Hackers interrupted state television coverage as Iran marked the anniversary of its revolution, Reuters reported today. As Iran officially marks the 44th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution, Lacey’s hardline government faces the boldest challenge yet from young protesters demanding their ouster, but Lacey still calls on “deceived youth” to repent so they can get Iran’s supreme leader pardon.
Nationwide protests are still raging in Iran after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of the country’s morality police in September.
Iranian security forces have launched a deadly crackdown on protests in one of the most formidable challenges the Islamic Republic has faced since a 1979 revolution that overthrew the 2,500-year-old monarchy.
Iranian authorities on Friday released imprisoned dissident Farhad Mesami and Iranian-French scholar Fariba Adelha on hunger strike as part of an amnesty to mark the anniversary of the revolution.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei earlier issued an amnesty that included some prisoners arrested during recent anti-government protests.
As of Friday, 528 protesters had been killed, including 71 minors, human rights group HRANA reported. Another 70 government security personnel were killed, the report said. As many as 19,763 protesters are believed to have been arrested.
For weeks, Iranian leaders and state media have called for a vote at Saturday’s rally to show opposition to the protests and support for the government. On the evening of the anniversary of Iran’s revolution on Friday night, state media showed fireworks as part of government-sponsored celebrations, with people chanting “Allahu Akbar! (God is greatest!)”. However, many could also be heard at the rally shouting “Death to the dictator!” and “Death to the Islamic Republic” in videos posted on social media.
On Saturday, government television broadcast live footage of official rallies in states across the country. In Tehran, home-made anti-ballistic missiles, drones, anti-submarine cruisers and other military equipment were displayed as part of official celebrations. President Lacey’s speeches were frequently interrupted by chants of “Death to America” – a signature slogan at state rallies. The crowd also chanted “Death to Israel”.
Adelkhah, who has been in prison since 2019, is one of seven French nationals detained in Iran, a factor that has soured relations between Paris and Tehran in recent months, Reuters said. She was sentenced to five years in prison in 2020 on national security charges. They later placed her under house arrest, but in January she was back in prison. Adelkhah has denied the allegations.
Mesami’s release came a week after supporters warned he was at risk of death as a result of his hunger strike. He was arrested in 2018 for protesting the mandatory wearing of the hijab.
Responding to Adelkhah’s release on Friday, the French foreign ministry called for her freedom to be restored, “including that she should be allowed to return to France if she wishes.”