Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's niece, human rights activist Farideh Moradkhani, has been arrested after urging foreign governments to cut all ties with the Iranian government due to the country's brutal crackdown on protests .
In a video message posted by her brother, Moradhani asked people around the world to call on their governments to "stop any relationship with this regime":
“Oh free people, be with us and tell your governments to stop supporting this bloody and infanticide regime. This regime is not loyal to any of its religious principles and does not know any laws and regulations other than strength and maintaining its power by any means possible.
Now, at this critical moment in history, all of humanity is watching how the Iranian people are empty-handed, with exemplary courage and courage, fighting evil forces. For now, the people of Iran bear the burden of this heavy responsibility alone, paying with their lives.”
Farideh and Mahmoud Moradkhani are the children of Ali Tehrani, a cleric and longtime opposition figure who was married to the sister of supreme leader Badri Hosseini Khamenei. Tehrani died last month.
Faride Moradhani has already been arrested in the country: on January 13, she was detained on her way home. According to human rights organizations, after her arrest, the Iranian security service ransacked Moradkhani's home and confiscated some of her belongings.
In September, massive protests erupted in Iran following the killing of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini by police for "wrong hijab." In October, protests erupted with renewed vigor after 16-year-old Iranian Asra Panahi died after being beaten by security forces for refusing to sing a song praising the country's supreme leader.
According to the head of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, "an unprecedented national uprising has engulfed more than 150 cities and 140 universities throughout Iran – in 31 provinces."