JAZAYERI: Mothers Send Daring Videos From Iran: “My vote is regime change”

CREDIT: Capture from Twitter video

(The opinions expressed by guest opinion columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of RedState.)

The mothers of Iranians killed by the regime for taking part in peaceful anti-government protests are appealing to the nation to boycott the upcoming “sham” presidential election in Iran.

Advertisement

In a series of defiant open messages, taped on camera from inside Iran and published on the internet, the mothers say their vote is for “regime change.”

Although the election will officially take place on June 18, it’s all but certain that hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi will take office. Last month, the Guardian Council, whose members are appointed by the Supreme Leader, disqualified his opponents during vetting.

Raisi, Iran’s current Judiciary Chief, has a very sinister record. Previously he sat on the infamous “Death Commissions” that carried out the 1988 massacre of some 30,000 political prisoners. More recently as head of the Judiciary, he has stepped up executions of people who took part in the major anti-government protests of 2018 and 2019.

One mother sent a recorded video message from Tehran on Friday stating: “I am the mother of the late Mohsen Jafarpanah. My son’s blood was shed unjustly. I will neither forgive, nor forget. I demand justice. Justice for all this oppression and injustice. Justice for all the blood unjustly shed of all the innocent youths that were murdered in November 2019. No to the Islamic Republic. I will not vote. My vote is regime change.”

Advertisement

Mahboubeh Ramezani, the mother of Pejman Qolipour who took part in the November 2019 nationwide protests, said security forces “callously” pierced her 18-year-old son’s heart with bullets.

“For the pains I have suffered, for all my sorrow, for the empty bed of my child, for the white hair of the mothers – mothers who after 42 years only have picture frames of their children … I will neither forgive, nor forget. My vote is regime change.”

Advertisement

The main opposition group People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI or MEK) has called for a nationwide boycott of the polls. MEK Resistance Units have in recent days sent out video clips of their activities urging Iranians not to vote despite a threat by Iran’s Chief of Police to crack down on anyone calling for a boycott.

Meanwhile, the “Free Iran World Summit 2021” organizing committee has announced that the Iranian Resistance’s annual Free Iran gathering will take place online from July 10-12.

The committee announced that “Pro-democracy activists inside Iran, lawmakers, former senior government officials, distinguished personalities, and humanitarians and advocates from around the world will take action in solidarity with the Iranian people’s unflinching struggle for freedom.” The schedule for the three-day event are:

Advertisement

Day 1: The Democratic Alternative on the March to Victory

Day 2: Europe – Arab World Stand with the Resistance

Day 3: Global Support for the Iranian People’s Uprising & the Democratic Alternative

Hanif Jazayeri is a London-based news editor. His Twitter handle is @HanifJazayeri.

Recommended

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Trending on RedState Videos