(Reuters) – Tehran marked the 44th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution on Saturday with government-organized rallies across the country, as hackers briefly interrupted a televised speech by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi amid anti-government protests at the following the death of a young Kurd last September.
Ebrahim Raïsi, who has faced a major challenge since the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurd, arrested by the morality police on September 16, called on the “deceived young people” to repent in order to be pardoned by the guide Iranian Supreme.
In that case, he told the crowd gathered in Tehran’s vast Azadi Square: “The Iranian people will welcome them with open arms.”
His speech, given live on television, was interrupted on the internet for about a minute, with the logo of an Iranian anti-government hacker group called “Edalat Ali (Ali’s Justice)” appearing on the screen and an audio message proclaiming “Death to the Islamic Republic”.
Since the death of Mahsa Amini, the demonstrations against the current government, one of the largest since the 1979 revolution which put an end to 2,500 years of monarchy, have been violently repressed by the security forces.
As part of an amnesty in view of the anniversary of the Iranian revolution, the authorities on Friday released the dissident Farhad Meysami, who had started a hunger strike, and the Franco-Iranian researcher Fariba Adelkhah.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has issued an amnesty for a large number of prisoners, some of whom were arrested during recent anti-government protests.
According to human rights group HRANA, 528 protesters have been killed since the start of the recent crackdown, including 71 minors. Some 70 members of government security forces also lost their lives, according to HRANA, while an estimated 19,763 protesters were arrested.
Iranian leaders and state media have been calling for strong turnouts for Saturday’s rallies for weeks, ostensibly in solidarity with the government and in response to protests against it.
Footage broadcast live by state television showed rallies across the country.
In Tehran, Iranian-made anti-ballistic missiles, a drone, an anti-submarine cruiser and other military equipment were displayed as part of the celebrations.
(Dubai office report; French version Claude Chendjou)
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