Just days after the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, some women have taken to social media to post videos of themselves celebrating the death of the 63-year-old leader.
Raisi was responsible for the violent crackdown on the nationwide protests against the Islamic “morality police” in 2022 after Mahsa Amini died in custody for allegedly violating the law. Raisi was also a member of a judicial committee which was responsible for the execution of thousands of political prisoners in Iran in the late 80s.
Brooklyn-based Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad shared a video of a mother and daughter cheering at the news of Raisi’s death.
“Just a few months ago, Ebrahim Raisi executed her son,” Alinejad tweeted. “Now, she’s dancing over his death in a helicopter crash.”
“I told you Iranian women are wounded, but unbowed to their oppressors. My social media is flooded with videos of the family members of those killed by the President of the Islamic Republic, celebrating his death.”
On ABC News, Alinejad said when she first heard the news of Raisi’s death, she started to dance.
“I’m not alone,” she said. “There are videos showing women who are blind, and with one arm, and who are dancing, showing their joy over the death of the butcher of Tehran.”
“People are happy, because they’ve been suffering a lot. You see a lot of jokes on social media. Why? Because this is how oppressed people react to the death of the butcher.”
Mersedeh Shahinkar, an activist who was blinded by Iranian security forces during a protest in 2022, posted a video of herself celebrating with fellow activist Sima Moradbeigi. Moradbeigi lost her right arm after being shot by the police in a protest during the country’s months-long period of unrest.
“We freely dance and celebrate on your dirty grave,” Shahinkar tweeted.
The daughters of Minoo Majidi, a 62-year-old woman killed during a protest, posted a clip of themselves toasting news of Raisi’s death with a song titled “Helikopter” by Bosnian singer Fazlija playing in the background.
Footage on social media has also been circulating purporting to show fireworks being set off in the wake of the ultraconservative cleric’s death.
According to a recent report by UN Human Rights Council, more than 500 Iranian civilians were killed and more than 22,000 were arrested during the government’s brutal crackdown on opponents of the Iranian regime.
The report also revealed that “many of the serious human rights violations…amount to crimes against humanity, specifically those of murder, imprisonment, torture, rape and other forms of sexual violence, persecution, enforced disappearance and other inhumane acts, that have been committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack directed against a civilian population, namely women, girls and others expressing support for human rights.”
The Iranian government released a statement following the helicopter crash on Sunday, saying it would continue to operate “without the slightest disruption”.
“We assure the loyal nation that the path of service will continue with the tireless spirit of Ayatollah Raisi,” the statement read.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Raisi was responsible for “atrocious human rights in his own country” and for Iran’s support for “terrorist networks throughout the region.”
“No question this was a man who had a lot of blood on his hands,” Kirby said in a press gaggle. “The arrests and the physical violence against hundreds of protesters, for instance. And, of course, he’s responsible for, the support that Iran provides or he was responsible for the support that Iran provided, to terrorist networks throughout the region.”
“That said, as we would in any other case, we certainly regret in general the loss of life, and offered official condolences as appropriate.”
Raisi, who was tipped as a potential successor to the current supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, died in a helicopter crash with his Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Sunday in a mountainous region of north-western Iran. Ali Khamenei announced five days of mourning, offering his condolences “to the dear people of Iran”.
World leaders have expressed their condolences following President Raisi’s death, including Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who announced a national day of mourning.
Sharif described Raisi as “a friend who was like a brother.”
“Dr. Raisi will forever be remembered along with services to his nation, for promoting Pakistan-Iran relations and regional cooperation,” he said. “His visit to Pakistan last month was an important milestone in further strengthening and stabilizing our bilateral relations.”
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted his condolences on X, saying he was “deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise” of Raisi.
“His contribution to strengthening India-Iran bilateral relationship will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Iran. India stands with Iran in this time of sorrow,” he wrote on X.
While the state media have announced elections would be held on 28 June to select a new president, Iran’s cabinet have appointed Vice-President Mohammad Mokhber to assume interim presidential duties.
Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani has been appointed acting foreign minister.
Trita Parsi, executive vice-president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, described the situation facing the country of almost 90 million as “unprecedented.”
“This is the first time a sitting president has died,” Parsi told RN Breakfast. “It comes at a very bad time for the government. The government is unpopular, enthusiasm amongst the population is at a record low.”
Masih Alinejad believes that change will not occur in the country until the current regime is cleared out.
“The demand of the Iranian people is to remove the whole system,” she told ABC News. “They deserve to have a secular democracy. And we believe that Raisi’s death is not going to bring any change within the country.”
“What can help us right now [is] if the leaders of democratic countries understand that the time has come, that instead of showing sympathy to the Islamic Republic leaders, to stand on the right side of history. To support Iranians, especially dissidents within the country — [there are] women in prison saying they want an end to the Islamic Republic.”
As the Islamic Republic further intensifies its use of capital punishment, at least 223 people have been executed this year, with at least 50 so far in May, according to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR). Over the weekend, seven people were executed, including two women — one for drug related charges and another for murdering her husband.
“Iran carries out more recorded executions of women than any other country,” a IHR statement explained. “Activists say many such convicts are victims of forced or abusive marriages.”
IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam told AFP, “The silence of the international community is unacceptable.”
“Those executed belong to the poor and marginalised groups of Iranian society and didn’t have fair trials with due process. They are the low-cost victims of the Islamic Republic’s killing machine, which aims at instilling fear among people to prevent new protests.”