On January 15, Iranian citizens once again vented their anger over the regime’s performances through protests and rallies. In this respect, people held at least three rallies and strikes in different cities.
In Karaj city, Alborz province, On the occasion of Omid Rezaei’s birthday, his family gathered at his grave. Omid was one of 1,500 protesters who were murdered by government forces during the gas protests in November 2019. The families of Pezhman Gholipour and Navid Behboudi attended the commemoration and put their loved ones’ photos beside Omid’s tomb.
Furthermore, unidentified activists in Mashhad city in Razavi Khorasan province, northeastern Iran, called on youths, students, and laborers to hold weekly gatherings.
Commemoration of November Protests Victim’s Birthday
Alborz province—on the occasion of the birthday of Omid Rezaei, one of the November 2019 Protests’ victims, his family and several other victims’ families gathered on the tomb of Omid in Karaj.
The mothers of Pezhman Gholipour and Navid Behboudi, two other victims of #IranProtests, put the photos of their loved ones.
"Happy birthday Omid, on behalf of Pezhman and Navid," read on a bouquet.
During the gas protests in November 2019, authorities killed 1,500+ protesters. pic.twitter.com/clwXiwV8uX— IranNewsUpdate (@IranNewsUpdate1) January 16, 2021
At the event, mothers of Pezhman Gholipour and Navid Behboudi, two other victims of gas protests in November 2019, put the photos of their loved ones on Omid’s tomb, extending their condolences and expressing their solidarity with the Rezaei family.
“Happy birthday to you dear Omid – on behalf of Pezhman and Navid,” read a note on a bouquet. Notably, in November 2019, hundreds of thousands of fed-up citizens took to the streets across the country, venting their anger over the regime’s decision to raise gasoline prices.
In response to impoverished people’s cries to revoke the decision, the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei blatantly ordered his forces, including the State Security Forces (SSF), the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), and the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) to do whatever it takes to put down the protests.
Following Khamenei’s decree, oppressive forces brutally attacked demonstrators, leaving at least 1,500 killed and around 8,000 injured. Furthermore, they arbitrarily detained more than 12,000 protesters, according to the Iranian opposition People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).
Since then, the regime has neither announced the number of victims nor launched any investigation about extrajudicial murders. Instead, the authorities applied inhuman torture and ill-treatment against detainees to extract required ‘confessions’. Worse, the judiciary filed torture-tainted confessions as reliable evidence and even sentenced arrestees to death or long-term imprisonment.
Locals Protest Elimination of Harra Forest
Bushehr province—in Bandar Dayyer district, locals and environmental activists held a rally, protesting the elimination of the Harra Forest and the cut off of its trees.
#IranProtests#Bushehr province—on January 15, in Bandar Dayyer district, locals and environmental activists held a rally, protesting officials' profiteering policies that put the Harra forest on the verge of elimination. pic.twitter.com/y2ra4Oiqgn
— IranNewsUpdate (@IranNewsUpdate1) January 16, 2021
“Harra Forest is the symbol of Bandar Dayyer’s resistance,” “The death of each tree is the end of one life,” and “Save Harra Forest,” read protesters’ placards. They also compiled their demands in a scroll and signed it.
Call for Protesting Poverty and Hunger
Razavi Khorasan province—in Mashhad, unidentified activists distributed letters, calling on workers, students, youths, and hungry and poor residents to protest against hunger and poverty each Thursday, at 5:00 pm. They invited citizens to gather on Navvab, Qa’em, Babak, Shirazi, and Kouh Sangi streets.
#IranProtests#RazaviKhorasan—on January 15, unidentified activists called on citizens to protest 'hunger and poverty.'
They called on Students, youths, laborers, and poor and hungry people, saying, "We achieve nothing with silence… We will change this status quo together." pic.twitter.com/EHL7Ru6Lkg— IranNewsUpdate (@IranNewsUpdate1) January 16, 2021
“Students, youths, laborers, and poor and hungry people, we are all compatriots. Our voices would not be heard without collective protests. We would achieve nothing with silence. Would you like to voice your protest?
“Come and gather every Thursday, at 5:00 pm on Navvab, Qa’em, Babak, Shirazi, and Kouh Sangi streets to express your protest. We will change this status quo together,” the call read.
Locals Rally Against Officials’ Policies
Tehran province—owners of Kouh Siah lands in Robat Karim county, in southwestern Tehran, held a rally, protesting illegal activities of the Natural Resources Organization. Protesters complained to officials for confiscating their lands and foresting without their permission.
These lands are about 700 hectares and have around 5,000 owners. This is while the government, particularly Khamenei’s representative in Golestan province Kazem Nour Mofidi and his son, have eliminated Iran’s unique forests in northern Iran. They easily cut off and sold thousands of trees in Golestan National Park to fill their pockets.
The Natural Resources Organization remains silent toward the anti-nature activities of the Supreme Leader’s representative. Instead, the organization confiscates and forests impoverished people’s lands to compensate for its inability.
Iranians Continue Protests; at Least Five Rallies and Strikes on January 14
