Iran's top police officer has issued an ultimatum to protesters who joined the demonstrations deemed "riots" by authorities: surrender within three days or face the full force of the law. In a statement that appears to show leniency towards those mistakenly drawn into the chaos, Ahmad-Reza Radan urged young people "deceived" into joining the "riots" to turn themselves in and receive lighter punishment.
However, the Iranian government has made little progress in addressing the underlying economic hardships that sparked the protests. Despite a pledge from officials to work around the clock to resolve livelihood and economic problems, many analysts view this statement as empty rhetoric.
President Masoud Pezeshkian, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei signed off on the joint statement. It is clear they are prepared to "decisively punish" those responsible for instigating "terrorist incidents". In this context, it appears that only certain individuals will be considered guilty of participating in violent protests.
Meanwhile, Iran remains under an unprecedented internet shutdown, which has now lasted 11 days. This has made it difficult to gather reliable information on the scale and nature of the crackdown.
According to human rights groups, including the Iran Human Rights NGO, thousands of protesters have been killed by security forces during this period. While the actual number is likely much higher due to restricted internet access, eyewitness accounts and other evidence indicate a death toll that could far surpass even the most optimistic media estimates.
The United Nations has warned against using capital punishment as a tool of state intimidation in Iran. The country holds the record for executions, according to human rights groups. In 2022 alone, reports suggested that at least 1,500 people were executed by Iranian authorities.
Despite this stark warning from the UN, it appears that Iranian authorities remain committed to their authoritarian policies. They have arrested thousands of individuals in connection with the demonstrations and will continue to "break the back" of opposition movements in Iran.
However, the Iranian government has made little progress in addressing the underlying economic hardships that sparked the protests. Despite a pledge from officials to work around the clock to resolve livelihood and economic problems, many analysts view this statement as empty rhetoric.
President Masoud Pezeshkian, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei signed off on the joint statement. It is clear they are prepared to "decisively punish" those responsible for instigating "terrorist incidents". In this context, it appears that only certain individuals will be considered guilty of participating in violent protests.
Meanwhile, Iran remains under an unprecedented internet shutdown, which has now lasted 11 days. This has made it difficult to gather reliable information on the scale and nature of the crackdown.
According to human rights groups, including the Iran Human Rights NGO, thousands of protesters have been killed by security forces during this period. While the actual number is likely much higher due to restricted internet access, eyewitness accounts and other evidence indicate a death toll that could far surpass even the most optimistic media estimates.
The United Nations has warned against using capital punishment as a tool of state intimidation in Iran. The country holds the record for executions, according to human rights groups. In 2022 alone, reports suggested that at least 1,500 people were executed by Iranian authorities.
Despite this stark warning from the UN, it appears that Iranian authorities remain committed to their authoritarian policies. They have arrested thousands of individuals in connection with the demonstrations and will continue to "break the back" of opposition movements in Iran.
. The ultimatum is basically a PR stunt to make them look like they're trying to be nice, while simultaneously gearing up for a massive crackdown on anyone who dared to speak out against the regime 
. It's like they're playing a game of "let's make it seem like we care about people's lives"... until you realize that the only people being "cared" for are those in power 
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. I mean, can't they see how desperate it makes things look? It's like they're intentionally trying to cover up what's really happening on the ground 
. The UN warning about capital punishment as a tool of state intimidation? Yeah, no kidding – Iran has already made that history book entry in blood 
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! The fact that they're threatening people who just wanted to express their opinions is totally unacceptable 
. And it's not like they've made any real efforts to address the economic issues that sparked all this unrest in the first place... like, where are the solutions? 
. And can you even believe they're still under an internet shutdown?! 
It's like they're trying to keep people from finding out what's really going on 
.
. They're basically just trying to silence anyone who dares to speak out against their government 
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. It just seems like another way for the government to avoid dealing with the real problems, like poverty and inequality 
. We need to stand with the Iranian people and demand justice and human rights for everyone 
.
It's crazy that people are still not able to get info out, it's like they're living in the dark. I feel bad for those who have lost loved ones or gotten hurt during these protests. It's just sad that things have to go this far and it seems like the government is more concerned with keeping power than helping the people. 
I'm getting really worried about what's going on in Iran right now... 
We should be talking about addressing the root causes of these protests, like economic hardships, rather than just trying to silence people who are speaking out. 
And let's not forget about the UN warning against capital punishment... 
I mean, the authorities are trying to show leniency but it feels like they're just trying to control the narrative instead of actually addressing the root cause. 
And what about those who got caught up in the chaos? Do we throw them under the bus or do we try to help them see the light? 
It's all about perspective and empathy, right? We gotta remember that everyone's got a story behind their actions. 
And honestly, I think the UN's warning is pretty spot on - using capital punishment as a tool of state intimidation is just not cool, man. 
Can we find a better way to handle this? 
and they're more worried about punishing those who are already protesting against them 
the internet shutdown is like, totally unacceptable, how can we even get accurate info on what's happening there? 
and 11 days in? that's insane! 
According to Human Rights Watch, protests have been going on for months, but what's being done to address the root issues? 
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And yeah, 11 days is a looong time to be cut off from the world...