DUBAI, Dec 3 (Reuters) – President Ebrahim Raisi on Saturday hailed Iran’s Islamic Republic as a guarantor of rights and freedoms, defending the ruling system amid a crackdown on anti-government protests that the United Nations says has value greater than 300 lives.
A high state safety body in the meantime stated that 200 folks, together with members of the safety forces, had misplaced their lives in the unrest, a determine considerably decrease than that given by the world body and rights teams.
The protests, in their third month, have been ignited by the demise of 22-year-old Kurdish girl Mahsa Amini in the custody of morality police implementing strict necessary hijab guidelines.
The demonstrations have become a well-liked revolt by livid Iranians from all layers of society, posing one of many boldest challenges to the clerical management for the reason that 1979 revolution.
Meanwhile, a social media video appeared to point out authorities demolishing the household house of Elnaz Rekabi, a climber who competed in a world contest with out a headband in October. Rekabi later she had executed so unintentionally, however she was extensively assumed to have expressed assist for the protests. learn extra
State media on Saturday quoted the top of the judiciary in northwestern Zanjan province as saying the ruling to demolish the villa had been issued 4 months in the past because the household had did not get hold of a development allow.
Unfazed by the brutal crackdown, protesters have raised slogans in opposition to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and repeatedly demanded an finish to the Islamic authorities.
Social media movies confirmed renewed protests late on Saturday in some components of the capital Tehran, together with the japanese Haft Howz space the place protesters may very well be heard chanting: “Murderer Khamenei should be executed.” Reuters couldn’t instantly confirm the footage.
The authorities blame the revolt on overseas enemies, together with the United States, Saudi Arabia and Israel.
“Iran has the most progressive constitution in the world” as a result of it marries “ideals with democracy,” Raisi stated in a speech to parliamentarians, quoting an unidentified African lawyer he stated he met a number of years in the past.
“The constitution guarantees the (existence) of the Islamic system,” he stated, including that it additionally “guarantees fundamental rights and legitimate freedoms.”
The judiciary’s Mizan information company quoted the inside ministry’s state safety council as saying 200 folks misplaced their lives in the current “riots”.
Amirali Hajizadeh, a senior Revolutionary Guards commander was quoted as saying on Monday that 300 folks, together with safety pressure members, had been killed in the current unrest.
Javaid Rehman, a U.N.-appointed impartial skilled on Iran, stated on Tuesday that greater than 300 folks had been killed in the protests, together with greater than 40 kids.
Rights group HRANA stated that as of Friday 469 protesters had been killed, together with 64 minors. It stated 61 authorities safety forces had additionally been killed. As many as 18,210 protesters are believed to have been arrested.
A distinguished Baluch Sunni Muslim cleric, Molavi Abdolhamid, has referred to as for an finish to the repression of protests by means of arrests and killings, and a referendum on altering Iran’s authorities system.
“The people’s protest has shown that the policies of the last 43 years have reached a dead end,” he stated in late November.
<a href=”mailto:dubai.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com” goal=”_blank”>dubai.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com</a>, Editing by William Maclean and Louise Heavens
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