Dissident prisoner blames Khamenei for Mahsa Amini’s death
Iranian political prisoner Abolfazl Ghadiani has accused Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei of bearing direct responsibility for the death of Mahsa Amini and the violent crackdown on protests that followed, calling on him to resign.
In a statement from Tehran’s Evin prison marking the third anniversary of Amini’s death in morality police custody, Ghadiani said: “The culprit and main person responsible for all crimes and catastrophes is Ali Khamenei, who must be held accountable.”
Ghadiani, a veteran dissident and former revolutionary figure jailed repeatedly for his criticism of Iran’s leadership, described Khamenei as “a despotic, power-hungry criminal” and said the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom uprising directly targeted him and the Islamic Republic.
“The corrupt system of the Islamic Republic cannot be reformed. The destructive and anti-ethical theory of velayat-e faqih (guardianship of the jurist) is an inseparable part of this repressive system,” he wrote, referring to the Supreme Leader.
Ghadiani alleged that “hundreds of unarmed people were killed, thousands wounded, and scores deliberately blinded by security forces” during the crackdown on protests, while tens of thousands were arrested.
Despite this, he said, the movement remains alive: “The uprising continues among the people. I hope this infernal system collapses by the hands of the Iranian nation, and that through a referendum, a democratic secular republic based on human rights replaces it.”
Addressing Khamenei directly, Ghadiani added: “If you have a shred of conscience left, step down and resign so that the people can bring to power the system they desire.”
