Activists in Iran say Khamenei responsible for ‘crime against humanity’
A group of Iranian activists, lawyers, and cultural figures said Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei bears primary responsibility for what they described as a period of mass killings and repression, accusing Iran’s ruling system of committing crimes against humanity.
In a joint statement a statement posted on the Instagram page of jailed Nobel Peace laureate Narges Mohammadi on Wednesday, the signatories said the killing of protesters demanding political change amounted to an “organized state crime against humanity,” citing the use of live ammunition, mass arrests, attacks on the wounded, and the denial of medical treatment.
“The principal responsibility for this horrific situation lies with the Leader of the Islamic Republic himself and the repressive structure of the ruling system,” the statement said, accusing the authorities of betraying the nation to ensure the system’s survival.
"The bitter repetition of experiences over recent decades has shown that the main obstacle to rescuing Iran from the present catastrophe is Ali Khamenei himself," the statement added.
They called for accountability for those responsible for the crackdown, the release of all political prisoners, and the formation of a broad national front to hold a referendum and establish a constituent assembly to allow Iranians to decide their political future.
The statement was signed by filmmaker Jafar Panahi, activist Ghorban Behzadian-Nejad, lawyer Amirsalar Davoudi, journalist Vida Rabbani, filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof, activist Hossein Razzagh, rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, political activist Abolfazl Ghadyani, academic Hatam Ghaderi, activist Abbas Sadeghi, activist Manzar Zarabi, the Narges Foundation, journalist Mehdi Mahmoudian, sociologist Saeed Madani, activist Abdollah Momeni, lawyer Mohammad Najafi, and religious scholar Sedigheh Vasmaghi.
