Khamenei niece arrested after slamming regime, backing protests

Iranian authorities have arrested a niece of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after she recorded a video describing the authorities led by her uncle as a “murderous and child-killing regime.”

Farideh Moradkhani comes from a branch of the family that has a record of opposition to Iran’s clerical leadership and has herself been jailed previously in the country.

Her brother Mahmoud Moradkhani wrote on Twitter that she was arrested on Wednesday after going to the office of the prosecutor following a summons.

Then on Saturday her brother posted a video on YouTube, with the link shared on Twitter, where she condemned the “clear and obvious oppression” Iranians have been subjected to, and criticized the international community’s inaction.

“Free people, be with us! Tell your governments to stop supporting this murderous and child-killing regime,” she said.

“This regime is not loyal to any of its religious principles and does not know any law or rule except force and maintaining its power in any way possible.”

NEWS

Farideh Moradkhani, the niece of Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader, calls on international community to support Iranians.

She compares her uncle to Hitler and Mussolini.

She says Iranians will overthrow the Islamic Republic.

Her uncle has had her arrested in the past. pic.twitter.com/htjyBsnMc7

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— Yashar Ali ???? (@yashar) November 27, 2022

It was not clear when the video had been recorded.

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said her arrest last Wednesday was to begin serving an existing 15-year sentence.

The charges were not immediately clear.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights around 14,000 people have been arrested over the protests that began after the death of Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested by the morality police.

At least 416, people including 51 children, have been killed in the crackdown, according to Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR).