THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 9:00 PM CET
Clerical Regime Is Dismissing Academia in the Dozens, Newspaper Warns
In today’s issue, the state-affiliated newspaper Etemad examined the expulsion of university professors and stated, “58 professors were expelled, suspended, detained, summoned, or forced into early and compulsory retirement from the beginning of the 13th government’s activity until the end of Mordad 1402 (August 2023).
According to the newspaper, hundreds of professors from 2006 to the present day have been handed down sentences of expulsion, forced retirement, and temporary or permanent prohibition from teaching under the accusation of having secular views or being critical of the government.”
The accusation, as stated in the Etemad newspaper, does not require proof or evidence; the “perception and suspicion” of university officials is deemed sufficient for its “certainty.”
The newspaper writes, “For seven years, university presidents, in order to justify the removal of professors who are authoritative but critical and accused of promoting secularism, have resorted to reasons such as ‘end of university cooperation contract,’ ‘approaching the retirement age of the professor,’ ‘academic recession,’ ‘simultaneous employment at a government university and a non-government university,’ ‘unethical or unlawful behavior and actions against the system,’ and ‘excess personnel.'”
Wary of Uprising, Judiciary Official Shows Theet to Rebellious Youth
In a bid to deter potential social unrest, Sadegh Rahimi, the Deputy Head of the Judiciary has issued a warning to the youth, stating that “the intelligence and security apparatus will identify those who intend to engage in disruptive activities and take to the streets under any pretext in the coming days.”
Today, the state-run Entekhab website quoted Sadegh Rahimi, Deputy Head of the Judiciary, as saying, “The intelligence and security apparatus will identify those who intend to engage in acts of disruption and take to the streets under any pretext in the coming days. Individuals who were pardoned by the leadership after being involved in disturbances last year, if they attempt to repeat their actions, they will be dealt with more decisively.”
UPDATE: 4:00 PM CET
Former Un Judges, Prominent Jurists & Politicians Demand Iran’s Leaders Be Held Accountable for 1988 Massacre
During an international conference on August 21, former UN Judges, renowned legal experts, and prominent politicians from the US, Europe, and Africa called on the international community to hold the Iranian regime’s leaders accountable for a massacre of political prisoners 35 years ago. The conference’s participants stressed that mechanisms exist for the international community to end the impunity that Tehran has enjoyed over the years and to bring the masterminds and perpetrators of the 1988 massacre to justice.
The conference promoted the view that the massacre fits the definition of a crime against humanity and may also constitute genocide. Panelists also called attention to modern-day threats to the inalienable rights of Iranian dissidents and urged the adoption of policies that safeguard those rights, particularly for members of the principal Iranian opposition movement, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, or MEK, residing in Albania at the self-built community known as Ashraf 3.
UPDATE: 2:00 PM CET
MPs Warns Raisi Government Against Rising Fuel Prices
Terrified of a new wave of a nationwide uprising, two members of the regime’s parliament joined the chorus of state officials to warn against the rising gasoline prices amidst the explosive societal conditions.
In an interview with the state-run ILNA news agency on August 22, MP Sadif Badri stated, “The society cannot tolerate an increase in gasoline prices at all. Twenty-eight million people in the country are living below the poverty line. The people’s livelihoods are not suitable, and their income does not cover their expenses.”
Continuing, he pointed out, “The Parliamentary Research Center has accurate field statistics, and according to the information, the center is investigating the poverty line’s status. The people’s livelihoods, especially those of the wage earners such as employees, workers, and teachers, are not appropriate.”
For the past few months, the Ebrahim Raisi government has been working to establish the foundation for a widespread price hike in essential commodities such as wheat, fuel, and transportation to compensate for its huge budget deficit that has crippled the regime’s strategic ambitions.
Meanwhile, another MP Rashidi Koochi told the Asre Iran website, “Why can’t we touch gasoline? Because if we do this, it will disrupt all aspects of people’s lives, and they will pour the streets in protest.”
Responding to a question whether fuel prices will be increased, he stated, “No, it’s primarily a psychological impact. Even the slightest decision within the realm of gasoline, even if it pertains to the allocation of fuel card quotas and not an actual price hike, generates a psychological burden and erodes societal trust. This has led to the recent incidents we’ve observed. Essentially, people are growing skeptical of the assurances from authorities when they promise that gasoline prices won’t rise. Naturally, there was a precedent where someone previously assured that gasoline wouldn’t become expensive, yet it happened the next morning. This is the very reason why people still lack trust. Currently, when everyone asserts that prices won’t surge, people react based on their past experiences and rush to gas stations. Unfortunately, this is an error.”
UPDATE: 8:00 AM CET
Iran’s Regime Continues To Arrest PMOI Supporters To Cause Fear
As Iran prepares to mark the first anniversary of the nationwide protests that began in September 2022, the regime is frantically trying to clamp down on any form of dissent and prevent protests from taking place.
Among the main efforts of the regime are actions against known sympathizers of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and the relatives of PMOI members.
On Monday, August 21, regime authorities arrested Marzieh Farsi and Forough Taghipour, both being former political prisoners and relatives of PMOI members in Ashraf 3. They were both transferred to Evin prison and denied the right to contact their families.
Expansion of Eight Types of Homelessness in Iran
The widespread poverty in Iran, manifested in issues such as inadequate housing, slum dwellings, and homelessness, has reached such dimensions that it is reflected in reports by the regime’s government institutions.
One example is a report by the regime’s Majlis Research Center titled “Evaluation of the Seventh Development Plan from the Perspective of Housing Provision for Low-Income and Vulnerable Groups,” which was published on August 14.
The report discusses the “pervasive and multifaceted housing crisis” in Iran and programs such as the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development’s “National Housing Movement” and Tehran Municipality’s “Housing Jihad Headquarters” are mentioned as initiatives that are being pursued.
Nasrin Alizadeh Detained, Families of Uprising Victims Face Further Oppression
The clerical regime’s security forces in Isfahan arrested Nasrin Alizadeh today, Wednesday, August 23, 2023, and transferred her to an undisclosed location.
Nasrin Alizadeh is the sister of Shirin Alizadeh, who was killed by security forces in Ramsar, northern Iran, during the early days of the Iran Uprising last year. Nasrin Alizadeh was arrested after security forces raided her home. There is no information on the place and reason for her detention.
Earlier on August 17, 2023, the husband of Shirin Alizadeh, Mr. Kourosh Vaziri, was arrested by security forces and detained in Dastgerd Prison of Isfahan.
Geneva—August 19, 2023: MEK Supporters Held a Rally and Exhibition, Commemorating the 1988 Massacre Martyrs
Geneva, Switzerland—August 19, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally and exhibition in Place des Nations in solidarity with the Iran Revolution, and commemorated the 1988 massacre martyrs.
Oslo, Norway – August 19, 2023: MEK Supporters Held a Rally and Exhibition, Commemorating the 1988 Massacre Martyrs
Oslo, Norway—August 19, 2023: Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally in front of the Norwegian Parliament in solidarity with the Iran Revolution, and commemorated the 1988 massacre martyrs.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – August 23, 2023