An Amnesty spokesperson said: “Amnesty International is alarmed at the judiciary’s announcement that it has charged individuals arrested in relation to the country’s economy and currency crisis with ‘corruption on earth’ (efsad-e fel arz), which incurs the death penalty. This would be in direct breach of international law, which restricts the use of the death penalty to only the ‘most serious crimes’ — those involving intentional killing. Amnesty International’s research has shown that basic fair trial guarantees are absent in death penalty cases in Iran.”

Iranian officials announced last weekend that at least 29 people have been arrested and charged with “economic disruption”, a charge that carries the death penalty in Iran.

This is part of the Regime’s plan to deflect blame over its worsening economic situation, which saw the rial plunge to a record low of 120,000 rials to the dollar this week, and has sparked major protests across the country. The mullahs blamed unnamed “enemies” for the crisis and announced dozens of arrests.

Harvard scholar and Iranian affairs expert Dr. Majid Rafizadeh explained that these arrests are nothing more than a PR exercise for the mullahs. Their aim is to look like they are tackling corruption, when really they would not do anything of the sort. The corruption runs right to the top in Iran and tackling it would be akin to cutting off their own heads, so instead they blame shadowy figures and crack down on the people of Iran.

Rafizadeh said: “The protests in Isfahan are significant because they highlight people’s ongoing and growing outrage and frustration with the theocratic establishment, as the economy is in shambles. Despite the regime’s crackdown, people continue to take to streets as they can’t make ends meet.”

Indeed, thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets this week in protest at the economy and all of the other problems caused by the Regime, demanding that the mullahs stop their meddling in the affairs of neighbouring countries in the region.

Videos of the protests showed people chanting: “No to Gaza, no to Lebanon, my soul is Iran’s redemption.”

They are not backing down and will continue to fight for regime change.