Slain protesters' families urge Iran election boycott

The families of slain protesters have denounced the Iranian authorities for taking advantage of their loved ones’ names in political campaigns and have advocated for an election boycott.

Amir Shahidi, the father of Mehrshad Shahidi, a 20-year-old chef killed by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces in October 2022, wrote on his X account: "Some political factions have attempted to take advantage of the good name of our dear Mehrshad... The Shahidi family does not support any political factions or presidential candidates and considers the use of Mehrshad's name as immoral." The lawyer of the Shahidi family also stated that if Mehrshad Shahidi's name is taken advantage of during election campaigns, they will take legal action against the individuals and parties involved.

Fatemeh Mohajerani, the former Deputy Minister of Education, mentioned Mehrshad Shahidi in her speech during an election campaign in the central city of Arak in support of Masoud Pezeshkian, a presidential candidate. She stated that, as a mother, she could not permit "another Mehrshad Shahidi to fall. We will not allow a few totalitarians to saturate our streets with the blood of our youth."

This is not the first time Pezeshkian’s campaign has faced backlash. During the run-up to the first round of the presidential elections, Pezeshkian visited the graves of some of the victims of Flight PS752, downed by IRGC missiles in 2020, which outraged their families.

Additionally, Pezeshkian's use of an iconic song from Iran's nationwide protests in his presidential campaign sparked backlash on social media. Critics assert that while Pezeshkian condemned the protests dubbed Woman, Life, Freedom, he appropriated the movement's song, “Baraye,” for political gain.

The demonstrations, lasting for months, began after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in police custody, resulting in over 550 deaths. In 2022, Pezeshkian condemned the demonstrations as orchestrated acts of hostility, blaming the US and Europe for igniting Iran's largest uprising since the founding of the Islamic Republic.

Meanwhile, several families who lost their loved ones during protests in Iran emphasized boycotting the elections by posting on social media.

Mahsa Amini's father stated that his family is boycotting the presidential elections. “We are not endorsing any specific candidate in this election, and we have little hope for the realization of justice in the future," Amjad Amini wrote on Instagram.

Saeed Afkari, the brother of Navid Afkari, who was executed in September 2020 after participating in protests and being accused of killing a government employee, posted several texts about this on X.

Fatemeh Heydari, the sister of Javad Heydari, killed during the crackdown on the 2022 protests in Qazvin, wrote on X: "Although we lack media coverage and financial resources, we will not allow this treacherous minority to amplify their hollow voices over ours, the majority of the Iranian people."

Shabnam Eskandari, the sister of Mohammadreza Eskandari, a victim of the nationwide protests of 2022, described the last moments of her brother’s life and addressed the voters by saying: "They shot him with a military-grade bullet at the corner of the street: amidst heavy gunfire, no one could even take him to the clinic."

The brother of Erfan Khazaei, killed during 2022 nationwide protests, wrote on X, “Choose the right side of history.”