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UPDATE: 10:00 PM CET
Hundreds of MPs Call for Action against Iran’s Mass Use of The Death Penalty
Hundreds of MPs have signed a petition urging the British government to pressure Iran into ending its use of the death penalty. The cross-bench movement, carrying more than 250 signatures, including former government ministers, comes amid reports that Iran’s use of the death penalty has spiked in the months following the election of new president Masoud Pezeshkian in July.
He campaigned on promises to moderate Iran’s conservative outlook and reset ties with the West, though analysts remained skeptical about his influence while the country remains under the tight control of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
UPDATE: 7:00 AM CET
Iran’s Youth Attack Regime Centers to Mark Anniversary of December 2017 Uprising
In December 2017, the people of Iran held a widespread uprising across the country, calling for regime change and bringing the regime to its knees. The storm of these uprisings, which was ignited in Mashhad on December 28, 2017, spread across the country in ten days and announced the end of the illusion of reformism within the regime with the slogan, “Reformists, principalists, the game is over.”
The regime only managed to hold on to power through brutal suppression but the fire of the nationwide uprisings continues to burn brightly in the ongoing activities of Iran’s rebellious youth who continue to mark its anniversary with anti-regime activities.
On the anniversary of the December 2017 uprising, Iran’s rebellious youth launched a series of fiery and oppressive-breaking attacks against the centers and symbols of the regime in several cities across the country:
Iran’s Air Pollution Crisis: Toxic Air and Regime Inaction
The Air Quality Control Company of Tehran announced on Saturday, December 28, that the city’s air quality index (AQI) has reached 103, a level deemed unhealthy and threatening to sensitive groups. However, the situation in the greater Tehran region is far worse. For instance, the air pollution index in Islamshahr hit an alarming 500, indicating a toxic and extremely hazardous state. Tehran residents have experienced only five clean days since the beginning of 2024. Some experts allege that government agencies, in an effort to avoid factory closures, school shutdowns, and the potential for protests, manipulate air quality data. These agencies reportedly use questionable calculation methods or rely on air quality stations located at higher altitudes, which tend to report lower pollution levels.
Iran’s Currency Crisis Deepens as Inflation Soars and Poverty Rises
On Saturday, December 28, the exchange rate of the US dollar in Iran’s free market surged by 800 tomans, reaching 81,700 tomans. Meanwhile, the British pound and the euro surpassed 103,000 tomans and 85,000 tomans, respectively. This significant depreciation of the Iranian rial comes amid a sharp increase in currency prices over the past year: the dollar has jumped by 5% in the past week, 17% in the past month, and an alarming 63% over the past year. As in previous instances, this rapid devaluation is expected to ripple through the economy, driving up the prices of goods and services.
A Tsunami in Iran’s Currency and Gold Markets: Warnings of Economic Collapse
On Sunday, December 29, the US dollar and gold coin prices continued their upward trend, reaching new record highs. At the same time, experts warned that the continuation of this trend and the unchecked rise in prices could lead to the collapse of Iran’s economy.
In the open market, the US dollar surpassed 820,000 rials. Similarly, the euro and the British pound broke new records, crossing 850,000 rials and 1,030,000 rials, respectively.
Gold coins also experienced a 1.5- to 2-percent surge. The alarming rise in the value of the dollar and gold coins could lead to hyperinflation and the collapse of the country’s economy. The current state of the currency market will soon impact other essential consumer markets, and if this situation persists, inflation will rise again, further shrinking people’s purchasing power.
Tehran Bazaar Merchants Strike Over Inflation and Soaring Currency Rates
Merchants in Tehran’s bazaar went on strike on Sunday to protest inflation and the rise in currency exchange rates. A group of Tehran’s bazaar merchants protested inflation and rising currency exchange rates by striking and closing their shops in the 15 Khordad area. They called on other merchants to join the strike. Reports and videos indicate that on Sunday, December 29, shoemakers in the “Seyed Vali” lane of the 15 Khordad district began the strike, followed by fabric merchants and clothing retailers. The striking merchants chanted slogans during their gathering to encourage others to join, including “Don’t be afraid, close down” and “Dignified merchants, support, support.”
The Shooting of Arezoo Badri: A Tragic Case of Violence and Repression in Iran
Arezoo Badri, a young woman who was shot by police five months ago in the city of Noor, Mazandaran Province, is now paralyzed from the waist down due to severe spinal injuries. The incident has sparked widespread reactions both within Iran and internationally. Informed sources report that security forces have put significant pressure on Arezoo Badri and her family to extract a formal waiver of complaints. The incident occurred on July 22 when Arezoo’s car was stopped for allegedly not adhering to mandatory hijab rules. The police claim they fired at the vehicle due to “suspicion about the car” and “failure to comply with a stop order.” However, various reports suggest the shooting was linked to the hijab issue, and authorities are reportedly applying pressure to justify their actions.
Freedom-Loving Iranians Advocate for Human Rights and Justice in Los Angeles
Californian, Los Angeles —December 28, 2024:Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a book exhibition and a protest to oppose the growing wave of executions carried out by the Iranian regime. As part of the ‘No to Execution’ campaign, they demanded an end to these human rights violations and called for the immediate release of all political prisoners in Iran. The protesters also condemned the death sentences handed down to six political prisoners associated with the PMOI.
Freedom-Loving Iranians Advocate for #HumanRights and Justice in #LosAngeles.#Iran #StopExecutionsInIran #FreePoliticalPrisoners #FreeIran10PointPlan https://t.co/MTCLa2Di06
— Iran Freedom (@4FreedominIran) December 29, 2024
The organizers emphasized the need for international recognition of the Iranian resistance movement and affirmed the right of the Iranian people, along with the MEK Resistance Units inside Iran, to defend themselves in their ongoing struggle against tyranny and dictatorship.
Berlin Exhibition Denounces Iran’s Human Rights Violations and Advocates for Democratic Change
Berlin, Germany—December 27, 2024: Supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized an exhibition to spotlight human rights violations in Iran. The event focused on the country’s dire human rights situation, particularly the plight of political prisoners facing death sentences.