THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 8:30 PM CET
Iran Uprising at a Glance – Day 123
Based partially on reporting by PMOI (MEK) Network in Iran
Monday, January 16, 2022 – 8 PM GMT+1
- Days: 123
- Protests: 282 cities
- Fatalities: 750+ estimated deaths, 637 identified by MEK
- Detentions: 30,000
Iran’s nationwide uprising marked its 123rd day on Monday as protests continued, and more people took part in night rallies to voice their hatred of the mullahs and resolve to overthrow their regime.
On Monday morning, people in the city of Torbat-e-Jam, northeast Iran, rallied outside the local governor’s office protesting the continued gas shortage and the fact that their families are freezing in sub-zero temperatures. People in this city, like many others across the country, have also been in long lines to purchase kerosene on this fifth consecutive day of the gas shortage crisis.
January 16 – Torbat-e-Jam, northeast #Iran
More footage of people continuing to rally outside the local governor's office and Red Crescent branch protesting the regime officials' incompetence in providing gas for cooking/heating purposes.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/OX3JeZBwoG— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 16, 2023
People in this city were also seen gathering outside a local Red Crescent branch seeking electric and kerosene heaters. There were also reports of regime authorities dispatching numerous security units into the streets to prevent any possible anti-regime protests as anger among locals was escalating.
In Fereydunkenar, northern Iran, there was a long line of cars at a gas station due to the gas shortage crisis. Such scenes were reported from across the country while Iran has the world’s 2nd largest natural gas and 4th largest crude oil reserves.
Fereydunkenar, northern #Iran
Long line of cars at a gas station.Such scenes are being reported from across the country while Iran has the world's 2nd largest natural gas and 4th largest crude oil reserves.pic.twitter.com/IgGJtAlwro
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 16, 2023
In Shush in Khuzestan Province in southwest Iran, retirees and pensioners of the regime’s Social Security Organization gathered on Monday and were protesting low pensions and poor economic conditions. Regime officials refrain from addressing the pensioners’ demands.
In the city of Sanandaj, the capital of Kurdistan Province, locals gathered for a ceremony to honor the 40th day of Houman Abdullahi’s murder by the regime’s security forces. The crowd was seen chanting anti-regime slogans, including: “Death to Khamenei!”, “Death to the dictator!” and “No to monarchy! No to [mullahs’ regime]! Democracy and quality!”
January 16 – Sanandaj, western #Iran
Locals gathered to mark the 40th day of Houman Abdullahi's murder by security forces began chanting:
"No to monarchy! No to [mullahs' regime]! Democracy & equality!"#IranRevolution#مرگ_بر_ستمگر_چه_شاه_باشه_چه_رهبرpic.twitter.com/yu1J1RsM0r— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 16, 2023
In Tehran, for the second day in a row family members of death row inmates rallied on Monday outside the regime’s judiciary building protesting the death sentences and demanding answers from regime officials.
January 16 – Tehran, #Iran
Family members of death row inmates rallied outside the regime's judiciary building protesting the death sentences and demanding answers from regime officials.#StopExecutionsInIran #IranRevolution2023 pic.twitter.com/6OzzqcHmsq— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 16, 2023
Iranian opposition coalition NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi called on the international community to take urgent action and blacklist the mullahs’ IRGC as a terrorist organization, a measure that should have been adopted many years ago.
“I stressed years ago that IRGC is the clerical regime’s main tool for the suppression and plunder of the people of Iran and export of terrorism. Blacklisting the IRGC as a terrorist entity is an urgent demand of the Iranian people, a prerequisite to peace in the Middle East, and indispensable to the fight against terrorism. Blacklisting the IRGC should have been done years ago,” the NCRI President-elect emphasized.
Blacklisting of the IRGC as a terrorist entity is an urgent demand of the Iranian people, a prerequisite to peace in the Middle East, and indispensable to fight against terrorism. #BlacklistIRGC should have been done years ago.
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) January 16, 2023
UPDATE: 1:30 PM CET
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard’s Designation as a Terrorist Organisation in UK ‘Imminent’
The process to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation by the UK is underway, with an announcement believed to be “imminent”, a former head of the diplomatic service has said.
MPs last week voted in favour of adding the IRGC to a list of banned organisations.
The move came two weeks after reports suggested the country was considering designating the group as a terrorist organisation.
UPDATE: 10:00 AM CET
Released Student Exposes Horrific Human Rights Abuses from Prison in Western Iran
In a Twitter thread, Leila Hosseinzadeh, a student and political prisoner who has been temporarily released from Adel Abad prison in Shiraz after five months, exposed the critical conditions of the women’s section.
ما از زندان میرویم اما زندان از ما نمیرود، چشمان تک‌تک هم‌اتاقی‌هایم وقتی روی زمین می‌کشیدندم و حتی فرصت آغوش و بوسه‌ای فرصت یک خداحافظی نداشتم، روی شانه ام مانده. باید بنویسم تا چشمانشان را از دوشم زمین بگذارم، تا قلبم که حالا یک گوشه‌اش عادل‌آباد است،آرام‌تر بتپد.باید بنویسم
۱/— Leila Hoseinzade (@leilahoseinzade) January 15, 2023
Explaining the “horrific” experience, she tells about the lack of medical treatment for prisoners and describes it as a “disaster”. She states that “in Adil Abad women’s ward, horrible crimes are going on against ordinary prisoners through the use of nerve and sedative pills.”
Man Arrested After Uranium Found at UK’s Heathrow Airport
Jan 15 (Reuters) – A man in his 60s has been arrested in connection with an investigation linked to the discovery of traces of uranium found in a cargo package at London’s Heathrow Airport, the UK Metropolitan Police said on Sunday.
The man was arrested on suspicion of a terror offence on Saturday and was released on bail as part of the investigation, the Police said.
A very small quantity of uranium was detected in a package that arrived at Heathrow Airport on Dec. 29.
Guardian Letters: Iran’s Government in Waiting
More than four decades of misguided engagement by the west has failed to help the long-suffering and oppressed Iranian people, who now feel that the only way to gain their human rights and freedom is to bring about regime change (“Iran and the west are on a deadly collision course”, Editorial). Here, at last, the crucial question is posed. The answer for the west must be aligned to the desire of the people for freedom and democracy. Why then, are our and all other democratic governments not engaging with the organised opposition movement, made up of an established coalition of various faith, ethnic and political groups, represented by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, led by president-elect Maryam Rajavi? The NCRI is ready with a fully structured parliament, currently based in France, and explicit policies to inform a transitional government that would lead to free, fair, internationally monitored elections within six months of the fall of the regime.
Iran Sees More Protests Despite Escalating Crackdown, Freezing Cold Weather
Iran’s nationwide uprising is marking its 122nd day on Sunday as the country is gripping with freezing cold temperatures and the regime is too incompetent to provide even heating gas to tens of millions of people across the country. Iran has the world’s second-largest natural gas reserves and yet the Iranian people in cities throughout the country are seen waiting in lines for cooking/heating gas, and kerosene, and posting videos from their homes and stores showing the severe gas shortage. All the while, the regime’s foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, has been on a Middle East tour visiting the mullahs’ allies and pledging to provide for their energy needs.
The Life of Mohana Kameli, a Detained Protester, in Danger
Mohana Kameli, 24, needed urgent treatment due to the infection from her severe injuries during the three months of protests. Still, the authorities of Qarchak prison refused to transfer her to the hospital. Finally, on January 13, under the pressure of public opinion, she was transferred to Taleghani Hospital in Velenjak.
On December 12, 2022, security forces posing as Electricity Department agents went to Mohana Kameli’s house in Narmak district, Tehran, and arrested her. She was shot during the protests about three months ago, and her leg wound infected. Three weeks before her arrest, her arm broke during demonstrations in Tehran when security forces ran over her on a motorcycle.
Gas Shortage Continues in Iran
Nearly 20 provinces are experiencing a gas crisis, crippling the entire Iran. This leaves Iranians to deal with a cold and harsh winter as the regime delays helping them. Reports from Iran indicate there are long lines of people waiting in freezing weather to receive gas.
January 16 – Torbat-e-Jam, northeast #Iran
People are rallying outside the local governor's office protesting the continued gas shortage and the fact that their families are freezing in the winter cold.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/uTQp6wDZOq— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 16, 2023
Also, read Iran News in Brief – January 15, 2023
