Uniting for Freedom, Democracy & Equality​

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Filter by Categories
1988 Massacre
Activities
Activities Outside Iran
Annual Grand Gathering
Articles
Coronavirus
Death Commissions
Economic
Free Iran 2020 Global Summit
Free Iran 2021
Free Iran 2022
Free Iran 2023
Free Iran 2024
Free Iran 2024 World Summit
Free Iran World Summit
Free Iran World Summit 2021
Free Iran World Summit 2023
Grand Gathering 2016
Grand Gathering 2017
Grand Gathering 2018
Grand Gathering 2018- Videos
Grand Gathering 2019
Grand Gathering 2020
Human Rights
International Supports
Iran Protests
Iran Revolution
Iranian Assemblies
Iranian Resistance
Maryam Rajavi
Media Gallery
National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)
News
Opinion
People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran(PMOI/MEK)
Quotes
Reports
Resistance Activities Inside Iran
Socio - Economic Crisis
The Free Iran World Summit 2019
Videos
Women

Iran: Raisi Attracts Criticism for His Crimes, but It’s Not Enough

The new Iranian regime’s President Ebrahim Raisi has drawn international condemnation for his crimes against humanity over the past 40 years, with news headlines calling him “the butcher” and a “mass murderer”.

Amnesty International said: “That Ebrahim Raisi has risen to the presidency instead of being investigated for the crimes against humanity of murder, enforced disappearance and torture, is a grim reminder that impunity reigns supreme in Iran.”

So why would the regime, clearly knowing about his abuse of Iranian protesters and political prisoners, even allow him to run, let alone become president?

Simply, it was desperation on the part of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who recognizes the increasing unpopularity of the regime and needed to consolidate power. Raisi is widely believed to be the person tipped to take over as Supreme Leader following Khamenei’s death, having been trained up in his image.

In 1979, Raisi was an “uneducated thug with an unquenchable penchant for killing democracy activists” when he entered the judiciary, according to the Iranian Resistance, but just nine years later he got the chance to prove his dangerous loyalty to the regime during the 1988 massacre. He became a member of the Tehran Death Commission, alongside three other officials, and sent thousands of political prisoners to their deaths after show trials. Asked in a post-election press conference about his role in the massacre, Raisi argued that “he should be commended” without seemingly an ounce of shame.

Maryam Rajavi, the President of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), said: “By expressing pride for his past crimes against humanity, it is evident that Raisi intends to continue them in the future.”

And this actually exposes Khamenei’s true reason for backing (and essentially appointing) Raisi. The regime is scared to death of the nationwide uprisings that took place in 2017 and 2019 and foresee more uprisings very shortly, especially considering the resistance activism that has taken place throughout the pandemic. After all, every problem that was present at the last uprising still exist and were made worse by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Iranian Resistance wrote: “The suppressive barriers erected by the regime to hold off the torrent of disenchantment are no longer holding up. Cracks are appearing. And in Khamenei’s mind, Raisi is his last-ditch attempt to regroup and forge new lines of defense against the people and their uprisings.”

They further stressed that the international community needs to support the Iranian people in their fight for a democratic and secular republic because appeasement will only encourage the regime’s domestic oppression. However, they cautioned that condemning Raisi isn’t enough and that international investigations into their crimes must be launched without delay.

Recent Posts

Iran: Raisi Attracts Criticism for His Crimes, but It’s Not Enough