Sweden—December 10, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a rally in solidarity with the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign for the fourteenth consecutive week. The campaign responds to the executions taking place in Iranian regime prisons.
Geneva, December 11, 2024: Iranian Resistance Supporters Rally Against Human Rights Violations in Iran
Geneva, Switzerland—December 11, 2024: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a rally and exhibition in front of the UN headquarters to mark Human Rights Day. They protested the death sentences imposed on six political prisoners associated with the PMOI. The event also condemned the Iranian regime’s ongoing crimes against its people and expressed solidarity with the continuing Iranian Revolution.
