Renewed Push For Open Voting In Iran's Parliament

Iranian authorities shut down a news agency on Sunday after it published a video of the husband parading in the street with his wife’s severed head.

Rokna agency had reported that the man with the help of his brother had killed the woman in what it termed an ‘honor killing.’

Abbas Hosseini-Pouya, prosecutor general of Ahvaz, provincial capital of Khuzestan, told the press that two alleged killers had been arrested. Rokna had reported that Mona Heydari had been killed in Ahvaz by her brother-in-law and husband, allegedly after her father helped the husband bring her back from Turkey where she had fled, purportedly from her husband's violence.

Honor-killings are rampant in some regions of the country, such as Khuzestan and Kermanshah where tribal structures are still very strong.

Heydari had been married to a paternal cousin at the age of 12 and had a child at 14. Hosseini-Pouya said that she had sent photos of herself to her husband from Turkey that had fueled the husband's “negative emotions."

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The prosecutor general said the legal authorities would act both over the killing and the display of the severed head, and that action would also be taken against anyone who had filmed the incident, possibly to post on social media.

Hashtags such as the victim's name, child marriage, ‘honor-killing,’ Ahvaz, and woman were among the top ten Persian-language Twitter hashtags Monday. Telegram and Instagram were dominated by discussions of the incident.

"He has ruled, before a trial, that the victim whose head was paraded in the street was to blame for her own killing because she hurt her husband's emotions," one tweet read, finding fault with the prosecutor and linking the killing to the constitutional watchdog Guardian Council refusing to endorse legislation banning child marriage.

Hardline media, except the IRGC-linked Javan newspaper, ignored the incident. in an article entitled "Psychological Damage [to Society] With Violent Images Not Media's Job", Javan defended the shutting down of Rokna.

"This is not the first time that to attract more readers privately-owned media publish news, photos and videos considered as immoral by the society and directly threaten the emotional health of the society," Javan wrote, without mentioning honor killing or laws that critics say encourage such crimes.

The reformist journalist Abbas Abdi preferred to take issue with conservative papers that didn’t report the killing. "Hardliners who must condemn the killing of the Ahvazi girl are silent about it because they traditionally believe such behavior can prevent sexually related transgressions, so their silence means relative condonement of this horrible incident," Abdi wrote in Etemad newspaper, which ran several articles on the issue.

Etemad did condemn Rokna for publishing the images. Like many media, it used the term “honor killing” in a headline, while attacking he conservative-dominated parliament for introducing laws encouraging women to have more children rather than, the paper said, introducing more laws to protect them from violence.

The commander of the police, General Hossein Ashtari, a senior Revolutionary Guard officer, said Sunday that 1,800 cars, 700 motorcycles, 250 “tactical vehicles” and 85 boats were procured and distributed.

Fars news that published the report gave no details about the kind of cars purchased by the police, but Iran uses a mix of domestically assembled cars as well as imported models, such as Toyota SUVs and Mercedes cars in the past. But 1,800 cars alone would cost tens of millions of dollars.

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Motorcycles are mainly used to disperse protesters when special anti-riot personnel, two per motorcycle, show up in groups of 20 or more and drive toward small or large crowds. The men sitting in the back use sticks or even chains to attack civilians.

Tactical vehicles are a variety of heavy, armored semi-trucks and trucks, designed to confront and disperse protesters. They are assembled in Iran, but engines and other parts are imported. Some are used as powerful water trucks and others have special devices to fire tear gas.

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The special anti-riot forces have been instrumental in the past to stop nationwide protests. Civilians have no way to protect themselves against swarming motorcycles or armored vehicles, while often these forces have permission to open fire on protesters.

In November 2019, a variety of forces were used to put down nationwide protests, including armed vigilante-type groups, riot police and according to some accounts, even Iraqi and Afghan militiamen. As a result, hundreds were killed in the streets. Reuters put the figure at 1,500, while Amnesty International has conformed 304 deaths.

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The news of the large procurements comes as the Islamic Republic leadership call for more support for the police after an officer was stabbed to death by an alleged criminal this week. Iran’s parliament has vowed to relax current laws on use of firearms by the police, although during protests security forces have felt to inhibition on opening fire on civilians.

Police chief Ashtari presented the news of procurements as giving more mobility to security forces that are under the umbrella of the armed forces, with the leadership of the Revolutionary Guard, IRGC. He said the move will strengthen security on borders and for ordinary people.

He called on political leaders to support police requests for more support in next year’s budget. Already this year, security forces have received several raises amid high double-digit inflation, while other government employees receive half of what is needed for minimum expenses, estimated to be more than $400 a month for a family of 3.3.

Teachers and even court workers and prison guards have been protesting for pay raises to partially redress the impact of inflation that has seen food prices rise by 60 percent in the past year.

Bahonar, who is a former deputy speaker of the Iranian parliament and the leader of the Islamic Association of Iranian Engineers, is known for his influence in conservative political circles and his ability to organize political moves at times of crisis.

In his interview with Etemad Online published on Saturday, Bahonar said that Iran needs structural changes and Khamenei should be convinced to accept the changes.

Meanwhile, Bahonar put forward his idea of "the Second Republic" and stressed that Iran needs to facilitate the rotation of elites to materialize this idea.

Bahonar has a proven track record of organizing and mobilizing conservative groups. He did that following the landslide victory of Iran's reformists in the 1997 presidential election and the 2000 parliamentary election and consolidated the conservative groups. Nonetheless, he had remained conspicuously silent in recent years.

Bahonar’s political re-emergence

His high-profile re-emergence into the political scene took place last week as his name was among one of those who formed an alliance of reformists and moderate conservatives in a bid to bring about "a fundamental change in the country's political landscape." He is now suggesting the ideas of a second republic and good governance to facilitate the political comeback of moderates. 

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Bahonar has suggested in his interview with Etemad that Khamenei should approve the forming of at least four political parties ranging from the far left to reformists, moderates and conservatives with election candidates in each party who would have true plans for the future of Iran and form a parliament in 2024 that would think of national interests as its foremost concern.

He said that in the absence of real and powerful political parties, the lawmakers do not really know each other during their four years in parliament, let alone working together to solve the country's problems.

But how can his ideas be put into practice in a country where discussing a change in the constitution is part of the regime's red lines? That is probably why the seasoned politician seeks Khamenei's consent. Meanwhile, Bahonar said that he is not alone in his call for change, adding that there are other politicians who agree with him although they might differ on the details of what needs to be done.

By "others" Bahonar possibly means politicians such as former President Hassan Rouhani, former Majles Speakers Ali Larijani, Ali Akbar Nategh Nouri and former vice-president Es'haq Jahangiri who are part of a newly formed alliance. One of the signs that indicate the alliance is serious is the strong opposition expressed by the Raisi administration official mouthpiece, the Iran newspaper.

A new Republic

Bahonar explained the need for a new republic by enumerating the flaws in the current political system where instead of national interests, various institutions are mainly preoccupied with serving group interests based on ethnic, vocational and economic interests.

He added that other than at least four true political parties, Iran needs a second legislature like a senate. Bahonar said in Iran governments wrongly take pride in the fact that they are not backed by any political party.

He said since the French Revolution, France has changed the structure of its republic five times. Bahonar then called on Khamenei to use Article 177 of the constitution to allow a revision of the Constitutional Law through a special assembly or via a referendum.

He also called for the rotation of elites and criticized officials who depart from their seats only when death comes. He blamed them for the low turnout in recent elections in Iran and warned that this is a sign of a decline in the government's social base. Bahonar said experts in the intelligence agencies should probe into the causes of this decline.

Raisi made the decision during a session of the Covid-19 taskforce on Saturday while 120 cities are now considered "red zones”.

Instead, he proposed that the definition of the red zones should be changed in a way that the number of 'red' cities decreases.

Raisi said the country should not go into lockdown as was the case during the previous waves and restrictions should be regional and local.

Etekaf (from the Arabic for ‘adhering to’) ceremonies, scheduled this year for February 15-18, during which large numbers pray in mosques throughout day and night, were cancelled in the cities deemed red zones.

The government hasn’t announced restrictions on the Fajr film and theater festivals, and its plans remain in force to re-open schools and to hold gatherings during the ten-day Fajr period that ends on the anniversary of the 1979 Revolution on February 11.

This would not the first time the Islamic Republic seems to prioritize official events over the health and safety of people. There were media allegations that authorities played down the threat from Covid in early 2020 so as not to deter voting in the February 2020 parliamentary elections.

Health authorities, who have said the country is in a sixth wave of the pandemic, expect infections to rise to “up to”

On Friday, Iran's Police Chief Brigadier General Hossein Ashtari called on the parliament, the judiciary, and the ministry of justice for amendments to current laws.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf promised to consider it immediately and ordered a draft of amendments to be prepared.

The move to ease the use of firearms by police was prompted after a police officer was killed by knife stabs on his neck and body in a confrontation with a criminal in Fars province on Wednesday.

According to current law, police can use firearms in at least 10 situations, including for self-defense or defense of others. In such cases, officers should give verbal warnings before firing warning shot. Then they can shoot at the lower body, and if necessary, shoot at the upper body.

It is not clear which part of the law will be amended but many fear that it is can be used to let police use guns whenever they want, especially during protests that have been frequently taking place in Iran.

In the past, the government has shot protesters labeling them ‘thugs and criminals.’

In October 2021, the UN Special Rapporteur for Iran said that police often use lethal force against protesters and international human rights organizations have accused Iran of killing hundreds of protesters since late 2017, using military ammunition.