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Iran vows no mercy in crackdown on protesters

Tehran promises harsh punishments and swift trials for those arrested during recent demonstrations, as the government maintains its hardline stance

Iran vows no mercy in crackdown on protesters – Iran has reiterated its hardline approach against protesters, with judicial chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei promising zero leniency for those detained during recent demonstrations. Cited by the Iranian agency Mizan, Ejei said the judicial system will conduct trials “as quickly as possible” and impose punishments “without the slightest mercy” for anyone found guilty of instigating or participating in violent acts.

“The people rightly demand that the accused and main instigators of the riots and terrorist and violent acts be judged as soon as possible,” Mohseni Ejei added. He emphasized that justice in Iran will involve the harshest penalties for anyone who has taken up arms, killed individuals, or engaged in arson, destruction, or massacres.

The statements come amid growing concern over the fate of thousands of protesters, with human rights organizations reporting that several thousand, if not tens of thousands, have been arrested since the protests erupted in early January. The demonstrations initially resulted in thousands of deaths, and the country’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reportedly ordered security forces on January 9 to “suppress” mass protests “by any necessary means,” according to the New York Times.

Citing two Iranian officials familiar with the orders, the newspaper stated that security forces were instructed to “shoot to kill and show no mercy.” Opposition groups estimate that more than 30,000 people were killed during the crackdown between January 8 and 9. State television broadcast multiple videos showing Mohseni Ejei personally interrogating arrested protesters, raising fears of coerced confessions among human rights advocates.

Meanwhile, some calls for easing restrictions have emerged. Yousef Pezeshkian, son of Iranian parliament speaker Masoud Pezeshkian, urged the government to lift internet restrictions, warning that attempting to delay the spread of videos documenting the violent repression would only exacerbate tensions. According to the Guardian, Pezeshkian wrote on Telegram that maintaining the internet block “will create further dissatisfaction and widen the gap between the population and the government.” He stressed that restricting online access “will not solve anything, it will only postpone the problem.”

As Tehran maintains its uncompromising approach, the international community continues to monitor the situation closely, highlighting the scale of arrests and the severity of the response to public dissent.

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