Internet campaign targets Iran’s executions

The campaign said that Saeid Tamjidi, Mohammad Rajabi and Amirhossein Maradi were arrested in 2019 and tortured into confessing while in custody.

JULY 15, 2020 16:23

People stage a mock hanging as they protest outside German Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin February 4, 2013, where Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi's was due to deliver a speech. (photo credit: THOMAS PETER/REUTERS) — People stage a mock hanging as they protest outside German Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin February 4, 2013, where Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi's was due to deliver a speech.

(photo credit: THOMAS PETER/REUTERS)

A large social media campaign on Tuesday targeted Iran’s executions and appeared to lead to Iran restricting some internet access. The campaign said that three protesters who were detained during protests last year are at risk of being executed.

Confirmed: Significant disruption to multiple networks in #Iran after 5 p.m. UTC (9:30 p.m. local time); real-time network data show significant impact to subscriber internet lines limiting citizens' ability to communicate; incident ongoing pic.twitter.com/XZ1rNXgRHB

— NetBlocks.org (@netblocks) July 14, 2020

The campaign said that Saeid Tamjidi, Mohammad Rajabi and Amirhossein Maradi were arrested in 2019 and tortured into confessing while in custody. Social media users using the hashtag “stop execution of Iranian protesters” in English and Farsi wrote that the three had been sentenced to death in June. Various accounts protesting on behalf of the men said they had been falsely accused of various crimes, including arson and that Iran’s regime had accused them of affiliation with a group called Mujahedin-e Khalq.

The regime in #Iran is preparing to execute 3 young men - all in their 20s - for participating in the November 2019 protests. Last week, the regime executed a man for drinking alcohol. This has to stop. #اعدام_نکنید #StopExecutionsInIran pic.twitter.com/adZoeReIVe
— Kasra Aarabi (کسری) (@KasraAarabi) July 14, 2020

Iran is often accused of carrying out forced taped confessions that are broadcast on state media. It has also been alleged to execute homosexuals and numerous political dissidents, including targeting minority groups such as Kurds. Iran has used internet shutdowns to stop protests like this in the past. Last year it sought to shut down internet use during massive nationwide protests. The regime killed more than 1,500 people according reports and human rights activists.