Iran has arrested a distinguished former member of its nationwide soccer crew over his criticism of the federal government as authorities grapple with nationwide protests.
Key factors:
- Iranian information businesses say Voria Ghafouri has been arrested for ‘propagandising’ in opposition to the federal government
- Ghafouri just lately known as for an finish to a violent crackdown on protests in Iran’s western Kurdistan area
- The stories of his arrest got here forward of Friday’s World Cup match between Iran and Wales
The semiofficial Fars and Tasnim information businesses reported that Voria Ghafouri was arrested for “insulting the nationwide soccer crew and propagandising in opposition to the federal government”.
Ghafouri — who was not chosen to go to the World Cup — has been an outspoken critic of Iranian authorities all through his profession.
He objected to a longstanding ban on girls spectators at males’s soccer matches in addition to Iran’s confrontational international coverage, which has led to crippling Western sanctions.
Extra just lately, Ghafouri expressed sympathy for the household of a 22-year-old lady whose demise within the custody of Iran’s morality police ignited the most recent protests.
In latest days, he additionally known as for an finish to a violent crackdown on protests in Iran’s western Kurdistan area.
The stories of his arrest got here forward of Friday’s World Cup match between Iran and Wales.
At Iran’s opening match — a 6-2 loss to England — the members of the Iranian nationwide crew declined to sing their nationwide anthem and a few followers expressed assist for the protests.
The protests have been ignited by the September 16 demise of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish lady arrested by the morality police within the capital, Tehran.
They quickly escalated into nationwide demonstrations that known as for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic.
The western Kurdish area of the nation — the place each Ms Amini and Ghafouri are from — has been the epicentre of the protests. Outlets have been closed within the area on Thursday after requires a normal strike.
Iranian officers haven’t mentioned whether or not Ghafouri’s activism was a consider not selecting him for the nationwide crew.
He performs for the Khuzestan Foolad crew within the south-western metropolis of Ahvaz.
The membership’s chairman, Hamidreza Garshasbi, resigned in a while Thursday, the semiofficial ILNA information company reported, with out elaborating.
In the meantime, the protests present no signal of waning, and mark one of many largest challenges to Iran’s ruling clerics because the 1979 Islamic Revolution that introduced them to energy.
Rights teams say safety forces have unleashed dwell ammunition and used hen shot on the protesters, in addition to beating and arresting them, with a lot of the violence captured on video.
UN Human Rights Council condemns Iran protest crackdown
A minimum of 442 protesters have been killed, and greater than 18,000 detained, because the begin of the unrest, in accordance with Human Rights Activists in Iran, a gaggle that has been monitoring the protests.
On Thursday, the UN Human Rights Council voted to sentence the crackdown and to create an unbiased, fact-finding mission to research alleged abuses, significantly these dedicated in opposition to girls and kids.
Authorities have blamed the unrest on hostile international powers, with out offering proof, and say separatists and different armed teams have attacked safety forces.
Human Rights Activists in Iran says not less than 57 safety personnel have been killed, whereas state media have reported a better toll.
The protesters say they’re fed up after many years of social and political repression, together with a strict gown code imposed on girls.
Younger girls have performed a number one function within the protests, stripping off the necessary Islamic headband to precise their rejection of clerical rule.
Some Iranians are actively rooting in opposition to their very own crew on the World Cup, associating it with rulers they view as violent and corrupt.
Others insist the nationwide crew — which incorporates gamers who’ve spoken out on social media in solidarity with the protests — represents the nation’s folks.
The crew’s star ahead, Sardar Azmoun, who has been vocal concerning the protests on-line, was on the bench in the course of the opening match.
Along with Ghafouri, two different former soccer stars have been arrested for expressing assist for the protests.
Different Iranian athletes have additionally been drawn into the battle.
Iranian rock climber Elnaz Rekabi competed with out sporting the necessary headband at a world competitors in South Korea in October, a transfer broadly seen as expressing assist for the protests.
She obtained a hero’s welcome from protesters upon returning to Iran, at the same time as she instructed state media the transfer was “unintentional” in an interview which will have been given beneath duress.
Earlier this month, Iran’s soccer federation threatened to punish gamers on its seaside soccer crew after it defeated Brazil at a world competitors in Dubai.
One of many gamers had celebrated after scoring a aim by mimicking a feminine protester slicing off her hair.
AP
