The United States and Israel’s war with Iran triggered a massive repression campaign, with Iranian authorities arbitrarily arresting at least 6,000 people since Feb. 28, a new human rights report said.Among those arrested on a whim were protesters, journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders, dissidents, and members of ethnic and religious minorities, a report from Amnesty International, published on Thursday, said. The arbitrary arrest campaign was accompanied by the acceleration of “grossly unfair judicial proceedings, politically motivated executions, harsh prison sentences, and asset confiscations,” the group claimed.The group also documented a confirmed 39 executions since the war began, often after expedited prosecutions ordered from senior judicial officials.
Amnesty International Senior Director of Research, Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns Erika Guevara Rosas said the Iranian government was “exploiting the crisis” to boost its repression apparatus.
HOW IRAN TRANSFORMED FROM AN ISLAMIC REPUBLIC TO A MILITARY DICTATORSHIP
“To maintain their grip on power, the authorities have unleashed an all-out assault on people in Iran, targeting anyone who dares to criticize the Islamic Republic, share information about the U.S. or Israeli air strikes or human rights violations with the outside world, or simply attempt to break through what became the longest recorded internet shutdown to communicate with loved ones or access independent information,” she said.
