Niece of Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was arrested last week after she called on foreign governments to cut all ties with Tehran over its violent crackdown on a popular unrest caused by the death of a young woman in police custody.<\/p>\n
In a video statement shared by her brother prior to her arrest, Farideh Moradkhani, a well-known rights activist, asked the leaders of other nations \u201cstop any dealings with this regime\u201d.<\/p>\n
“O free people, be with us and tell your governments to stop supporting this murderous and child-killing regime,” Ms 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.”<\/p>\n
\u201cNow in this critical moment in history, all of humanity is observing that Iranian people, with empty hands, with exemplary courage and bravery are fighting with the evil forces,\u201d she said. \u201cAt this point in time, the people of Iran are carrying the burden of this heavy responsibility alone by paying with their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Khamenei\u2019s office has not issued a statement so far.<\/p>\n
Her brother, Mahmoud Moradkhani, who presents himself as \u201can opponent of the Islamic Republic\u201d on Twitter, reported on 23 November that Ms Moradkhani was arrested as she was heeding a court order to appear at the Tehran prosecutor\u2019s office.<\/p>\n
According to the activist website Hrana, she was taken to Tehran\u2019s Evin security prison and faces a15-year prison sentence on unspecified charges.<\/p>\n
Her father, Ali Moradkhani Arangeh, was a Shi\u2019ite cleric married to Mr Khamenei\u2019s sister and recently passed away in Tehran following years of isolation due to his stance against the Islamic Republic, according to his website.<\/p>\n
Iran has been observing a series of protests sparked by the death of 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, after she was arrested for inappropriate attire. The demonstrators are now posing one of the strongest challenges to the country\u2019s clerical establishment since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.<\/p>\n
According to Hrana, as of 26 November, about 450 protesters have been killed in the two month\u2019s long unrest, including 63 minors. About 60 members of security forces have also been killed, it said, adding that the authorities have detained 18,173 people.<\/p>\n
Jalal Mahmoudzadeh, a member of parliament from the mainly Kurdish city of Mahabad, yesterday said that as many as 105 people had been killed in Kurdish-populated areas during the protests.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Niece of Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was arrested last week after she called on foreign governments to cut all ties with Tehran over its violent crackdown on a popular unrest caused by the death of a young woman in police custody. In a video statement shared by her brother prior to her arrest, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":298004,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-297992","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n