Farideh Moradkhani, the niece of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been arrested after calling on foreign governments to cut ties with the Iranian government over its violent suppression of mass protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody in September.
Moradkhani was arrested on Wednesday when she went to the prosecutor’s office in response to a court order, according to a tweet from her brother Mahmoud Moradkhani.
In a video statement shared by her brother prior to her arrest, Moradkhani called on people around the world to urge their governments to cut ties with the Iranian regime amid protests sweeping the nation, and to ask their governments to “stop any dealings with this regime.”
“O free people, be with us and tell your governments to stop supporting this murderous and child-killing regime,” Moradkhani said in the video. “This regime is not loyal to any of its religious principles and does not know any rules except force and maintaining power.”
HRANA said 450 protesters had been killed in more than two months of nationwide unrest as of Nov. 26, including 63 minors. It said 60 members of the security forces had been killed, and 18,173 protesters detained.
Image Credit: Mahmoud Moradkhani/YouTube
