TEHRAN — Former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami has voiced assist for the protest motion sparked by Mahsa Amini’s demise, describing as “beautiful” its essential slogan: “Woman, life, freedom.”
Protests have swept Iran for practically three months since Amini died after her arrest for an alleged breach of the nation’s hijab gown code for ladies primarily based on Islamic sharia legislation.
The authorities, who’ve struggled to comprise the protests, describe them as “riots” fomented by Iran’s arch foe the United States and its allies together with Britain and Israel.
Khatami, a reformist who served as Iran’s president from 1997 to 2005 however has been successfully silenced by the institution for years, has come out in assist of the motion.
The 79-year-old described the slogan “Woman, life, freedom”—the primary chant heard on the protests—as “a beautiful message that shows movement towards a better future.”
“Freedom and security must not be placed against each other,” he stated in an announcement quoted by ISNA news company Tuesday, on the eve of Students’ Day.
“Freedom must not be trampled on in order to maintain security” and “security should not be ignored in the name of freedom,” he stated.
Khatami additionally spoke out towards the arrest of scholars who’ve been on the forefront of the protests that erupted throughout Iran since Amini’s demise in custody on September 16.
The imposition of restrictions “cannot ultimately ensure the stable security of universities and society,” he stated.
In his assertion, Khatami additionally referred to as on officers to “extend students a helping hand” and to acknowledge the “wrong aspects of governance” with their assist earlier than it’s too late.
Khatami was barred from showing within the media after mass protests triggered by the disputed 2009 re-election of former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Iran’s high safety physique, the Supreme National Security Council, stated on Saturday that greater than 200 folks have been killed within the unrest.
An Iranian normal stated final week that greater than 300 folks have been killed within the unrest, together with dozens of safety personnel.
Norway-based non-governmental group Iran Human Rights stated on November 29 that at the least 448 folks had been “killed by security forces in the ongoing nationwide protests.”
Thousands have been arrested, together with distinguished Iranian actors and footballers. — Agence France-Presse
