An anti-government hacker group on Saturday disrupted a televised speech by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi commemorating the 44th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.
Raisi, whose hardline government faces pressure from young protesters calling for him to step down, called on “deceived youth” to repent in order to be forgiven by Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
If so, he told a crowd gathered in Tehran’s Azadi Square: “The Iranian people will embrace you with open arms.”
His live speech was interrupted on the internet for about a minute, when the logo of the hacker group Edalate Ali (Ali’s Justice) appeared on the screen. At the same time, a voice shouted “death to the Islamic Republic”.
Protests have swept Iran in recent months following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was arrested by the country’s morality police in September for wearing the traditional Islamic headscarf, the hijab, incorrectly.
Security forces responded with a violent crackdown on the protests, one of the biggest challenges facing the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution ended 2,500 years of monarchy.
As part of an amnesty marking the anniversary of the revolution, Iranian authorities on Friday released jailed dissident Farhad Meysami, who was on hunger strike, and French-Iranian academic Fariba Adelkhah.
This Sunday (12), the supreme leader issued an amnesty covering a large number of prisoners, including some detained in recent anti-government protests.
Human rights group HRANA reported that dozens of political prisoners and protesters, including several prominent figures, had been released under the amnesty, but that the exact terms of their release were not known. There are fears that many were forced to sign pledges not to repeat their “crimes” before leaving prison. The country’s judiciary denies it.
Nearly 20,000 protesters were arrested in the acts, according to the group. In addition, 528 lost their lives, including 71 minors, and 70 government security personnel died.
Iranian leaders and state media have called for weeks for a strong turnout at Saturday’s rallies as a show of solidarity and popularity in an apparent response to the protests.
On Friday’s eve of the anniversary, state media showed fireworks as part of government-sponsored celebrations as people chanted “allahu akbar! (God is greatest!)”. However, many could be heard chanting “Death to the dictator!” and “death to the Islamic Republic” in videos posted on social media.
This Saturday, the government TV channel broadcast live footage of rallies across the country. In Tehran, domestically made anti-ballistic missiles, a drone, an anti-submarine cruiser and other military hardware were displayed as part of the celebrations.
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
